Promise SMARTSTOR NS4300N - Page 5

Originally Posted by randynas

Thank you for the answer, many have said they thought this would be the case but you are confirming it.

This brings me to a much more fundamental question:

Why would I want to have a NAS like this since enevtually all the data will be lost?

BTW I am not flaming you or Promise, it just seems that this one Feature or Flaw (depending on your perspctive) reduces the value of these boxes significantly.

Lets face it we all know that this (and every other NAS unit) will be manufactured for some limited length of time 1 year? maybe 3 years max, at which time the data on it will be at high risk. It seamed to me that the entire idea of running RAID, remembering the R is for Redundant, is that I would have a solutuon of resonable high data integrety, once I introduce propriatary hardware that doens't have forward compatability, I have lost all comfort in my data being safe.

If I can't use Raid as backed up data I see less value in it.


My next question is is there a stand alone solution that will provide data redundancy simular to raid 5, but allow the drives to be accessed with evergreen hardware like USB or SATA?

Originally Posted by daryoon

Does anyone know how to get rid of the welcome message you get when you successfully mount a share?

On my Mac, I have my NAS shares automounted and I get 3 modal dialogue boxes welcoming me each time I power up my computer. I hate having to click ok to each of those messages.

Thanks,
-David

Originally Posted by npapanik

Just some thoughts about RAID and the possibility that the Promise hardware fails:

The reason why I bought the NS4300N was that I wanted to be as independent as possible from the RAID that motherboards have, since I change motherboards quite often (less than a year).

I have installed 4 WD 400GB Raid Edition HDs and have connected it to a UPS.

I still gonna be obliged to do a backup of my most important data to an external HD.

I wonder if Promise is going to have at least the Power Supply in stock for some time, since this is the riskiest part in the system. Is it possible to buy one in advance (the new quiet model)?

Originally Posted by TJ304

PromiseNasDude, what is the timeframe on the new NAS units? I'm currently in the market for a NAS and this looks like a great option. But I don't want to purchase one now only to have to send it back in to be exchanged very soon.

Are the new ones already in stores? Or should I still wait?

Originally Posted by Joey1234

Hello,

I've been keeping up with your postings on MPC Club and it looks like the problems that we've previously discussed involves DLNA functions for large libraries. I'm curious what the status of your work on it and if I could have access to the beta.

Thanks,

Joey

Originally Posted by AgencyPJA

I've just purchased a NS4300N for use in our branch office and I'm having a little difficulty setting it up properly...

First of all, I've noticed that whatever share permissions one configures (from the web GUI) don't seem to be obeyed when connecting via AFP. Am I doing something wrong or is this a known problem?

I'd also like to know if it's possible to delete the PUBLIC share - don't need it. Thanks.

Originally Posted by PromiseNasDude

Hi TJ, the REV Model is schedule to be out around early Nov. It is hitting manufacturing right about "now". The new model will have new packaging to match the NS2300N. The NS2300N retail box images is attached.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by PromiseNasDude

Unfortunately the answer to your question is NO. If the NAS fails you can only "recover" the array/volume using another NS4300N (using our recover feature). Our NAS (and most others) most write a file system to the Physical Array as the NAS maintains security and access to Windows, Mac, Linux/Unix. The latter is achieved by using various services such as Samba, NFS, CIFS, AFP and others. Not to mention if you simply remove the drives and place into any General Purpose Machine for access to data, this would defeat the whole purpose of having security.



A friendly word of advise: Always have a backup of all data. I have been seeing a disturbing pattern of users using NAS (not just ours) as central storage with NO other copies of their data anywhere. Not a good idea. Like your PC and other devices, you can suffer massive failures for reasons beyond your control such as Brown-out, Flooding, Lightning Strikes and more. For instance, I had a Power Failure (and a Brown-out that followed) take out a UPS in my house a month ago (one of six I have). In this case, the UPS protected 2 NS4300N and 1 NS2300N.

Need anything else, please let me know.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by bionicjay

I've now had the 4 drive version of this device for 8 weeks now. I've populated it with 4 raid edition seagate drives 1TB in raid 5 and everything is connected to a full managed gigabit netgear switch. upnp is enabled on my router which is a running dd-wrt wrt54g-l. I primarily bought this device as a dlna nas. I feel the need to share my experiences here as i just set up a drobo for a friend recently and the experience was much better.

I have these devices on my network
apple tv with xbm
ubuntu linux with myth
ps3 2.51 firmware (dlna)
2 x xbox 360
macbook
macpro quad xeon
vista 64 ultimate (another quad xeon machine)
onkyo 906 receiver (dlna)

The good:
mountable from afp,smb and nfs
Cheap
fairly easy setup
runs linux and open source code provided
dlna/upnp (fuppes), itunes and torrent clients.
decent backup software for windows

The bad:
no way to tweak the linux configuration -- promise: look at what drobo did with drobo apps.... it's a great business model to promote your device!

