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Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

NASNoob11
Aspirant

Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Thinking of a 2d Duo(V1) for backup duties. Have 3 offers from newegg, but all have different warranty claims.

Can anyone confirm differences?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822122029
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822122022
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6822122050

Understand the Duo(V1) may be going obsolete.
Message 1 of 18
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

The Duo (v1) is going obsolete. It has a 3 year warranty still though. Would recommend getting a newer NAS e.g. Duo v2 or Ultra 2
Message 2 of 18
NASNoob11
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

mdgm,
Thank you. Why push to Duo(v2)? Do get the push to intel-based. I would love to. Cost is a big deal.
Message 3 of 18
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Duo v2 is ARM and a newer product. Supports 3TB drives.

Ultra 2 is Intel and also supports 3TB drives

If you get the Duo you'll be limited to 2TB drives and will likely see no new features (or if any new ones, quite minor).
Message 4 of 18
NASNoob11
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

mdgm,
Thank you. I accept your view. 3TB drive support not req'd. Understand the ARM-based (v2) and atom-based (ultra) levels.
Accept that fewer (if any) future upgrades may happen on the old sparc-based units. SUX2BME perhaps.
ARM and ATOM (f/w tracking) both inject big NAS confusion for me ATM.
Happy New Year!
Message 5 of 18
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

ARM is lower power, cheap, reliable CPUs such as what is used in devices like the iPhone.

Intel Atom are Intel's low power CPUs and used in many low-cost laptops (i.e ultra portables called "netbooks"). Not as cheap, but has the advantage of being able to run Intel (x86) code. Some addons are only available for x86 devices because there is 3rd party proprietary code used that is only provided as an Intel binary (i.e. no source code available to port to another platform).

3TB drive support may not be required now, but it may be in a few years or so. Then there's other features you may not need now, but may need in a few years.

The Ultra has the same familiar web-interface as the Duo (v1) so would be easy for you to use. It's also 2-3x as fast over gigabit ethernet. For the speed alone it's going to be a lot nicer to use particularly as you upgrade the rest of your hardware.

The Duo v2 has a new web-interface but a smaller set of features (at least currently), but the feature set should still be fine for you, I think. It's also much faster than the Duo (v1). The web-interface is a bit different but it has a familiar feel to it with a new look and you can get used it to quite quickly.

The only downside of the new devices is that you can't migrate your disks from the old Duo to an ARM or x86 NAS. See http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how_do_i_migrate_disks_over_from_an_existing_readynas_to_another

You need to transfer your data e.g. across your network.

The Duo v2 is only a little more expensive than the Duo v1 and worth it imo.

What do you mean by using the new NAS for backup duties?
Message 6 of 18
NASNoob11
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

mdgm,
Did not expect that big a reply. Let me try and answer at my speed (NAS). I have lived very happy with my rnd2150 since 2008. It runs today (with noisy fan) 24/7 just like when it was new in late 2008. Since learning the basics of it, I did get reminded by you and (now) PapaBear, and others about the need to 'backup' my NAS. No harm, no foul! I have been very lucky so far. I have read this forum chronically and was never able to backup my NAS to an external USB FreeAgent 500GB drive. Studied all of the normal solutions. The smartest solution was to get another NAS! I read and researched other ideas. I decided most were way too much overhead (external tasks) to make a FreeAgent 500GB external USB drive a useful 'backup' object. Never could get it to work. Accept Pilot-error! Did not care for let's format the FE via another client to ext2/3. Fine. Then what. Played with the intel tools to lock the FE always on. Fine. The tool works; and, now tasks a client to deal with the FE in the future(?). I still do not know that if I set the FE to 'always ON' that it will remain this way when I turn it OFF after any given monthly NAS 'backup' use. Fine. Accept what I need to do. Willing to go there. Another NAS!
I decided to just get another RND21xx; since, from my forum read(s), this seems to be the simplest, least quibble solution.
Understand what I will miss with the V2 ARM-based Duo. Speed advantage may be nice, but ATM, not needed for a 'backup' box. This solution means I have to track 2 different f/w levels. Doable certainly.
Understand what I will miss with the ATOM-based Ultra. Another f/w to track. Yes, I get intel-based hdw. I see this trend, but I really need a cheap 'backup' solution ATM. Should my current 24/7 2008 RND2150 dies, I will fully move to an 'ultra' replacement, or, whatever is current, and, available at that time.
Hope I have focused in on my current needs/expectations. Certainly, I'd love to kill 2 birds with 1 stone, but the thought of migrating my current RND2150 array to a current, modern, new family array just truly gives me a very big headache! Choose not to kick 'my sleeping dog' ATM.
I do now expect delivery of a new RND2110 sparc-based unit. Have spare 2d 500GB drive for it (orig. 2008 from Netgear!) for it. I can accept the wasted (unused) space on the tbd 1GB drive. In time, it will surely get used, as life rolls along!
Sorry for the long 'rant.'
Happy New Year! (but, I know you are already there! LOL!)

I just wish to backup my current active RND2150. Nothing more. This new task alone will be a very big deal for me.
Message 7 of 18
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

I guess the Duo will be fine for you then. Just be aware of its limitations.

