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I'm migrating an Active Directory Windows 2003 server to Windows Server 2012 R2. Currently, I have a MyDocuments redirection policy enabled on the Window 2003 server to a local drive. Since the total space used by 39 users is over 500GB, I think it would be wise to move the MyDocuments redirect to a larger volume, such as the 6TB ReadyNAS Pro 6 (4.5TB usable). I'm considering mounting the volume as iSCSI and letting Windows handle the file system, access and security, vs having the ReadyNAS handle these functions. Would there be any limitations to the former? Is this a smart strategy? Thanks!

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  • what are the client OSes?
    – Jim B
    Jun 5, 2015 at 16:48
  • Jim B - Windows 7 Pro
    – merlot
    Jun 5, 2015 at 16:50
  • I'm considering mounting the volume as iSCSI and letting Windows handle the file system, access and security - Great. Why complicate things by trying to manage those aspects on the Synology itself. As for using the NAS as iSCSI, you're not. iSCSI and NAS are two different things. iSCSI presents a block device to the client. NAS presents a filesystem to the client. The two terms may seem ubiquitous, but they're not.
    – joeqwerty
    Jun 5, 2015 at 17:15
  • @joeqwerty, I am currently using a NAS (Netgear ReadyNAS Pro 6) as an iSCSI device for a couple client machines who's users are data hungry. The iSCSI function is a service offered by the ReadyNAS Pro 6 and it works great.
    – merlot
    Jun 5, 2015 at 17:42
  • Right, I get what you're saying. The device is marketed as a NAS. My point is that NAS and iSCSI are technically two different things. If you're using the storage with iSCSI then you're not using it as a NAS.
    – joeqwerty
    Jun 5, 2015 at 18:02

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From your question and comments, it seems like you are pretty much a Microsoft Shop already. From that perspective I would think that mounting the volume as iSCSI and using Windows File Service would allow you to leverage the access and security you probably are already using with Active Directory.

If you choose to have the ReadyNAS handle security/access, you will either be setting up LDAP or AD authentication from there to your domain or have a separate group of credentials on the NAS. After having done it both ways, I personally prefer the iSCSI route.

I hesitate to claim best practices for others so I'll just say in our environment we use the iSCSI sharing through windows file services. It works great for us.

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