QNAP TS-251A NAS Review & Comments

When does a NAS solution stop being a NAS and become a computer?
Looks like this one has crossed the line.

I've been thinking about getting something like this for quite a while but I'll probably go for something much, much simpler.
 
What are the chances of being able to just drop in my 4 drives from my QNAP 451+ into a 451A and it just work without re-formatting ?
 
Has anyone any idea what the fan noise levels are like?
 
If it's anything to go by my 451+ is v quiet from 8 feet away ... occasionally hear the hard drives rumbling if uploading big file across network ...
 
Don't know if it is just me, but i don't see the point of the NAS/media player devices. 99% of the population has blu-ray/dvd players, smart tvs, android boxed, fire/roku tv etc that will let you stream stuff from your regular NAS.
 
The lines of what is what continue to be increasingly blurred. Many of us observe that modern NAS's have engaged in huge amounts "function creep" over the last few years and there's virtually nothing to distinguish many of them from any other "server."

IMHO it seriously muddies the waters for lay people thinking about buying such a device who now face a much more complicated purchasing decision if they are contemplating something calling itself "NAS."
 
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In your opinion is this better or worse than the TS 253-4G?
 
Has anyone any idea what the fan noise levels are like?
I decided to buy a TS253A instead as there was a great price available. The fan is nicely quiet but it's the drive noise that makes some sounds. Especially when the drives spin up (which is a bit drive-dependant).
 
In your opinion is this better or worse than the TS 253-4G?
I had to make that decision and went with the TS253A (£249 at the time) and happy so far. Plus I'm not using its ability to run Ubuntu which is a major difference.
Worth a look:
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Although remember speeds above about 100MB/s need more than one Ethernet connection, at both ends.
 
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I wish people would specify what speed 802.11ac they have (i.e., the slowest of sending/receiving ends), as without that it's a meaningless thing to mention, as AC3200 is unbelievable fast and AC600 scarcely worth it.
I have an AC1900 link to my Qnap NAS and I can write at 70MB/s+ over the wireless (QNAP TS453A, SMD, RAID5, Win10 source which is running a VM at the same time from the source disk too, brick wall and 7m between source/dest - oh and if you're reading my other posts yes, I have a TS253A too, neither is a typo - other typos are probably available as I have to go out and am writing quickly).
IMHO AC1800 is the point where everything gets good, AC1200 so-so and below that scarcely worth it.
P.S. While the USB WiFi does work with the Qnap they mostly support low-speed 802.11ac adaptors (I did request a couple of the fast ones be added, so worth checking Compatibility List - QNAP occasionally), which means an Ethernet connection to your router or a high-speed media bridge (e.g. ASUS EA-AC87) is the way to go.
 
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Don't know if it is just me, but i don't see the point of the NAS/media player devices. 99% of the population has blu-ray/dvd players, smart tvs, android boxed, fire/roku tv etc that will let you stream stuff from your regular NAS.

So people can have an all in one box. Before I got my QNAP I had my NAS to store all my media. A small HTPC for movie playback and to handle my downloads. The QNAP replaces and does everything. NAS, downloads, movies, music, MySQL database for other media players in the house. It really is an all in one solution for many.
 
What are the chances of being able to just drop in my 4 drives from my QNAP 451+ into a 451A and it just work without re-formatting ?

Should work absolutely fine as long as they're in the same order. Just done the same myself from a 451 to a 453.
 
I would always ensure I had a separate backup of the data (at least all the important data) before attempting any kind of "drive reconfiguration" - including physically porting them from one device to another, even if the chassis were identical.
 
And therein lies the issue - buying/having another spare NAS as least as big as the one you are upgrading in order to do a backup ! ... in my case it's less of an problem as it's only a media NAS for movies/tv shows which I could rip all over again ...
 
And therein lies the issue - buying/having another spare NAS as least as big as the one you are upgrading in order to do a backup ! ... in my case it's less of an problem as it's only a media NAS for movies/tv shows which I could rip all over again ...

My approach to RAID NAS backup is not to use RAID but just concatenated disks. If you lose 2 drives in the NAS and one drive in the backup NAS/DAS you're data's gone, but that's a lot.
 
For the avoidance of doubt, RAID - even in it's redundant incarnations (not all RAID versions provide redundancy) - is not a backup technology: RAID (1, 5 & 6) avails continued access to data in the event of a HDD failure. Other RAID version are mostly about performance (and less often used.)

If you stored the wedding video on a RAID array and the kids record Trumpton over it or a virus stomps on it, RAID won't save you. Backups require duplicate copies to be made "somewhere else" which is not what RAID does. How many duplicates, where and how often to make them is decision one makes based on the value and "changability" of that data one seeks to protect and the risks one wishes to protect against.

For this reason many argue that for SOHO "media tanks" it's not worth bothering with RAID (you still have the original media and can re-rip them) and it's more useful to maximise he storage capacity by foregoing RAID and use the discs "plane jane" (JBOD)
 
I've got TS-453A and have updated the firmware. I still can't find Kodi. Any suggestions? Thanks.
 
I've got TS-453A and have updated the firmware. I still can't find Kodi. Any suggestions? Thanks.
There is a QPKG of v16.1 available, search for father_mande for the download. I had to rebuild the RAID array and lost the official Kodi app, so installed the father_mande port and it works perfectly.

There is a v17 beta available as well.
 

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