INTRODUCTION
Media archivists working with digital files are often responsible for preserving large quantities of data, and making that data accessible to others. If you work in an environment where several Mac computers connect to the same network (using either a wired or wireless connection), setting up a Network Attached Storage server or "NAS" is an easy way for users to access collections. This guide, written for media archivists, describes the process of configuring computers using the Mac OSX or MacOS operating system for use as a data storage server.
FUNDAMENTALS
Your server will host data for other users, known as clients, using the file sharing tools that come with every Macintosh operating system. You don't need to buy any special software to turn your computer into a NAS or host server, and you can use any available network, including a WiFi network or a wired ethernet office LAN.
In Part One of this guide, which you are currently reading :), you will learn how to configure your Mac (or "server") so that it is accessible to clients at all times. It will also be accessible to you, the server administrator, using Screen Sharing or remote login via the command line (for advanced users).
In Part Two of this guide, you will learn how to use File Sharing to make collections of data accessible to users.
In Part Three of this guide, you will learn how to attach additional hardware to your NAS to expand its storage capacity.
In Part Four of this guide, you will learn how to access your NAS remotely using Screen Sharing via the VNC protocol.
CHOOSING COMPUTER HARDWARE & OPTIMIZING SPEEDS
If you work with video or complex media, your NAS will need adequate hardware and a speedy network connection so that users can view files without laggy playback. It is also important to understand how your NAS handles requests for incoming and outgoing data, which will including both writing (incoming) and reading (outgoing).
1. HARDWARE (SSD, RAM, CPU, GIGABIT ETHERNET)
Ideally, your NAS will have at least a dual 2.0GHz CPU, a solid state (or SSD) hard drive, and at least 8GB of RAM. If you are repurposing a used Mac Mini, RAM and SSD drive upgrades are relatively inexpensive, and installation is usually not too difficult. To learn how to take your computer apart to upgrade hardware, search YouTube for RAM and hard drive installation instructions for your machine's make and model.
2. FAST INTERNAL NETWORK SPEEDS
To play standard size video files (720p or 1080p), you will need network speeds that will allow you to read and write data over 20 MB/s. There are many ways to test your read and write speeds. One simple way is to use AJA's System Test software, which allows users to test data transfer speeds of any drive, including networked drives:
https://www.aja.com/products/aja-system-test
3. READING vs. WRITING DATA
Most of the time, users will be reading data from your NAS server. Examples of "read" operations include navigating the file system, opening files, editing files, and playing video or audio. Handling these requests doesn't put a heavy load on your server, and it can handle up to several "read" requests simultaneously with no interruption. If there are too many read requests for the server to handle, you will see laggy performance, such as motion graphics hanging during playback, or an inability to play video in fast motion.
Sometimes, your users will have to save files to your NAS, or write data to the server. These write operations put a heavy load on your NAS server's hard drive and CPU, and it will be more difficult for the server to fulfill all requests, including read requests. If your NAS has an SSD drive, lots of CPU and RAM, it will be able to handle this load more easily. Typically, a single Mac Mini with upgraded hardware (quad-core CPU with SSD drive and 32GB of RAM) can handle up to three or four simultaneous read requests for 1080p video and one write job, such as a large file transfer or occasional edits.
Lastly, if possible, use this computer as a "dedicated" NAS server, which will be used only for file sharing and no other purpose.
CONFIGURING NAS SERVER FOR AVAILABILITY
Your server must be configured so that it is available to users at all times. Using the default configuration settings in Mac's "System Preferences", your computer is set to preserve energy by sleeping when it is not in use. To configure your server for availability at all times, go to > System Preferences > Energy Saver:
1. In "System Preferences" choose "Energy Saver"
2. Under "Computer Sleep", toggle the slider to "Never"
3. Under "Display Sleep", toggle the slider to "Never"
4. Uncheck "Put hard disks to sleep when possible"
5. Check "Wake for network access"
6. Check "Start up automatically after power failure". This is an extremely useful setting that will ensure that your computer is always on when power is available.
7. Uncheck "Enble power nap"
CONFIGURING AUTOMATIC LOGIN
Lastly, make sure your computer is set to "automatic login" so that it is not stuck at the login time in case it reboots after a power failure. If your computer powers off for any reason, it will automatically start itself up (see set 6 above), and then log in whichever user you choose.
To set your computer to automatic login, go to > System Preferences > Users & Groups:
1. Click on"Login Options"
2. Under "Automatic login", choose your admin user.
3. If you are concerned security, consider creating a user without administrative privileges and logging in automatically as that user instead.
Now that your computer is available to users at all times, you can begin sharing. For instructions to turn on and configure file sharing, check out Part 2 of this guide.