[Bob Zelin]

Erik writes –
The new MacMini will replace our current server very well however. It’s almost a perfect replacement there.

Well, don’t get too excited there. In November 2017, I was crushed when I saw that Apple had ruined the
MacOS Server product with High Sierra. Everything up to 10.12.6 Sierra server worked great. So when I saw your post, I decided to try at least simple file sharing using macOS 10.14 Mojave. So Apple has fixed the simple file sharing issues (kind of) that existed in 10.13, but it’s not like the old server product from Apple, and in fact, for most simple server applications, you don’t actually need the Server software on your “server” for file sharing, users, groups, permissions, etc. I would love to see Apple want to get back into that business. (Foxxconn purchased Thecus – a competitor of QNAP and Synology – I have no idea why, other than to possibly help Apple get back into the server business) – but as of now – eeh. At least the new Mac mini can come with a native Aquantia based 10G ethernet port, which will leave the T3 buss available for your drive array. Of course, with the influx of Chinese NAS boxes that are dirt cheap, the price of an external T3 array for the new Mac mini (even if there does become a server again) – is not financially appealing anymore.

There are 2 things that I know that I will never know. 1) is there life after death, and 2) what is Apple going to do next.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Happy to see you diligent on a weekend.
I will reply below –

on the TVS-873 and TS-873U, I meant that you chose a budget storage solution, but a very expensive computer.
For a few hundred more, you could have purchased the powerhouse TS-1685, TS1677X or TVS-1282T.
But your storage will certainly work, for a small workgroup.

Running two networks, is exactly that. Two switches, 2 ports per computer. So on your iMac Pro, for internet access, you either run WiFi (with your excellent Ubiquiti system) or you get a USB-C to 1G adaptor from Apple or Belkin ($29 bucks) for your wired internet, and use your native 10G port on the iMac Pro to go to a dedicated 10G switch.
Run on separate subnets – so if your WiFi or wired internet is 10.1.10.xxx, make your 10G network static at 192.168.2.xxx. Nice, safe, isolated system, that will never cause you any issues.

As for Static Volume, Thick Volume, and Thin volume – Thick Volumes (the default for QNAP, and the requirement for Synology) allow you to create a storage pool (all your drives) and then expand this to an external volume (or multiple external volumes) so that you can create smaller logical volumes (or even a single large logical volume) that will mount on your desktop. This also allows for Snapshots. I never do this. I want performance and safety, so I always create a single static volume (RAID 6 so that 2 drives can fail). In either configuration (Thick Volume or Static Volume) – I always use ALL THE DRIVES that you have in the chassis. I don’t make several drives one type, and then several other drives another type. This will affect your performance. Use ALL the drives in a single RAID group.

And yes – either way – Shared Folders is the last thing in the hierarchy – the Shared Folders are actually what get mounted on your desktop.

And DONT FORGET to disable SMB signing on your Macs, or you will get crappy speeds.

Please let me know exactly what Ubiquity switch you are using. They make multiple models, and different series switches.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Hi –
I will do my best to help you here. Good luck with the setup –

QNAP TS-873U-RP, 10 GB connection

REPLY – I never installed a TS-873U – I have only installed TVS-873e with 10G adaptors.
The 873U comes with a dual port SFP+ 10G ports. I know nothing about them. I would have recommended a
QNAP LAN-10G2T-X550, or the $89 QXG-10G1T 10G card, but you chose not to do this – but we have not gotten to your switch yet !

8 Hitachi 8 TB Drives (HUH728080ALE600)
REPLY – 8 TB 7200 RPM drives – good choice

iMac Pro, 10 GB connection

REPLY – so you spend $6400 on the computer, but are trying to “budget” your storage” – ok . Maybe you spent more on the Mac than this.

Unify 10 GB switch

REPLY – are you kidding me ? Really ? You just could not go out and get a normal 10G switch like a Netgear, QNAP or Buffalo ? I HOPE TO GOD that you are not planning on having your internet access and shared storage network be the same network. You need TWO NETWORKS – one for internet (and Ubiquiti Unifi works great for internet) and a SECOND NETWORK WITH STATIC IP ADDRESSES AND MTU 9000 for your video editing shared storage network.

I have some questions about setting this NAS up. I’m trying to figure out the best balance of performance, security and future growth.

REPLY – security ? When you have a dedicated network with static IP addresses that is not on the internet, you don’t need to worry about security.

This NAS will be used for editing, along with providing a source for viewing finished projects (via Apple TV) and backup both Time Machine for Macs and boot clones for various users.

REPLY – your QNAP has multiple ethernet ports. You can put your 1G network connection from your Ubiquiti switch on Ethernet port 1 for WiFi access and Apple TV. Your 10G network is your private shared storage network for high speed video editing.