Personally I would get a new NAS e.g. Ultra and use the Duo (v1) as the backup box, but if 500GB of space is enough for you I guess you're not that demanding of a user and even the Duo (v1) will be a good solution for you, most likely for years to come.

You might want to use the new Duo as your primary NAS. The Duo comes with a 3 year warranty and I'd personally prefer to use the one under warranty as the primary unit.

You can migrate from a Duo (v1) to another Duo (v1). See http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how_do_i_migrate_disks_over_from_an_existing_readynas_to_another

I would:
1. Update new NAS to 4.1.8 (if not already running it).
2. Reboot when prompted and verify update completed successfully
3. Power down both units.
4. Swap the disks over between the two units being careful to keep the order the same.
5. Recalibrate the fan as mentioned in the link above.
6. If you've used your router to assign a static IP address to the NAS you may wish to update the reservation to point to the new NAS unit.

Your new unit will hopefully have drive trays with a rectangular button. This is a new, improved design.

Still 2011 here, but well into New Year's Eve.
Message 8 of 18
NASNoob11
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

mdgm,
Thank you. You do see my longer plan. Yes, I do know that I will wish to swap my array pairs at some time in the future.
Also, plan to do the ram upgrade to the new NAS, if still acceptable (grand-fathered). Fine. If not, then I will spend
some time just grumping with myself. Another 'stay V1 issue!' Fine. Not an issue ATM.
(still have my original 256MB SoDimm! Spares!)

I know I will have questions then. I will read/print your share for reference. This was part of the overall NAS plan.
Yes, I understand the warranty time limits. My current Duo may run out some time next year; or, the next.
By 2015 all will be up for replacement (for warranty!). Not a serious issue. Shop for 'NEW!'
The ReadyNAS product line has proven to be very solid. I like it very much.
I give everything a 6-mo infant-mortality window anyway. 😄
Happy! New Year!
Message 9 of 18
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Warranty is 3 years on home ReadyNAS units so if Duo was purchased in 2008 warranty would've expired.

3rd party RAM upgrades are not supported. If you have issues with 3rd party memory you will be asked to put the stock module back in and you have may have some corrupted data that support will deny help to attempt to recover.
Message 10 of 18
NASNoob11
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

mdgm,
Oh! OK, my orig. RND2150 is now out of warranty now. Hmm. It is still tucking on very well ATM.
I will focus on the 'yet to be delivered' backup unit! Ram stays what it delivers with per present rule.
Back in the day, the old unit allowed ram updates IIRC. Whatever. No big deal. Thanks for
the yank on the suspenders! 2012 looks very good ATM.
Sorry for the bad math; New Year's is still 1 day away here also! Another Senior moment!
Message 11 of 18
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

If you updated the RAM years ago it should be fine for your old unit.

More recently RAM manufacturers have released new versions of modules that are incompatible but kept the same module number. So NetGear unfortunately had to end support for 3rd party memory.
Message 12 of 18
NASNoob11
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

mdgm,
Yes, I have followed the 'ram issues' for a long time. I still recall all the sweat I shed doing my 'now' old Duo.
So happy was I when it fired back up and reported its' new HCL-approved fiddle space. 😄
Never opened the box ever again! I did promote it to its' own UPS though. Good thing, too!
I understand and accept the Netgear position. Fair. So much has changed in the past 3 years. I am OK with the
current limitation(s). The forum is my teacher.
Message 13 of 18
Mastacheata
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

The newer boxes can still handle the additional RAM, there's just no official HCL anymore.
Worst that can happen (if you not force a mechanically incompatible RAM module into the slot with bare force) is the ReadyNAS not booting.
In that case simply revert to the shipped RAM module and you're fine.
I had no problems with upgrading the RAM about 6 months ago.
Message 14 of 18
yoh-dah
Guide

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Mastacheata wrote:
Worst that can happen (if you not force a mechanically incompatible RAM module into the slot with bare force) is the ReadyNAS not booting.
In that case simply revert to the shipped RAM module and you're fine.

Actually the worst that can happen is the system boots, everything looks normal, and 6 months down the line, you find corrupted files. :shock:
Message 15 of 18
Mastacheata
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Has that really happened? I thought since this is the only main memory of the NAS box this kind of errors should show up pretty quickly.
Especially if you follow the guidelines that were set up during the time where this was officially tolerated (I think it wasn't really supported officially at any point).
These guidelines said you should run a full memory test after installing the RAM.

While theoretically corrupted files might still happen it's way more likely to fail in some of the operating system's low-level processes.

At least on the computers with defunct and/or incompatible RAM I've seen in the past 10 years since I work with computers, memtest has always shown errors and the operating system itself failed way before any critical damage was done to my systems.
Message 16 of 18
yoh-dah
Guide

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Yes, we've had issues where the replacement memory would pass the memtest (memtest can be 85% effective) but either causing an eventual null-pointer system crash or data corruption. Certainly not all cases, but enough so that we can no longer recommend replacing memory.
Message 17 of 18
Mastacheata
Aspirant

Re: Thinking a Duo for backup duties?

Okee, well mine is doing well and I'll never again say that it was secure to replace it.
Message 18 of 18
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