[geeks] embedded NAS option

[Dan Duncan]

I'm looking to replace an old file server with something smaller, quieter,
and friendlier to my electric and cooling bills (and thus I'm posting it
here instead of rescue :) so I was wondering if anyone had recommendations.
I've been extremely happy with my wrt54g and all the available hacks so
I was wondering about devices like the linksys nslu2 or even one of the
wrt54g-like routers that have USB ports.  My current setup is 2 servers
sharing out existing PATA drives via nfs and samba and I use rsync to keep
the data in sync.  The drives are not part of a RAID and I don't back them
up on a regular basis because I mirror between two servers on two different
floors of my house.  (They are in slide-out carriers and I occasionally
back them up to another drive in a slide-out carrier stored offsite.)  I'm
running heartbeat on both boxes so I actually hit the samba server whichever one
of them via a virtual IP.  This scheme has worked well for me so I'd like
to keep the method and just replace the servers.  The drives are in good shape
so putting them into USB external cases instead of slide-out carriers
wouldn't be much of a stretch.

Any price vs. footprint vs. availability vs. reliability input appreciated.

-DanD

-- 
#  Dan Duncan (kd4igw)  dand at pcisys.net  http://pcisys.net/~dand
# "Contrariwise", continued Tweedledee, "If it was so, it might be; and if it
# were so, it would be; but as it isnt, it aint. Thats logic." LEWIS CARROLL