I'm working with a client who has data spread across three locations: an on-premises NAS with 150 TB (which is stable but filling up), an offsite backup with Veeam that has 250 TB in use (with potential for over 1 PB), and another remote server backup, also with 250 TB and expandable. They're facing a projected growth of 50% in storage over the next 6-8 months.
The NAS is nearly full, and while I could upgrade the drives for more capacity, management wants a long-term solution. They specifically requested that the new system be quiet enough not to disturb the office workers, even though it's in an IT closet. They also want the storage to be scalable for at least the next three years, potentially needing over 1 PB of space, so I'm considering a setup that could ultimately reach 2-3 PB.
One idea I have is to build multiple systems similar to the current NAS and organize them with distinct shares for easy management. However, I'm looking for advice on this approach and any alternative solutions that meet the requirements without sacrificing functionality or comfort.
2 Answers
Have you thought about data archival? Not all projects need to be instantly accessible, especially older ones. Offloading some less-frequent access data could help reduce backup size with Veeam, which can be quite costly for large amounts of unstructured data. You might want to think about whether you want to build this system yourself or leverage a vendor. Some options like PowerStore allow for easy expansion just by adding more nodes, while others require additional disk shelves.
I think organizing your data into separate shares like NAS1, NAS2, etc., might not be the best way to go. Users typically find it cumbersome to navigate this way. Instead, I suggest using multiple NAS devices that each expose a shared folder. You could then set up a Windows server as a DFS server that presents everything as one simplified structure to the users. Plus, consider commodity hardware that's quieter to avoid disturbing the office environment.
I need access to even older projects at least once a week, which complicates things. I would prefer tackling this on my own while getting vendor support when necessary.