SSD

[Enquiries]

Hi, I have a Qnap ts462 with 2x8tb in raid 1 and want to add the two 1tb ssd980 from samsung. I imagine a raid for them is the best option? Given that recordings from a security camera and my qsync folders are the busiest apps i usewhat is the best use of the ssd cache, qtier, etc? any advice much appreciated.

[ed]

With your setup and use case (security camera recordings and Qsync folders), you have a few options for utilizing the SSDs effectively:

1. RAID for SSDs
Best Choice: RAID 1 (Mirroring) for redundancy. This protects your data if one SSD fails.
While RAID 0 (Striping) would offer higher speed and capacity, it comes with no redundancy, which isn't ideal for important or frequently accessed data.
2. SSD Cache
What it Does: Acts as a high-speed buffer for frequently accessed data to improve performance for both read and write operations.
Recommendation for Your Use Case:
Qsync Folders: Use read-write cache to speed up synchronization tasks and frequent file access.
Surveillance Recordings: Cache is less effective for continuous, sequential writes like security camera footage. These don't benefit much from SSD caching.
3. Qtier
What it Does: Automatically moves frequently accessed "hot data" to the SSD tier while storing less-used "cold data" on HDDs.
Recommendation for Your Use Case: If your Qsync folders or other applications frequently access the same files, Qtier can help. However:
Qtier introduces latency when moving data between tiers.
It's less effective for workloads requiring instant speed, like live video recording.
Recommended Setup
SSDs in RAID 1 with SSD Cache:

Configure the SSDs in RAID 1 for data safety.
Use the SSDs as a read-write cache to accelerate Qsync folder access and other app performance. Skip caching for surveillance recording volumes.
Dedicated Volume for High-Speed Workloads:

Alternatively, create a separate RAID 1 SSD volume. Move your Qsync folders to this volume for high-speed, safe access while keeping surveillance recordings on the HDD RAID 1 pool.
Best Practices
Separate Volumes for Better Control: Keep surveillance footage and Qsync folders in different volumes. Surveillance footage benefits from HDDs due to their larger capacity and ability to handle sequential writes, while Qsync folders thrive on SSD speed.
Monitor Performance: Use QNAP’s Resource Monitor to track cache hit rates and optimize your settings.
Regular Backups: Even with RAID, always maintain external backups for critical data like Qsync folders.