Cheap NAS box for esxi 4.1 backups

zod · 2010-12-05 12:04:56

Can anyone recommend a cheap NAS box ( 200 - 500GB ) to allow me to backup ESX vms to using NFS so I can mount the storage from ESX. Understand its easy enough to build etc .. but just want a quick appliance that I can set and forget. TIA :)

05-12-2010 12:04PM

#1

zod

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Can anyone recommend a cheap NAS box ( 200 - 500GB ) to allow me to backup ESX vms to using NFS so I can mount the storage from ESX.

Understand its easy enough to build etc .. but just want a quick appliance that I can set and forget.

TIA

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#2 05-12-2010 09:29PM

qwertz

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I suggest that you head over to the vmware site and check out which NAS boxes are verified by them. This might save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

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#3 06-12-2010 09:50AM

swampgas

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qwertz wrote: »

I suggest that you head over to the vmware site and check out which NAS boxes are verified by them. This might save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

Here's a direct link:

http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?action=search&deviceCategory=san&productId=1&advancedORbasic=advanced&maxDisplayRows=50&key=&release[]=24&datePosted=-1&partnerId[]=-1&arrayTypeId[]=3&isSVA=0&rorre=0

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#4 26-12-2010 10:30PM

SwampThing

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Iomega ix4 - vmware certified, easy to use (a bit slow though)

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#5 27-12-2010 09:31PM

SouperComputer

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If its for your guest OS' images, personally I think I'd forgo NFS and run with something that supports iSCSI and make a "SAN". Even if it means building one yourself (Ala openfiler). At least that way you can benefit from VMotion and boot from SAN.

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#6 29-12-2010 01:23PM

swampgas

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SouperComputer wrote: »

If its for your guest OS' images, personally I think I'd forgo NFS and run with something that supports iSCSI and make a "SAN". Even if it means building one yourself (Ala openfiler). At least that way you can benefit from VMotion and boot from SAN.

You can do vMotion with NFS, but you would need vCenter as well.
Boot from SAN is something you might want to do with the ESX itself, but if the ESX already has local storage it's not really an issue.

The advantage with going iSCSI might be that you can use VMFS rather than NFS, which would give you some of the advanced features that come with 4.1, such as Storage IO Control.

If you just have ESX and no vCenter, then NFS might be easier to implement.

Personally, the attraction of using NFS is that I can access it from a non-ESX system - say a Linux client. VMFS can only be accessed through an ESX.

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#7 02-01-2011 03:57PM

Standard Toaster

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Maybe something like a Seatgate GoFlex NAS device for about 100 quid.

You can install iSCSI on it among other things, follow the guides here.

Toying with the idea of getting one, prob the 2Gb one and doing the very same.

Will prob pick up a Gigabit Ethernet switch too at some stage.

(Although, I'd love to get my hands on a VAAI compatible device)

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#8 20-01-2011 07:25AM

zod

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thanks.. bought this on ibood for €260

http://ie-en.forum.ibood.com/4665-iomega_storcenter_dual_bay_nas_server_with_4tb_and_gigabit_connection/

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#9 20-01-2011 10:28PM

Static M.e.

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interesting. Can you let me know how it works out for you.

Im looking for something similar for host backups

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#10 21-01-2011 02:41AM

Standard Toaster

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zod wrote: »

thanks.. bought this on ibood for €260

http://ie-en.forum.ibood.com/4665-iomega_storcenter_dual_bay_nas_server_with_4tb_and_gigabit_connection/

Haha, same here. I couldn't find this post on the day.

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