-
DAS or NAS?
I have a 2017 MBP and I store my photographs on a 1TB Samsung SSD using Lightroom, and on a QNAP TS-453A. I only do the odd tinkering with videos but with the intention to spend more time on both photography and video editing. I will need more storage shortly though, and to future-proof.
My MBP fans do blow hard at times and I am considering adding a ‘beefed up’ Mac Mini to take over for editing. I don’t need to share with anyone else and whilst it’s nice to remote into my own storage whilst away from my home /office this not critical, more a ‘nice to have’.
My intention is to get some form of attached storage to do all the heavy lifting, connected to the Mac Mini, I would connect using a 2 metre active TB3 cable, and use the MBP when I am at a client site .
However, I’m confused about whether to get a TB3 DAS or a TB3 NAS.
DAS: I like the Promise Pegasus 3 R6 and the LaCie 6Big: 24TB should be enough for me.
NAS: I also like the look of the Qnap TS-453BT3-8G Desktop NAS 10GbE+TB3 32TB 4-Bay RAID (8GB RAM) + 10GbE + Thunderbolt 3 (4 X 8TB Seagate IronWolf (NAS))
I hear good and bad comments for all the above devices, and quite a divide between the research so far: “A TB3 NAS /10GB) is just not fast enough to use for editing on the fly verses” “Oh yes it is!” and “Yes, definitely go for the DAS. So much faster and best because you don’t have to share”.
I live in the UK so prices are roughly $ for £: cost is not a speed bump for me but neither do I want to go crazy.
I’d be grateful if anyone give me a steer.
-
5 Replies
-
simple answer – get the Promise Pegasus R6.
Why would you go thru the aggrivation of getting a NAS system, when you don’t need shared storage ?
The Promise will plug in and work. It will just mount on your desktop. And a 6 drive DAS system will be faster than a 4 drive NAS system.And I do QNAP systems every day. Get the Promise for your application.
Bob Zelin
Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com -
Hello Bob
Many thanks for taking the time to reply, much appreciated. Yes, keep things simple works for me every time.
Kind regards
Bob
-
Unless sharing is essential for your workflow, a DAS will be faster than a NAS. Also, a NAS takes a while to start up, several minutes at times, while a DAS is instantly on and ready to go.
In terms of price,
A QNAP 6-bay TVS-672XT-i3-8G NAS 24 TB (6x4TB) with 10GbE and TB3 ports at Span is UK Pounds 1853.00
A Promise 6-bay RAID 24 TB (6x4TB) at the UK Apple Store is UK Pounds 1939.00
An Areca 6-bay ARC-8050T3-6 TB3 RAID 24 TB (6x4TB) at Rent a RAID is UK Pounds 2130.00As RAID 6 the above 3 will actually give you 16 TB usable space.
If sharing is a useful thing for you, you can get an 8-bay NAS which will be fast than a 6-bay, for slightly more than a good 6-bay DAS.
A Qnap 8-bay TVS-872XT-i5-16G NAS 24 TB (8x3TB) with 10GbE+TB3 ports at Span is UK Pounds 2242.00
As RAID 6, the TVS-872XT NAS will give you 18 TB usable space.———————————–
Neil Sadwelkar
neilsadwelkar.blogspot.com
twitter: fcpguru
FCP Editor, Edit systems consultant
Mumbai India -
Thank you Neil, and the time taken to respond.
I think I will leave my current TS-453A NAS in situ for backup purposes and buy a DAS.
I like both the Promise 3 big 6 and the LaCie 6big TB3 – difficult to decide at this juncture, when reading the ‘pros & cons’ for each. When looking at the UK Apple shop their prices are certainly comparable with other vendors.
Whilst photography editing is all fairly new to me, I will keep my MBP for work / mobility and buy a Mac Mini (self bump up the RAM with 3rd party chips to 32GB (maybe even 64GB!)) to use for Lightroom and Photoshop activities. However, I am unsure whether to buy the BlackMagic eGPU Pro from Apple (circa £1200) or go and buy a housing and Radeon eGP, at a much reduced price, for driving my 2 x 27″ monitors. This will join either the Promise or Lacie DAS.
Do you have any advice on this set up?
Regards
Bob -
Between Promise and LaCie, my choice would be neither. I’d go with G-technology. But they don’t have a 6-bay. Its 4-bay or 8-bay.
On Mac Mini, I have one. A stock 3 GHz 6-core i5 to which I added RAM to make 32 GB. With a Sonnet eGFX breakaway 550 W with a Radeon RS580 8GB GPU in it. I have 2 LG 24″ monitors and this setup works an Avid edit station for the past 3 months. Works great. I even tested Resolve transcode on this vs the cylinder 6-core Mac Pro. This one is as fast.
As an Avid or Premiere Pro station its great value. And, unlike an iMac, I can ‘upgrade’ the monitor, or change the GPU too.
The iMac has a great display though.———————————–
Neil Sadwelkar
neilsadwelkar.blogspot.com
twitter: fcpguru
FCP Editor, Edit systems consultant
Mumbai India
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up