Drive Drawer or External Housing?

Sperlock · 12-11-2005, 11:37 AM

I'm looking at getting an external drive as well, though I am looking at getting an ethernet one so both my Linux desktop and OS X Powerbook can use it at the same time. Any recommendations?

richlevy · 12-11-2005, 06:27 PM

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I picked up a Compusa aluminum external housing today for $30 with a one-button backup. With the $30 I paid for the Maxtor 200GB, I now have a 200 GB USB external for $60.

P.S. I did have to call up Staples for the additional $40 on the hard drive. It seems the price I was charged did not include the promised $40 instant rebate.

Now all I need is a safe and legal way to fill up 200 GB of extra storage

.

mbpark · 12-11-2005, 09:20 PM

Sperlock,

I'd just recommend the following:

1. A Firewire/USB 2.0 drive that you can either switch or share out via the Linux box via NFS or Samba. Why bother connecting the drive to both when Linux can do an excellent job of sharing it out?

You already have a desktop with very capable networking capabilities. Why not use it on the Linux box, format it for use with a good journaling file system (ext3 or Reiser4), and share it with the Linux box?

The reason why I suggest this is because you already have a Linux box. Most of these "network drives" are nothing but a small embedded Linux or Wind River system running on Ethernet, usually with a much slower (think ARM) CPU, sharing the drive out via a modified version of Samba.

If you share out a USB 2.0 or Firewire drive on your Linux box, you will gain much faster file sharing speed due to Samba, a much better file system if you use Reiser4 or ext3, and security you can integrate with your existing Linux user accounts via OS X.

You've got 90% of the solution already. No need to reinvent the wheel

.

Mitch

12-11-2005, 11:37 AM	#1
Sperlock Elite Elitist Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 322	I'm looking at getting an external drive as well, though I am looking at getting an ethernet one so both my Linux desktop and OS X Powerbook can use it at the same time. Any recommendations? __________________ Every oak tree started out as a couple of nuts who stood their ground. - Anonymous http://informationthreshold.blogspot.com, http://spiritualthreshold.blogspot.com

12-11-2005, 06:27 PM	#2
richlevy King Of Wishful Thinking Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Philadelphia Suburbs Posts: 6,669	Thanks Thanks for the advice, everyone. I picked up a Compusa aluminum external housing today for $30 with a one-button backup. With the $30 I paid for the Maxtor 200GB, I now have a 200 GB USB external for $60. P.S. I did have to call up Staples for the additional $40 on the hard drive. It seems the price I was charged did not include the promised $40 instant rebate. Now all I need is a safe and legal way to fill up 200 GB of extra storage. __________________ Exercise your rights and remember your obligations - VOTE! I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting. -- Barack Hussein Obama

12-11-2005, 09:20 PM	#3
mbpark Lecturer Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 761	Sperlock..you have Linux :). Sperlock, I'd just recommend the following: 1. A Firewire/USB 2.0 drive that you can either switch or share out via the Linux box via NFS or Samba. Why bother connecting the drive to both when Linux can do an excellent job of sharing it out? You already have a desktop with very capable networking capabilities. Why not use it on the Linux box, format it for use with a good journaling file system (ext3 or Reiser4), and share it with the Linux box? The reason why I suggest this is because you already have a Linux box. Most of these "network drives" are nothing but a small embedded Linux or Wind River system running on Ethernet, usually with a much slower (think ARM) CPU, sharing the drive out via a modified version of Samba. If you share out a USB 2.0 or Firewire drive on your Linux box, you will gain much faster file sharing speed due to Samba, a much better file system if you use Reiser4 or ext3, and security you can integrate with your existing Linux user accounts via OS X. You've got 90% of the solution already. No need to reinvent the wheel . Mitch

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