New TS-462 Upgrades

[Enquiries]

Hi All,

Great Vids on YT guys & always watch them! ?

Couldn't seem to find much on the forum so here goes....

Migrated from from a TP-431P which has worked well for years but when the local dealer listed the new LS-462 for less than half price it was too good to be true but was so ... boom!!

We have migrated our HD's between them & have B/U, zeroed vol. & restored our data so able to use snapshots etc.

At the same time we upgraded the RAM from 2GB to 16GB! ?

Now we are considering adding NVMe cache and/or Qtier & a 5/10 Gbe PCIe NIC?

Questions are:-

1. What size Cache is appropriate for our NAS size & usage?

2. Should we use Qtier & again if so what size?

3. Can/should we mix both the above? Is there additional benefit instead of having one or the other?

4. What NIC would be suitable? A 5 or 10 Gbe? Both can can be used in our new DMS-106XT 2.5Gbe/10Gbe switch!

Look forward to any & all ideas, suggestions & solutions to optimize our shiny new NAS! ?

Cheers,

Tas

[ed]

1. In determining the appropriate cache size for your NAS, it's essential to consider your average daily usage. If you access around 500GB of data per day, a cache size matching that capacity would be ideal. For instance, video editors often handle 1TB projects on a daily basis, necessitating a cache of that magnitude. In typical home use scenarios, a cache size of 100-250GB is generally sufficient.
2. Qtier is a powerful tool that automates data movement within your NAS, intelligently shifting it between HDD and SSD volumes based on the frequency of access. This dynamic optimization significantly enhances access speeds. However, it's important to note that if you access different data every day or your usage resembles that of web servers, which exhibit varying access patterns, Qtier may not provide immediate benefits. In such cases, utilizing cache instead can yield instant performance boosts. With cache, all data initially lands on the SSD, and frequently accessed data is duplicated in the read cache. Many users, however, opt for SSDs as primary storage rather than cache or Qtier, reaping instant speed enhancements without relying on the system to determine data movement or caching requirements. Cache typically comes into play when individuals seek to augment their HDD arrays, accommodating situations where creating an adequately large SSD volume proves cost-prohibitive, leading to a compromise with HDD storage.
3. It is indeed possible and worth considering a combination of both cache and Qtier, but the decision hinges on your specific needs. Before proceeding, determine the portion of your data that requires the swiftness of an SSD. If it primarily encompasses applications and the operating system, a simple approach involves installing a pair of 250GB NVMe drives and utilizing them as primary storage for apps and files demanding rapid access. Alternatively, setting up Qtier can be beneficial when uncertain about which files necessitate quick access. Qtier will automatically move data to the SSD tier as required. In this setup, cache may not be necessary. On the other hand, you can utilize HDDs for main storage while simultaneously introducing cache to enhance performance.
4. Regarding the suitable NIC for your needs, both 5 Gbe and 10 Gbe options are compatible with your new DMS-106XT 2.5Gbe/10Gbe switch. To explore the specific network interface card models that are compatible, you can refer to the list available at this link: [https://www.qnap.com/en-uk/compatibility...=11&filter[type]=expansion_card]. These cards are designed to be backward compatible and will function seamlessly with 2.5/10Gbe switches.