sglee
asked on
Recommendation for Network Storage Device
Hi,
I have a customer with 12 Windows 7 PCs without a file server. Each person stores their files into C drive and they all use OUTLOOK and NO ONE DOES ANY BACKUP.
They are NOT going to get the file server now. But my customer agreed to set up some type of "backup" system.
I am thinking about getting some type of network based storage like "Buffalo Linkstation". I bought it about 10 years ago and it came with 2 HDs on RAID1 and I accessed it via IP address. Here are my requirements:
(1) I like to access the HD via \\192.168.1.20 (for example) from each workstation PCs.
(2) Create a folder like C:\Bob C:\Susan C:\Tom ... etc.
(3) Create sub-folders like C:\Bob\Outlook (PST, autocomplete) C:\Bob\My Documents (files, favorites, pictures, videos)
(4) From each workstation, I run a batch file (scheduled to run it at night like 11PM) using ROBOCOPY like the following:
Robocopy C:\Uses\%UserName%\My Documents\Outlook Files \\192.168.1.20\%UserName%\
Having heard my backup idea, my customer liked the fact that he could access his employees files (that are currently emailed to him as attachment when he needs them), but when I explained to him that anyone can access anyone's folder (ie, his files would be accessible by any of his employees), he was concerned.
So I am asking experts to see if they have some suggestions as to what kind/brand of Network Storage Device that I need to get for my customer.
Obviously I want my customer to have access to his employee files, but certain users files should be protected and I like to run a batch file from each PC to copy files to the network storage device.
I though about running Windows native backup. It will work except my customer can't simply click the files to open.
I have a customer with 12 Windows 7 PCs without a file server. Each person stores their files into C drive and they all use OUTLOOK and NO ONE DOES ANY BACKUP.
They are NOT going to get the file server now. But my customer agreed to set up some type of "backup" system.
I am thinking about getting some type of network based storage like "Buffalo Linkstation". I bought it about 10 years ago and it came with 2 HDs on RAID1 and I accessed it via IP address. Here are my requirements:
(1) I like to access the HD via \\192.168.1.20 (for example) from each workstation PCs.
(2) Create a folder like C:\Bob C:\Susan C:\Tom ... etc.
(3) Create sub-folders like C:\Bob\Outlook (PST, autocomplete) C:\Bob\My Documents (files, favorites, pictures, videos)
(4) From each workstation, I run a batch file (scheduled to run it at night like 11PM) using ROBOCOPY like the following:
Robocopy C:\Uses\%UserName%\My Documents\Outlook Files \\192.168.1.20\%UserName%\
Having heard my backup idea, my customer liked the fact that he could access his employees files (that are currently emailed to him as attachment when he needs them), but when I explained to him that anyone can access anyone's folder (ie, his files would be accessible by any of his employees), he was concerned.
So I am asking experts to see if they have some suggestions as to what kind/brand of Network Storage Device that I need to get for my customer.
Obviously I want my customer to have access to his employee files, but certain users files should be protected and I like to run a batch file from each PC to copy files to the network storage device.
I though about running Windows native backup. It will work except my customer can't simply click the files to open.
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ASKER
I just purchased WD My Cloud NAS device from a local store. I was told that I can create multiple partitions and set permissions based on PC mac address. Let me try this and share my findings.
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ASKER
Having tried WD My Cloud 2TB NAS, I have decided to set up a small PC with WIndows 7. I think that is the easiest and simplest to set up user accounts and do the backup.
What I have discovered that WD NAS does NOT recognize user credentials coming from Windows workstations.
Say I have a PC with username: Bob and password: 123.
Also I created username: Bob with password 123 and created a share name "Bob" on WD NAS. I thought (at least hoping) that WD NAS would let me access the share folder "Bob" based on Windows user credentials. But it did not.
In the PC environment (say I set up a PC with 2TB HD), I can set up user accounts with passwords that match those of workstations. Once I created "SHARE" folders for each user (ie. C:\Users\Bob), Bob can access "Bob" folder from the 2TB HD PC without having to enter username and password.
What I have discovered that WD NAS does NOT recognize user credentials coming from Windows workstations.
Say I have a PC with username: Bob and password: 123.
Also I created username: Bob with password 123 and created a share name "Bob" on WD NAS. I thought (at least hoping) that WD NAS would let me access the share folder "Bob" based on Windows user credentials. But it did not.
In the PC environment (say I set up a PC with 2TB HD), I can set up user accounts with passwords that match those of workstations. Once I created "SHARE" folders for each user (ie. C:\Users\Bob), Bob can access "Bob" folder from the 2TB HD PC without having to enter username and password.
ASKER
As I mentioned above, I set up a Windows 7 PC and created same user accounts as in each workstation.
I created shares under C:\Users\%UserName% so that each workstation can access their share, but no one else.
Thanks for your help.
I created shares under C:\Users\%UserName% so that each workstation can access their share, but no one else.
Thanks for your help.
ASKER
Does any of suggested NAS meet the requirements?