[PLUG] RAID Backup Server

[Edmund Goppelt <webmaster@hallwatch.org>]

I want to build an inexpensive backup server with 1 terabyte storage.
Does anyone have any experience in this area?

The server would store backups for my home and business networks.  The
server has to be able to handle a drive failure without loss of
data. As far as I know this means a RAID system of some sort.

My plan at this point is to roll my own linux based RAID system (i.e.,
buy 4 SATA drives and stuff them into an disk array):

1 Addonics 4SA Disk Array:  $120
4 Seagate Barracuda 250s @ $107:  $428
Linux server:  already have this, so no additional cost

Total Cost:  $548

$548 seems pretty reasonable to me.  Do I have any other options?
Does my present plan make sense both from a technical as well as money
standpoint?

I notice there are mass market NAS devices out there, but they seem to
start at around $1000 (e.g., this Buffalo product:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822155306) and I
am not sure how well they handle drive failures.

Thanks in advance for your ideas, suggestions & comments.

-- 

Ed Goppelt
http://www.hallwatch.org
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