Here’s what I’m thinking:
Create one RAID Group, one Storage Pool, all 8 drives.
RAID 6 (as opposed to RAID 5 and a hot spare?)

REPLY – Static Volume, RAID 6, no hot spare. When you get your pop ups, beeping, email notifications, and possibly the speaker in the QNAP that says “drive 5 has failed” – if you don’t have anyone on staff to change the bad drive (you did buy a spare drive – didn’t you) – well, what an I say. I hate HOT spares. I want to know when a drive failed and I do something about it – I don’t let the HOT SPARE auto rebuild, and then everyone forgets that a drive failure has occurred.

One Static Volume for all Master Media and Projects (for best performance)
One Thick Volume for finished projects (for future growth)
Multiple Thick Volumes for various computers needing backup (for future growth)

REPLY – what? One static Volume – when you add your expander, it becomes another volume. If you have a THICK volume, you can have one massive drive array, and then when you have a power supply failure, you lose everything. I am not a fan of storage pools.

– Time Machine for each computer

REPLY – who cares. You should have nothing on your computers, except the operating system, and your editing and graphics softweare.

– Clone for each computer’s drive

REPLY – why ?

– Shared space for all users to share files

REPLY – that’s why you bought a shared storage system.

I’m not sure if I should create individual volumes for each users (7-8 in total, for now). I like the idea of keeping them on separate volumes. But I’m not sure what the trade-offs would be having separate volumes for each, or having one volume with multiple (not really shared) folders.

REPLY – that’s up to you. These are simply “shared folders” with QNAP or Synology. You can have 8 separate shared folders, and assigned permissions for R/W access to each folder, or you can just have one mount and trust your staff.

Does this configuration make sense?
Is there anything I should do differently?

REPLY – yes. You should.

Also, is it worth erasing/writing out the entirety of each drive? As opposed to just plugging them in and using the out of the box?

REPLY – what ? Plug in the damn drives, create your RAID array (RAID 6) , create your users, create your shared folders, and go to work.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

I am confused Mark.

You need to have Internet on one port of the iMac and your connection to the QNAP on another port on the IMac.
This is very easy to do
1) you can use WiFi
2) you can get a 10G adaptor – where the 10G adaptor goes to the QNAP and the 1G port on the iMac goes to the wired internet.
3) if it’s a new iMac Pro with a 10G port, you use that port to go to the QNAP, and you use an Apple or Belkin USB-C to Ethernet adaptor ($29 bucks) to go to your wired internet.

If you have a 10G switch, all your edit computers (including the iMac Pro 10G port) can go into this switch, and then you plug the 10G port on the QNAP TVS-1282T into the 10G switch as well. THIS SWITCH IS NOT FOR WIRED INTERNET. 1G unmanaged switches for wired internet are dirt cheap – you buy a second switch for wired internet (it’s under $100 bucks) and now you have TWO NETWORKS – one for your 10G connection to your QNAP, and one for the internet.

This is the way I wire up all shared storage systems – I don’t care if it’s AVID ISIS, AVID Nexis, Facilis Terrablock, Lumaforge, EditShare, SNS, etc. – you always have TWO networks with a dedicated switch for your 10G connections.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

you know –
Steve Connor started off this thread very respectfully, just mentioning a new hardware product from Apple.
And then some jerk named “Bob Zelin” started trouble ! The trouble that seems to (according to Steve) drive people away from forums like this, because in 2018, editors need their “safe space” where everyone is nice to them.

The ONLY reason a generic forum exists (as opposed to a company sponsored forum, that will frown upon criticism) is to COMPLAIN and WHINE about problems. For me, that is what draws me to open forums, like Creative Cow – to find out about PROBLEMS when the company forum (or the company phone call) says “gee – this is a great product – and we never heard anyone ever mention this problem before – we are sorry that you are having these issues”.

My first memory of this on Creative Cow was with Walter Biscardi on the AJA forum. BOTH of us were having problems with Panasonic AJ-HD1200A 720P VTR’s with AJA cards – and both of us wound up calling AJA (a company I love) – and AJA tech support told BOTH of us (almost at the same time) that “they were not aware of any issues with 720P and the AJA cards”. It was because of Creative Cow that both of us were COMPLAINING and I was able to use Walter’s information to confront AJA about the issue – and the technical issue was identified quickly, because THE COMPANY was not able to “B.S” us, because we were on a public forum, and we knew there was a problem.