The Drobo model is ok. We will have a Dev Kit for the community that will require an NDA. We are headed in two different directions as we move towards digital downloads and other services. The Drobo model is just open which is ok but their Drobo Share is overpriced and also supports limited features and services. Good Luck.

documentation is poor

Documention is getting a rewrite and I will be supervising. Yes, it is poor.

Slow - 4gb file sometimes takes 1 hour to copy even with jumbo frames

Something is wrong with your configuration. You are synced at 1000 Mbps? What GNIC? What Switch? I am easily copy 4GB in a few minutes not hours.

afp keeps shutting down for no reason

Resolved in SR5 FW. Will be posted tomorrow. If you cannot wait, send me PM for access.

afp displays 5 separate welcome messages

In SR5, welcome message can be customized. Leave it blank for no message.

nfs does not work from my mac

NFS support is meant for Linux OS and is not tested under Mac. SMB and AFP are supported under MAC

you need to connect to 5 different shares to do what you want.
itunes server does not recurse directories, everything has to be in one folder.

New version is now build on Firefly. Tested with 75GB of music with sub directories. Now supports Video playback. Email me for beta version. Will be posted in the near future.

crappy software (smartnavi) to control the torrent plugin, why could this not have been built into the web interface?

The idea is to move features out of the browser as it everyone knows how to or wants to open a browser everything to access files and makes changes to configuration. The BT applet will be seeing some new features and enhancements in the future. SmartNAVI on the other hand is better than what any other vendor offers. You can directly access shares, change permissons, manage users, load Plugins and more. You can also use PASM if SmartNAVI is not to your liking.

My ps3 keeps telling me "the media server has disconnected dlna error 2110" and i cannot stream video for longer than 5 minutes before it disconnects me, i've installed fuppes (same dlna server as the 4300) on another linux box to see if it was a problem with my media/network , and it is not fuppes it works great just not on the 4300

The NS4300N and PS3 are DLNA Certified devices. Unforunately in some configurations things do not work as well as expected. I use the PS3 all the time for streaming never see the message you reported until you have a large library. The large library issue is addressed a new BETA version of the Plugin. Send me PM for Plugin. If your library is not huge and has issues, what other devices do you have on the network (UPnP or DLNA). I am chasing down an issue with the DLNA stack used on the Samsung TV's as it can cause other devices such as the PS3 to constantly disconnect from the NS4300N. Send me a PM to discuss more.

my onkyo randomly gets disconnected while trying to play back 320mp3

More details such as configuration (playback devices, etc).

randomly needs to be power cycled because the power button, web client and smartnavi stop responding

You are on SR4 FW? Please check your event log? Any Bad Sector Loggin Errors? If so, more than one disk? If unit becomes unresponsive it is generally due to File System Errors and errors on multiple disks which can something corrupt the File System. Again, PM me to move forward.


My advice to anyone considering purchasing one of these as a dlna server to stream video is to stay away for now till they get the firmware figured out, if you are hot to trot on a dlna server, get a drobo and droboshare. I'm now considering getting a drobo/droboshare as it works as advertised.

Originally Posted by Cableguy711

Hey Promise Dude,

Can I rma my nas if the fan has started making this really loud whining noise lately and its only 9months old? Now will the replacement be one of the newer quiet models or will I end up with the loud model?

thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by wolfirr

Hi PromisNASDude,
how do I have to prepare my NAS for exchange with the Rev. B or in case of a failed box?
Is it comming as a standard, that when exchanging the box and putting the disks back, that they will work as it was?
I am curiously waiting for the Rev.B to get a quiet room....

Regards
Wolfgang

Originally Posted by PromiseNasDude

Hi Wolf, RMAs are handled two ways. One you ship unit back without your drives and we send new model. You will then recover the array using PASM. If you have original box please use for return.

2nd way: Advanced Replacement. You provide Credit Card to have unit shipped first. You can then move the drives to the new unit, recover the array then return the old unit in the box.

Exchanges will begin in early December.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by PromiseNasDude

Hi Everyone, here is the SR5 Firmware Release Notes for the NS4300N. SR5 will be posted tomorrow evening.

Firmware Fixes

1. Fix Bug, User can not mount AFP share folder at Mac after AC power has been interrupted.

Originally Posted by sergeycentral

Hi all,

I have a number of issues I would like to address regarding the Promise SmartStor NS4300N.

1) FTP connectivity is not accessible outside the network. I have tested it within network and it works. I configured the router to forward ports 20 and 21 to the NS4300N and even disabled the firewall. The connection is still not established.

Any advice on how I can fix these issues?

Originally Posted by JW69

This has nothing to do with the NS4300N, this is a Firewall / NAT issue.

Originally Posted by sergeycentral

I know that the first guess is that it's a Firewall / NAT issue. But even the system admin at my IT job has tried to fix it, and it didn't work. Is there anyway to trouble shoot this? Has anyone else successfully setup FTP access from external IPs?