Which file server to choose for a small design studio?

Question

NAS

I must say right away that I have practically zero knowledge regarding the organization of the server and the data storage system.
I am the head of a small design studio. Resources appeared in order to organize a file server in the office. I was puzzled by this question, but there were too many solutions.
To make the right choice, I want to discuss this issue with you. I'll tell you what tasks it should solve:
1. Combine 3 workstations, 2 laptops and an MFP into a single local network.
2. File storage should have 12-15 TB of space, with the possibility of further expansion.
3. Each workstation and laptop should have quick access to project files.
4. It is important to maintain the current hierarchy of information that is stored on workstations. Using the example of a visualization project, I will explain: the main scene file has paths to different textures, there can be several hundred such paths in one file. A large number of such projects have accumulated during the work of the studio. Therefore, when transferring information to a file server, I will need to recreate the same disk names and file structure on it so that the program does not have to manually rewrite paths for all projects.
5. Ability to remotely access files
6. Ability to control access rights to various files and folders.
7. Ability to open access to a specific project to a remote employee.
8. Ability to transfer your site to the server
9. There must be a backup copy of the data.
10. The local network should allow distributive rendering of complex projects (like a render farm)
Questions:
1. Should I buy a ready-made solution like synology or build a file server on a windows server?
2. Friends suggested to build this: https://db.tt/pMJsGKZM What do you think about such a server? In my opinion, there is excess hardware power here, plus it seems to me to figure out and set up a windows server on my own is much more difficult than a convenient solution from synology
3. If you buy a ready-made solution like synology 1515+, what additionally will you need to purchase (besides HDD)?
4. Is the router a link in the organization of the internal network, and if so, what functions can it perform?
5. I now have an inexpensive zyxel omni II router, I assume that through it you can organize access to files via wifi, will its functionality be enough for my tasks or is it necessary to buy a more expensive solution, for example zyxel ultra II?
6. I read two branches in this form, which discussed the advisability of using SSD in the first two slots, in the form of a cache. However, the result of the discussion did not catch. Does it make sense to install in 1515+ in the first SSD bay?
7. In 1515+ it costs 2 GB of RAM, I found a video on YouTube, where the owner of this equipment increases the volume to 16GB. Let's say you can buy a RAM - what will it give us in terms of performance?
8. Are workstations connected to the file storage via LAN ports? If so, what should be done when the ports run out in 1515+, there are 4 of them?
9. Does the category of the patch cord affect the data transfer rate? What should be used to achieve maximum speed?
10. Now an iota is working in the office. The speed of receiving and transmitting is 8.2 / 2.7 Mbps. Will this speed be enough to solve my problems, and if not, what speed should it be?
11. To begin with, I plan to purchase two WD red pro for 6 TB. Please tell me if there is a fundamental difference between WD red and WD red pro and is it worth overpaying?
12. What type of array is most suitable for my tasks?
13. How is the nas server setup?
Perhaps I will have some more questions, I will prescribe them in additional posts.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

design in comparison with ordinary documents is offhand increased requirements for the volume of the file server and, as a result, speed. you yourself understand this about the volume, since we are talking about a dozen terabytes.
looked at the suggested configurations. they do not fit into your requirement for 12 TB: there are 2 SSDs of 512 GB each, which will give a total of 1 TB. you cannot install a third similar SSD - there are only 2 connectors for SSD M.2 on the board. You can install a SATA SSD, but they don't do RAID on different drives. it also suggests combining them into RAID-0, which will lead to the need to restore data from a backup if at least one of them fails. you need it - to lower the reliability of the system, on which the work of the rest of the office will depend? restoring from a backup at a speed of 1 GBit / s will take you at least 4 hours with a volume of 1 TB.
Are you going to continue working on five computers? If yes, this configuration will satisfy you with a creak (if 1 TB is enough for you, of course, and you already have somewhere to drop backups) until the first fall.
I'd be leaning towards getting a standalone 2U rack server with 8 2.5" HDD/SSD bays, RAID-5 capable hardware RAID controller, 10 Gb/s NIC and 8 x 2.5" SAS 1.8 hard drives TB 10000 rpm - combine into RAID 5 + hotspare, install nas4free, raise iSCSI target; 2U server with 8 SATA or SAS drives at 7200 rpm maximum volume in RAID-10 - install nas4free, raise iSCSI target; a separate weak 1U server with a two-headed 10 Gbps network and a four-headed 1 Gbps network - install Windows Server, connect to previous servers, configure iSCSI initiator; managed gigabit switch.
7-9 relatively fast TB without the possibility of further expansion (unless they release disks with a capacity of more than 1.8 TB) you will thus receive, there will be a reserve for the future in terms of system performance.
The connecting link of the network is a managed switch and a router.

Answer 2

1 file server on a windows server is not a good solution, take a system unit, put as many disks there as you need, put linux on the system unit, install samba on linux. If the budget allows, you can take ready-made solutions.
2 we have a storage for 80 people running on core2duo 2GHz with 1GB of RAM.
3 in ready-made solutions, usually everything is included
4 depends on the network
5 needs to be tested, depends on the load
6 usually everything depends on the network and not the speed of disks
7 if there is a lot of RAM, then frequently used files will be stored in it and given out accordingly faster
8 usually storage connects to the switch and workstations also
9 affects the throughput of the switch and network cards on the slave stations and storage.
10 if you drive files over the Internet, then the transfer speed will be 1 megabyte second
11 did not encounter pro
12 raid1
13 depends on nas, somewhere through the web interface, somewhere through the console, somewhere through the application

Answer 3

choose from synology better ready. there if at least there is someone to present)

Answer 4

Due to the fact that
need, as recommended by SyavaSyava ,
Or conduct self-study with the purchase of equipment with your own money and at the risk of losing all your information accumulated by overwork.

Answer 5

Hello.
Let me summarize.
I would like to purchase the following storage and networking kit:
NAS Synology DS1515+ 1 61 720.12 ₽
technoit.ru/product/ds1515-/?yclid=1
RAM for NAS Crucial DDR3L SO-DIMM 1600MHz PC3-12800 - 8Gb CT102464BF160B 2 5 900.00 ₽
www .pleer.ru/product_238448_Crucial_PC3_12800_SO_D...
HDD Western Digital WD6002FFWX SATA 6TB 3.5" 2 42 992.00 ₽
www.xcom-shop.ru/search/?o=n&s=WD6002FFWX
SSDSC2BX480G401 3.30 .xcom-shop.ru/intel_ssdsc2bx480g401_446524.html
ZyXEL GS1900-16 Switch 1 8 359.00 ₽
www.pleer.ru/product_179294_ZyXEL_GS1900_16.html
ZyXEL Keenetic Ultra II 1 router
www.pleer.ru/product_242411_ZyXEL_Keenetic_Ultra_I...
...
...
5m. Hyperline PC-LPM-STP-RJ45-RJ45-C6-5M-LSZH-GY 3 1137
www.xcom-shop.ru/hyperline_pc-lpm-stp-rj45-rj45-c6...
TOTAL: 163 364.12 ₽
A few more questions :
1. Is it possible to replace some components with cheaper analogues and does it make sense?
2. Is everything compatible and will the network work at gigabit speed with such components?
3. The workstations support gigabit network, but they also have a fiber optic connector.
Should I buy a more expensive switch in order to have SPDIF connectors?
4. What do you think about this?)
Thank you!