Sync My Family -- Newbie Seeking Advice

[public.tariq]

What I like most about BT sync is how it transfers files in a series of much smaller bits, so that I can avoid the headaches of interrupted file transfers. I also like the security and the ability not to sync everything to all devices.

Here're the devices I want to incorporate: an NAS to hold everything; my laptop, my tablet, my phone, and the same for my wife and daughter. Each of us has content we would share with everyone else -- video, audio, and ebooks. And content we would consider private. And I know for myself at least that I would keep a lot of the "shared" and private content only on the NAS.

1) I know there are many NAS partners for BT Sync. But are there any differences in BT Sync for the user (besides installation) from one device/brand to another? I have not yet chosen which NAS to get. But I think I want at least two bays with 4 TB each and USB 3.0 ports to add more drives later.

2) If my private content is naturally in an NAS folder that only I can access, will BT Sync be able to access it? Or does BT Sync on NAS devices only access shared/public folder content? For that matter, does any content need to go into an NAS's shared/public folder -- can't I share it in BT Sync with any user, regardless of the NAS folder type?

3) I'm assuming I'll want three paid licenses for my family. Does that sound like the right way to go?

4) I know the mobile devices will only sync selected files by default. I can do that with my laptop, too, right? My plan is to have at least one high-level folder on the NAS that will essentially hold all the contents of "My Documents" on the laptop. That folder will sync between the NAS and my laptop. But I want to be able to selectively sync other less-frequently needed content which I will organize under other high-level folders that I keep on the NAS, but only access when desired.

Any advice, answers, comments, and suggestions welcome, including recommended articles/links, etc.

[Moe]

1.) I think you should take a look at https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/DS716+ if you really want just 2 bay. I would not go for that personally since file size of movies increase due to better quality. Also if you then eventually have a NAS you discover that it is quite convenient to backup your computers somewhere and then you run out of space on your NAS and I don't know about you but I would not wanna have external harddrives dangeling on my NAS permanently. I get it if you want to move files onto it to take to friends house or get data back or something but not as a permanent solution. I would go for a 4 or 5 bay one. (Huge investment but worth it in the end + just because you have 4 or 5 bays does not mean you have to fill them with HDDs on day one. You can simply add more as time goes on)

 

2.)

 

If my private content is naturally in an NAS folder that only I can access, will BT Sync be able to access it?

When you run BitTorrent Sync under it's own user like btsync you can set permission to that user to be able to access your private folder that only you can access. So yes, that should work.

 

3.) AFAIK you can have 1 pro license and up to 10 identities with it. So you would not have to buy 3 pro licenses, just one

 

4.) Yes, that is exactly how I am doing it right now. I have my 128GB MacBook Air and my NAS hold my "My Documents" folder and other folder worth 70GB. And I can download them on demand.