Share your successful ReadyNAS hardware setup

Just wanted to post some of my setup info for those that might want to use a variation of it:

ReadyNAS NVX, Pro, and 2100's in use here for various clients. Our office is the off-site location. We use RSync to copy back the data on a scheduled basis (pushed from the client site). Most sites push every 1-4 hours with staggered start times after business hours and we have both a FiOS and Comcast providers, and split the load between the lines. The more frequent backup events help to deal with internet hiccups and catching up from bigger backups. We are currently looking to use Acronis Storage Note (with de-dupe) with push to a second storage node method to replace RSYNC - to reduce the amount of data needed to be sent over the Internet links. Currently in consultation with Acronis at this time to get it working - Node communications in Acronis is not working yet.

Notifications: We use a g-mail account to relay messages to our helpdesk alert mailbox. We found that using the client onsite mail server variations were less than reliable due to server firewalls, server versions (or none onsite) and relay restrictions, and the human factor. This also method gives us a reliable record of events, and the only additional programming might be for the site firewall to allow the ReadyNAS to contact gmail on it's special port (normally no issue).

APC SNMP power shutdowns: Using the Monitor UPS over SNP option under System / Power (scroll down), insert the IP address of the UPS, and make sure that one of the available SNMP community names is set for 'public' and is enabled for read access on the UPS. This is not for USB setup. Current APC firmwares needed to see that option in the GUI and have the option in the ReadyNAS. We are using the newer AP9617/18/19 or AP9630/31 series cards, but you might have luck with the 9605/6 SNMP or Web cards if you can find the old APC FTP site and push the last firmware pairs they made for them (distant memory recalls .AOT and .SUX files for the SmartUPS or older Matrix series and TFTP uploads). A note that I have a distaste for APC (Schneider Electric) serial/USB setups (designed for single system communications - maybe in a home?). I prefer using the open-source APCUPSD in place of APC's offering on my Windows and Linux servers.

Initial seeding of the RSync is done via bringing the remote to the site, and running a backup job, then bringing it back and adjusting the addressing on the backup job. We use Sonicwall firewalls for the most part, and that lets us do some NAT/PAT on the RSYNC communications ports so we don't need more than a single IP on the public side.

I also make use of the ntp.org time servers for time keeping (they are load-balanced, and may be closer depending on which one you use in your country/region - see ntp.org). I set the timezones correctly for accurate logs. I disable unneeded services (more than RSYNC and maybe SMB is rare on the back end) so there is no exposed accesses, protocol yapping on the LAN, and also change the default passwords, set up a login for local access, update the SSL certificates for the final IP for the unit. And write everything down before you forget it 20 minutes later.