Since this is an FCP X forum (and will soon not be a “debate” forum) – I will take this opportunity to complain about what many people dislike on this forum – Adobe Premiere. Adobe Premiere has this incredibly horrible “feature” called Media Cache – which after a few months, fills up, and I don’t care if you have the software set to delete the cache after a certain number of days. IT FILLS UP, and if you don’t go into the /Library/Applications Support/Adobe/Common folder, and DELETE the damn files in the Media Cache and Media Cache Files folders, your system will soon start to crawl, and stutter, and you won’t be able to play anything back, and you will blame your computer, and your storage array, but the PROBLEM is Adobe Premiere Media Cache.

So if this was a “politically correct” Adobe Premiere forum (and I know that most people here hate Adobe Premiere) – then you would say “stop saying such back things about Adobe Premiere – it’s a great program used by thousands
of professionals, without issue” – But that is the POINT. The public forum is to expose problems that the companies don’t have the time or the capacity to deal with.

When FCP X first came out, and Apple refused (probably intentionally) to allow for a library to be stored on a network drive, I complained very vocally about this right away, and many people got offended. I eventually discovered about the use of Sparse Disk Images, and then thanks to a young lady at Florida Atlantic University, that the use of NFS network protocol would allow for the ability to write a FCP X Library to a network volume. And then Apple finally gave in, after all the complaints, and as of FCP X 10.3, we could all use SMB to write to network volumes, and things were back to normal. Why is complaining about this, and saying how horrible Apple is because of this – a bad thing?

But this relates to ALL the manufacturers – every damn manufacturer in the world is guilty – and is the point of public forums like this to be “nice”- or to expose all these companies ? My beloved QNAP – which I make my living with these days – they make mistakes ALL THE TIME – and I am on THEIR FORUMS, saying “why isn’t this working – why does this bug exist” – and I am aggressive, and not polite, because people pay their hard earned money to purchase these products, and if these products have problems that prevent these users from making a living with these products, then these companies MUST ANSWER in a timely manner. And if they do not – well, there is hell to pay.

As I often say in social circles when I am not in a business situation – “I am not prejudice – I hate everyone”.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Mark –
this is an overview.
You can contact me directly if you want this to work.

You should have a DEDICATED NETWORK for your editing configuration. This means that there are TWO networks – one for your 10G network (your QNAP 10G port that goes to a Netgear 10G switch with a static IP, and then all your Mac’s and PC’s all with their 10G cards or thunderbolt to 10G adaptors that connect to the Netgear 10G switch).

Want internet – run a separate cable and a separate cheap 1G switch. Refuse to do that? Use WiFi.

So – once your computers all have static IP addresses, and it’s on the same subnet as your QNAP and your Netgear 10G switch – just PING your switch.
So – if your Mac computer is IPv4 192.168.2.11, and your QNAP 10G port is 192.168.2.3 – simply open terminal
and type in
ping 192.168.2.3
and you will see your terminal report back 64 bytes over and over again

not working ?
then let’s say you have set your Netgear switch static IP address to 192.168.2.10
simply type in terminal
ping 192.168.2.10
and you should see 64 bytes over and over again that it’s seeing the switch !

There is NO drivers that need to be installed for a Thunderbolt 3 Apple computer and a Sonnet Solo 10G
The drivers are native to the Apple computer. If you plugged in your Solo 10G AFTER you powered up your computer, it will not work. Simply REBOOT your computer, and now (if you have your static IP addresses assigned correctly) it will show up, and it will work.
To verify this – open the Apple Icon> System Report, click on Thunderbolt – – see the Sonnet Solo 10G ? (yes or no) –
so if it’s YES –
click on PCI in the System Report and you should see the Aquantia AQC-107 chip listed -that’s your Solo 10G
If you go to System Preferences, assign a Static IP (like 192.168.2.11) to the Mac, and your QNAP is at (for example)
192.168.2.3 – then you should be able to click on GO> Connect To Server> smb://192.168.2.3 and it will
connect

no different than you did on your Windows 10 PC, where after you assigned a STATIC IP address for your native 10G NIC card on your Intel motherboard – you click on CMD – open the command window and type in
ping 192.168.2.3 (if that is your QNAP 10G IP address) and you will see it report back 32 bytes 3 times.

If you need help – well, you know how to contact me. If you have all your PC’s working with your QNAP, and you can’t get your Mac to work – well, it’s nothing to do with the QNAP – it’s all simple networking. Just ping the static IP address from your Mac to one of the PC’s that you have working (provided you have a dedicated 10G switch, and everything is on the same subnet) – and you will see if you have a network issue with your Mac.
Perhaps bad cables !

The Mac with the Sonnet Solo 10G is “plug and play” – but it’s not “plug and play” if you plugged in your Solo 10G
AFTER you had your Mac running. REBOOT the Mac.

