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Secondary NAS as a backup destination - Enquiries - 04-12-2025
Currently I am running a Synology DS224+ with 2x 16TB HAT3301-16 drives. My current backup process is a SeaGate Expansion 16Tb external USB hard drive connected 24x7 to the DS224+ running HyperBU on a 1x/week auto-backup.
I would like to start approaching the 3-2-1 BU philosophy by implementing a 2nd NAS (probably as JBOD) to BU selective important shared folders. This NAS would simply be a BU repository and not used day to day. I currently am the only user for my home networking system and all remote access is through TailScale.
I do plan to upgrade the DS224+ to a 4 bay (or larger?) unit sometime within the next 12 months on a staged process - new NAS chassis - migrate the two 16TB drives to it - adding drives as req'd. I might wait to do the update until then and use the DS224+.
What would be a suitable NAS for the BU role? Nothing fancy - Trying to keep costs under control. Thanks.
RE: Secondary NAS as a backup destination - ed - 04-17-2025
Thanks for reaching out — it’s great to see you're planning to implement a 3-2-1 backup strategy. You’re already doing well with Hyper Backup and an external drive, and adding a secondary NAS as a dedicated backup target is a smart move.
1. Upgrading to DS423+
Since you're planning to upgrade to a 4-bay NAS like the Synology DS423+ within the next 12 months, that's a solid choice. It’ll give you more flexibility and performance for your growing storage needs. The DS423+ would also provide a better balance of redundancy and speed, especially if you're looking to move to a RAID setup in the future.
2. Reusing the DS224+ as Backup in RAID 0
Once you’ve upgraded to the DS423+, you can repurpose your DS224+ as a secondary NAS for backup. Since it’s only going to be used for backup purposes, you can configure it in RAID 0 (striping) to maximize the storage space available. RAID 0 won’t offer redundancy, but since it’s only a backup, you won’t be relying on it as the primary data source — just a fail-safe.
This would be a cost-effective way to repurpose the DS224+ and keep your backup process running smoothly. With this setup, you'd still be following the 3-2-1 backup strategy by maintaining multiple copies of your important files across your NAS, external drive, and a second NAS.
3. Budget-Friendly Backup NAS Options
If you want to implement your second NAS sooner, here are a few cost-effective NAS options that will serve as a backup target:
Terramaster F2-212 – A simple, budget-friendly 2-bay NAS that works well as a dedicated backup solution.
QNAP TS-233 – Affordable and compatible with Hyper Backup, this is another solid option for your backup purposes.
Asustor Drivestor 2 Pro (AS3302T) – A more polished UI, still affordable, and works well with backup software.
These options will keep you within budget and support your 3-2-1 strategy while offering flexibility for future upgrades.