Storage/Backup Dilemma

[Jako]

I've been ripping a lot of my normal SD and HD-DVD movies lately to keep on my desktop. I have been looking at some possible RAID solutions.

I don't know wether I should just buy a product such as the HP MediaSmart Server EX470 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16859105382&Tpk=EX470) or something like the Drobo (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822240001) (wish it was networkable out of the box).

Or do you think I should just buy a cheap case and mobo and just build my own? If I did go that route.

Don't have to much knowledge around all these products, so any help would be appreciated.

Another note, I have my Macbok Pro as my main computer and also a Windows Vista Desktop I use for a lot of my encoding (see sig). So I'd like both systems to be able to easily use whatever product I end up going with.

[xenotype]

Feh to the Drobo and the HP box. Your best bet is to build your own. You can likely build one using less than top of the line (albeit more than sufficient for file-serving needs) hardware, and have all options open for future expansion, upgrades, and customization. There are several good (free) NAS oriented OS's. FreeNAS being one of them.

[MrGuvernment]

sure build it your self, but a part dies you need to return it, RMA it and possibly be out of a system until it comes back, go with an OEM and most have good replacement systems on parts for things like next day service

so if you dont care if your server could be down for afew days, or weeks, build your own, if you like the idea of a warrenty and service fast, get an OEM.