Contact me if you need help.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Steve –
I would like to address your comment. I will try to be as civil as possible.
I do not like Apple’s new philosophy of “Apple only – you don’t need anything else” – be it from a hardware purchase or labor purchase (service, support, etc.).

I have been using Apple products since the early days of AVID. I installed THIRD PARTY Digital Voodoo 64 AV cards in a Mac computer long before Blackmagic and AJA ever existed. And when the THIRD PARTY AJA I/O Box came out that was for use with Mac computers, that changed everything. All of a sudden, the Mac was a powerhouse for professional editing. And of course, AJA, Matrox, Blackmagic, MOTU and others took off, and created an industry.
All of a sudden, linear was totally out, and Mac based edit systems like AVID and FCP took over everything. And it was great. And it was all Apple based.

And other companies emerged – Other World Computing, Sonnet, Promise, Cal Digit, and countless others – all basing their product line on Apple products. And it was great.

And then something happened. Apple decided that they didn’t like all this third party hardware. They wanted to keep all the money for themselves. They did like not third party repairs, or third party expansion. Everything became closed products in a very short period of time. Soon, you could not upgrade anything. And you could not repair anything. And soon (10.13.3) – Apple didn’t even want third party products that would plug into thunderbolt ports to work, making it very difficult to install drivers for third party products (without going into recovery mode to disable System Integrity Protection). And now – most recently – Apple wants their “partner companies” like Blackmagic to sell things like their eGPU boxes directly thru the Apple store, and not thru the free market, like Amazon, B&H Photo, Span, Newegg, and value added resellers.

WELL – I don’t like this. And I think that people who embrace the ENTIRE video industry, and the DIVERSITY of wonderful companies that have existed since the beginning of time in the video industry, want to keep this diversity. And when they see a threat to that diversity – and see a central company trying to create a monopoly, that if you want to exist using Apple products – you will hand over your money directly to them, and not be allowed to go anywhere else. Well – I don’t like this. And that’s where my “bad attitude” comes from. I don’t like the fact that companies like Western Digital and Seagate have become the ONLY place to go if you want storage. I don’t like the fact that companies like Spectrum and AT&T are buying up all the competition so there is no other place to go. I don’t like monopolies – I like diversity. That’s what our industry has always been (audio, video, graphics, production, post production, etc.).

Some people (I won’t use the term) don’t have a problem with this. I should be allowed to disagree with them, without being “shut down”.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

Its just amazing that when you buy the CORRECT equipment, and the CORRECT number of drives, you get great results.

SO – for those wondering about the cost of Mark’s QNAP TVS-1282T system (which he did himself – I had nothing to do with it) –

The QNAP TVS-1282T is about $3031 with 16 Gig of RAM
the Seagate Ironwolf 8 TB drives are $249 each – so it’s $1992 for eight drives
The Samsung EVO 860 SSD drives are $165 each – so it’s $660
So his system cost him a total of $5683
not bad for a SHARE STORAGE SYSTEM that can deliver 1000 MB/sec to the client with 56 TB of usable storage after RAID 5.

All he needs is a little 10G switch (the little QNAP 8 port is $573) and he can have 7 clients all share that QNAP storage array, all doing 4K editing.

His Win PC had a native 10G ethernet port, but even if it did not, he could have purchased a PCIe 10G NIC card from QNAP, Sonnet or ASUS for about $100 bucks, and got those speeds from a Win PC that did not have a 10G port.

It’s amazing how inexpensive things have become for incredible performance.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

you bring up the MOST important point, Michael.
You purchase an iMac Pro and it can come with either a Vega 56 or Vega 64.
But we are in the video and electronics industry – and what happens – everything becomes obsolete very quickly.
And is the case with the AMD Vega 64. New AMD card? Sure – the WX9100 – and will there be an even faster one very soon – THERE SURE WILL ! So with the Sonnet Box (or Akitio Node) – you simply open the box, swap out your card, and you have the new latest and greatest.

THIS very fact is my #1 concern about the pending “new Mac Pro”. Will Apple let us mere mortals open up the new Mac Pro and stick anything we want into it – without having to go to an “Apple Genius Bar” to do it – and without having to get only “Apple flashed hardware” where nothing else will work ?

Of course – I can counter my own argument here. The “fan boys” will come back and say “well – if you simply got Apple Care, and something when wrong, Apple would fix this for you for free, and when a NEW model comes out with a better graphics card, Apple will have a trade in incentive program”. I know I will never win that battle.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Bob Zelin]

you can get the Sonnet eGFX with the Vega 64 for the same money. So why go with the Vega 56 ?

https://www.sonnetstore.com/collections/egpu-expansion-systems/products/egfx-breakaway-box-650-bundle-vega64-frontier-edition

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com