Using ef with files on network attached storage

I wanted to store our old working files on a buffalo terrastation. This is a raid based network attached device which appears as an smb drive.
I had lots of problems trying to create and store the library on this, in spite of great help from Michael.
While reading about something else I came across the idea of using sparse disc images.
I created a sparse disc image on the terrastation - you define the maximum size it can grow to, but it only takes the disc space it needs, and dynamically grows as data is added.
I left it running overnight, and in the morning had a 10gb ef library. - Brilliant.
A side effect was that files with filenames which are illegal on the terrastation native file format are ok on the disc image which is formatted as an Apple HFSplus drive - so some files which ef could not save to the native terrastation drive copy happily to the disc image. If you want you can encrypt the drive for added security (I haven’t tried this myself).
Thought this might be useful to someone else.
Ian