general question about network storage

[lazarus]

We've got two laptops and a netbook attached to our network. I've got a 1 TB network hard drive set up to hold all our media. (We're still working on getting the Ubuntu to see the network hard drive.)

Surprisingly, or not, it's about 2/3 full already. So this XMas, I want to expand. I'm thinking about getting a 500GB for music, keep the 1TB for video, and then set up a 2 or 3 TB to back up the other media drives.

But I'm also wondering about a server. I have some vague idea that it might be cheaper to build a cheap Linux server with multiple internal hard drives to hold all the data. If that is a valid alternative, how the heck do I do it?

No rush on this, as we likely won't do it until December (unless the network drive really fills up fast), but I figure you folks would have done stuff like this already.

[canetoad]

1. I was in a similar situation

Main computer already with 3 drives, increasing number of USB drives and considering a media/file server computer. Eventually settled on a Netgear ReadyNAS Duo which has 2 hot-swappable drive bays. It's small and you can configure it from your networked computers, negating the need to have another screen and keyboard.

You can buy them with or without drives - I purchased my own, 2x 1tb and have a couple of 500gbs for swap.

[CabalPowered]

2. I considered the same and settled with a Lenovo D400

It works great and has a form of mirroring for redundancy. I put it in a closet and haven't touched it since installation.

http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-D400-3013-1DU-Server-Black/dp/B002RL8UES

[lazarus]

3. can the size be upgraded?

I can see needing more than 2 TB in a year or so.

[CabalPowered]

4. Yes

It comes with a single 1TB drive installed. I yanked that and put in 4 1.5TB drives and switched on mirroring. 3 TB of redundant storage. If I was to do it today, I'd probably use 2TB drives. The drives need to be uniform is the only catch to upgrading.

edit: spelling

[lazarus]

5. thanks, I'll definitely consider this option