Data storage options for Mac Mini?

[VTGuy79]

I have a M1 Mac Mini and am in need for more storage. I'm a photographer on-the-side and have around 3.5TB of files. It's a mix of photographs and other data. My Windows desktop that I migrated from has an internal 8TB HDD where the data lives. I want to move away from that set up and to an external drive. NAS will be too slow and too expensive due to needing to buy a 10Gb switch, my M1 does not have the 10Gb NIC and the cost of the NAS itself.

• MacOS 256GB drive stores OS and Application related data
  • Keep OneDrive on System Drive, not all but certain folders as "Always Available"
• Connect LaCie 2Big RAID 1 8TB when needed, when not, power off
  • This will store all photos, videos, files, etc.
  • This device will be backed up monthly to an external HDD that's stored off site
• When Adobe (PS and LRC) is needed, plug in the SanDisk 2TB USB-C drive for scratch disk

Thoughts on the LaCie? I thought RAID 1 would be a good options, especially since their 1Big Dock 8TB was only $50~ less. Aesthetically, I'd like to go for the G-Drive Pro but am learly of WD drives.

What are your thoughts? I'd like to have SSD for the silence. but it's just not possible at this point.

 

[VTGuy79]

Bumping, looking for thoughts and suggestions on my drive options.

 

[fenderbass146]

I'd just get some sort of Thunderbolt SSD External. Raid is great and I recommend it, however you need to remember a Raid is not a backup. It helps keep data safe and in a drive failure situation it can keep you operational, but raids can fail.

So with that said, I'd get some type of RAID 1 external drive with Thunderbolt connection, then make sure you have either another drive it backs up to and/or a cloud solution.

(edit: looks like you thought the backup part through, my bad, missed that part. Any thunderbolt external drive will do as long as you are backing it up.).

 

[VTGuy79]

I'd just get some sort of Thunderbolt SSD External. Raid is great and I recommend it, however you need to remember a Raid is not a backup. It helps keep data safe and in a drive failure situation it can keep you operational, but raids can fail.

So with that said, I'd get some type of RAID 1 external drive with Thunderbolt connection, then make sure you have either another drive it backs up to and/or a cloud solution.

See my notes... I posted a RAID drive running in RAID 1 and also backing that up to another drive off site.

 

[fenderbass146]

See my notes... I posted a RAID drive running in RAID 1 and also backing that up to another drive off site.

yea lol, sorry read more througly after i reply...,instict to is when people mention raid they think it's backup...side effects of working in consumer IT

 

[herbert7265]

You may also have a look into OWC drives:

OWC External Hard Drives for Mac and PC

Need more external storage for your Mac or PC? OWC external hard drives are designed and tested for Macs, and compatible with Thunderbolt, USB-C, eSATA, and FireWire.

eshop.macsales.com

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual - USB-C

Dual-drive hardware RAID solution for creative workflows, project archives, and system backups. Features 3-Port USB hub with SuperSpeed USB (10Gb/s) USB-C and USB-A ports.

eshop.macsales.com

For what I understand:

You want to store your approx. 3.5 TB of data on a 8 TB drive, configured as RAID 1? This means you will have only 4 TB of space available, what is not a lot considering you have already 3.5 TB of data. Personally I would go at least for 6-8 TB of space, means when configured as RAID 1 a 12-16 TB drive, otherwise the drive will be full asap and also quite slow.

It maybe just me, but having images on a "slower" drive my be acceptable, as it affects more import and export, less "normal" editing, but videos and documents are a little different. Any chance that you can separate your data and put for example videos and documents on a faster drive, for example a mid-level SSD (e.g. Samsung T7)?

Herbert

 

[VTGuy79]

I don't edit videos the way some do, if I do, they videos are on the system drive and then copied to the storage drive. At most, I'm using iMovie for basic stuff. It took years to get to 3.5TB.

Would leaving a flash drive in all the time be fine for a "scratch" disk and temp library data? It seems as though even though music and videos are on another drive, by default Apple music and TV import the songs into their own catalog onto the system drive.

 

[VTGuy79]

I think I've decided to go with the following:

• MacOS 256GB drive
  • Stores OS and Application related data
  • Keep OneDrive on System Drive, certain folders as "Always Available"
• LaCie 1Big Dock 8TB (Data Storage) - When needed, power on, when not, power off
  • Stores all photos, videos, files, etc.
  • Wife can connect and copy her data to as well to then be copied to the backup drive
    • This device will be backed up monthly to an external HDD that's stored off site
• SAMSUNG T7 Shield 2TB (Scratch Disk) - Plugged in 24/7
  • Scratch disk for Adobe & Canon software
  • Library storage for iMovie, Lightroom (this is just catalog metadata, no actual photos), Apple Music Library