Best MAC compatible NAS device?

@J D McIninch

Try transferring, for instance, GarageBand or Logic files. You should receive an error.

To be more precise on something I said earlier: It seems to happen specifically with any file with / or the combination ._ in the file name, not just a leading underscore or period.

@ Laplace @ Funky_Pat

Beside backing up data, I would like a NAS to hold my main iphoto library that I can access from any mac in my home.

Can you please give us your experience with your iphoto library and your QNAP. I have heard that iphoto libraries have to be stored on HFS+ HD, therefore you need to store it on an external HD attached to your NAS. QNAP is the only one that supports HFS+ external drive.

I am not sold on a NAS only for that reason

Thanks in advance for sharing your input

Hi Mordieu,

QNAP specifically states they are fully Mac compatible, yet their partitions run on ext4.

I also intended to store my iPhoto library on my NAS (I own a 239Pro), but I never tried to do so for 3 reasons:

1. Ext4 partitions

2. iPhoto is not designed, afaik, to handle concurrent accesses (beware of that if more than one Mac access the library simultaneously)

3. Nowadays Wifi throughput ***** if you intend to manage such a monster wirelessly

I'm currently looking into alternatives, and Apple's TC seems to be rather attractive but of course you lose all those fancy added features that NAS boxes do.

Regards

afn wrote:

I have had nothing but trouble with my NetGear NAS since switching from PC to Mac. Mac folks would be wise to look elsewhere.

I agree with you here, I have had loads of problems with my NV+, which I realised after I bought it was superceeded by ReadyNAS for the NV+ V2 (Be careful what you are buying).

All I can say is they have a great community and regular updates. But it's not for the feint hearted.

My observartions about ReadyNAS NV+ (Older Sparc version)

Pros;

1. Stable, never crashed once in two years
2. Regular updates (Mostly fire fighting)
3. Great support
4. Looks nice, its quiet and runs pretty cool.

Cons;

1. Interface looks like something from the '80's (Even the new version looks crap)
2. Can be a pain to log onto admin sometimes.
3. Limited to 4x2Tb drives (New version can take 4x3Tb)
4. Terrible SMB performance (Thats Apple's fault really)
5. Average AFP performance.
6. Does not handle folders with lots of sub folders (Don't even think of running a Calibre library, 6000+ folders)

To be honest most of the problems I've had are more to do with OSX than the NAS box. Apple don't seem to be too interested in multi OS envirnments, hence SMB performance is rubbish. AFP can be VERY flakey though, as I mentioned when OSX is trying to access any folder with more than 2,000 sub folders it crawls.

All in all, I would recommend the NV+ as a good backup solution, I intend to get a qNAS as soon as I can, and use the NV+ as a remote backup.