You have built an ad-hoc data center with plenty of storage capacity. I think at some point most of us started that way... except that in the 90s, having 3TB of storage was awesome ( we had 200GB drives then...).
At some point, though, you'll have to start thinking about organizing the data (users, public, private, media) and working a plan for online backups. You have achieved catastrophic security by having a backup in a different physical place, but it's inconvenient as currently implemented since the physical backup should be your 3rd or 4th level not 2nd.
My advice is to start looking into RAID enclosures, they are dirt cheap and USB 3.1 is quite fast. Format them in a simple file system that any windows/linux machine can read. Get two laptops ( low power ) and implement samba. I got my "nas" laptops used on eBay, you don't need lots of power for them for simple data sharing.
Make sure the batteries in your laptops are good and get a nice UPS.
The next logical step will be getting real stand alone NASs. Dual power supplies plugged into the UPS.
Oh a Plex server is a wonderful thing. Our smart TVs find them. It's like having your own Netflix. I've have all of Get Smart, Hogan's Heros, Gilligan's Island, etc, etc.. plus all of Mel Brooks on line.
I fully understand all what you say. Actually I've been professionaly working designing and implementing those kind of Data Center Projects.
This is not my starting point but a stable consolidated point over the years. I have adapted my solution to my real needs:
- All the data is already fully organized. (After many years of improvement).
- I have separated the Critical Data from non critical data. Own Familiy Edited Video, Photos, Music files and discs, Video Concerts, Films, Series, etc.
- Each kind of data have already its own different Backup strategy. The critical data is backed up daily outside the PCs to a "real" NAS (WD), that I still keep working with Content Data and Backup space. Also System Disk images are backed up, from my PC and my wife PC, for recovery in case of disk failure. Also data is replicated weekly to the other House.
- No need for a more frequent backup or replication, as I don't work anymore at home with projects that update data continously.
- The PC Server, NAS and switch are backed up by a UPS.
- The Router at the ISP Internet entrance at the Kitchen is also backed up by another UPS.
- The Players and AVR serve good to three Displays: TV and Projector at Home Cinema room, and a second TV and ZONE2 Speakers at the Kitchen. Also additional Bluetooth for other speakers spread around the house. (Including Bathroom)
I do not need everything online, neither PLEX. For the things that I rotate more, i.e. Music files in all formats FLAC, DVD, Bluray, SACD, etc are all on-line in the SMB PC Server. Quick access and easy to navigate.
Also on-line the most accessed files.
The rest, sporadic access, Archived Films, Series and Docus, are resting in HDDs properly inside antistatic bags inside old VHS cages. The VHS cage size is ideal to contain a 3,5'' HDD. And the time that I need to keep this organized, replicated among the two houses, and retrieving archived files for use is already also too sporadic. So I can assume that and prefer this way.
I keep the PC server running 24x7. I know I could save some power using a small machine (not 24x7) and an bigger online NAS. But the solution I have adopted is the most comfortable for me, and the power consumption is really not high.
I do not need full availability 24x7. If something fails I can wait the needed time to replace it and recover the data that is already backed-up and replicated, two or more times depending on its criticity or value.
Fortunately (or not) we are only my wife and me. No children at home, anymore. So no need to have a Data Center that serve "many users".
