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setting up new network and storage solution for small media production agency
Newbie here.
**If you don’t have time (or just don’t care) to read the whole post, I’m basically looking for info on what I need and how to set up the network and NAS for a small media/marketing agency.
I’m about to start setting up a network for a small production/marketing agency and hoping to get some advice/instruction on getting a great storage solution, and how to set it up.
We have 1 photographer, 1 web designer/developer, 2 graphic designers that will very occasionally review or add to video projects, and 2 videographer/editors. We will be editing 4k footage and there will be times, in the future, that the editors may need to work on a 4k project at the same time using Premiere Pro. We like to be able to remotely access and upload/download from the storage, not necessarily work in real-time remotely from it as it seems that possibility is riddled with potential issues.
I’ve read through a few posts here and am realizing very quickly that we need to look into some sort of NAS solution on a 10Gb network. It looks like several people prefer QNAP, so I’ve looked at a few of their units, but am lost on what to look for exactly.
Our photographer, web guy, and graphic designer are all on laptops and need to be able to connect to the storage via wifi.
I am getting a 600Mbps internet connection installed in the next few days. I know I need a good router and anyone that is editing needs to be on a 10Gb connection. After that point, I’m a bit lost.
For the network, should I start with a router with 10Gb ethernet ports, and the NAS connects directly to that, then the computers connect to the router?
For the NAS, what brand/model will allow me to do RAID 5 (so we don’t have to worry about losing data), have 10Gb network connection/s, and will work with PC or MAC?
Thanks for any help anyone can provide!!
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7 Replies
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Get in touch with:
Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.comBob will answer all the questions you have if you want to go the QNAP route. Bob has set up QNAP storage for large and small production companies all over the globe. I have been running 2 QNAP’s in 2 different locations Bob set up over 3 years ago and they just work. Bob went over all the equipment needed to configure the QNAP’s properly before purchasing and remote’d in to set them up in each location once everything was purchased and plugged in.
Bob will get you set up right and get back to editing and being creative!
Andy Edwards
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Hello –
I will answer your questions in detail below –you can purchase a small 8 bay, a mid size 12 bay, or an enterprise 12 bay, 16 bay or 24 bay system.
You must have at least EIGHT matching 7200 RPM drives in a single RAID group. I believe the smallest drive you can purchase today is a 6TB drive. The largest drive you can currently buy is a 16TB drive. You can get 6TB, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 TB drives. The 18TB drives are just coming out, but I am sure they are expensive. NO, you cannot add drives later, and just get 4 drives now. You get at least EIGHT matching 7200 RPM drives.FOR example, if you choose a Seagate EXOS drive 6TB, this is $227 each, and you are buying 8 of those (and you should buy a spare, just in case). In a RAID 5 configuration , which means you can lose 1 drive without losing your data, you will have 7 x 6TB = 42 TB of usable storage (the redundant compressed data has to go somewhere). If you do a RAID 6 configuration, you will have 6 x 6TB = 36TB of usable storage.
A 16 TB drive Seagate EXOS is currently about $380 each. You spend more money, you get more storage.
The smallest QNAP I currently recommend for your application with 6 users is the QNAP TVS-872XT. This is about $2100. This comes complete with the 10G port, and 16 Gig of RAM. The next model up is a 12 bay – the QNAP TS-1685. This is anywhere from $2850 – $3500 on the web, depending on who is selling it. This too comes with 16 Gig of RAM, and dual 10G ports.
The 10G port goes into a 10G switch – the Netgear XS708T. All your computers will connect to this 10G switch. This is NOT for internet – this is just for the 10G high speed network. The XS708T is currently $619 on Amazon.
If you need a thunderbolt 2 to 10G adapter for old Mac computers, you get the Sonnet Solo 10G T2 which is $199. If you need a thunderbolt 3 to 10G adapter for 2017 and later Macs, you get the QNAP QNA-T310G1T, which is $183. If you have Win 10 PC’s, you add a QNAP QXG-10G1T PCIe card into the PC – it’s $89 dollars.
This is a separate isolated network from the rest of your agency.
If you have users that need to connect to WiFi – you plug your house internet directly into one of the 1G ports on the QNAP, just like it’s a computer. This will allow any WiFi user to access the QNAP over WiFi.Once you do this, you will also be able to remote access the QNAP over the internet, for remote editors, remote graphics people, etc. As well as sync folders you create on the QNAP to things like Google Drive, Dropbox, Backblaze B2, Amazon S3, etc.
The 10G connection has nothing to do with your internet router. If you want a fast router in your office, there are many choices, like the Synology RT2600ac, or the Ubiquiti Dream machine, but your company router that you get from your Internet Service Provider MUST be put into BRIDGE mode, so that all routing and port forwarding is controlled by this new router – and not your
box from the cable company.Please let me know if you have any further questions. I do this stuff every day.
bobzelin@icloud.comBob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com -
Bob,
WOW!! What an incredible response! Thank you so much for all of this info! I will respond with a few additional questions soon. I just wanted to make sure I responded with my gratitude ASAP. Obviously I have a lot to learn, and you have set me on the correct path.
Thanks a ton Bob! You are awesome!!!
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Hi Jared,
why don’t you hire Bob and let him earn some bucks.
This is not so easy as it seems.
Plus you will learn a lotcheers
Rainer
factstory
Rainer Wirth
phone_0049-177-2156086
Mac pro 8core
Adobe,FCP,Avid
several raid systems -
Jared, Bob remotely configured our QNAP very quickly, answered lots of questions and is very reasonable.
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Hire Bob.
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Another vote for you to hire Bob–I’m running a QNAP system that he set up for me about 3 years ago. His setup fee is extraordinarily reasonable, and he provides support afterward, which you will need at least once or twice. The specific configuration is just as important as the right equipment, and Bob will do that for you.
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