Which OS/HDD for my NAS

[doodah]

My next project is to build a NAS for backup. I have an HTPC and did consider putting both into one solution but I'd rather have the HTPC separate and dedicated.

The NAS would go under the stairs next to my UDM SE. My ideal solution would be to have a NAS that auto backups selected folders, new content (e.g. photos) from phones, upload selected content to a cloud solution and have some redundancy.

Any recommendations on an OS, aware of the likes of TrueNAS and ZFS but not sure which is best for my needs. And any HDD recommendations (the staircase is next to our bedroom so need it to be fairly quiet)? The last one I bought for my HTPC is quite loud but just realised, I think it's because it's the only 7200RPM drive in that PC.

Think I'm going with the Jonsbo N1 or N2 case. Thank you.

 

[Avalon]

I’d start by doing background reading some of the previous very similar threads to this that have detailed answers.

Short version is: UnRaid or TrueNAS (core/scale is another conversation) depending on situation/usage. Drives are personal choice, I use HGST Helium drives because the MTBF is insane and they’re cheap as most people don’t have SAS backplanes, though they are also available in SATA. Some people will say WD Red/Segate Ironwolf… I’d touch neither. Toshiba are OK, the higher end WD Gold and Segate Exos get praise from others though.

Backups/syncs are triggered from the client usually, and how best to achieve your goal depends on the client. Also, instead of syncing a folder on a PC, consider if it’s more logical to put the folder on the NAS and your problem is solved. In some cases it is a bad idea, but again devil is in the detail. Usual RAID is not a backup strategy rule applies.

 

[Snapshot]

I have an Asustor 4-bay NAS I can put in the MM if you want to skip the build. Also have a load of 6TB Ironwolfs which have been much better than Avalon seems to think they should be.

 

[Steveocee]

I started out with Unraid and then built another. I have one backup to the other but unraid is very versatile and although it is beginner friendly, you don't have to do hours of research to get done what you want to do so it gets my votes.
My other unraid is my more working main home server - it has my main data storage on it which is on the same machine as plex docker, some unifi cctv (old skool not protect) and mfi as well as a torrent client.

I too have a bunch of WD Red drives which are working quite happily and have been over 5 years.

 

[Avalon]

I have an Asustor 4-bay NAS I can put in the MM if you want to skip the build. Also have a load of 6TB Ironwolfs which have been much better than Avalon seems to think they should be.

For context, the Ironwolf is rated to something like 1m hours MTBF and I own 4, the HGST HC520/530 He’s are rated to 2.5m hours, and of the 50+ I have in service, zero have failed. I wish I could say that about the Ironwolfs, but I can’t. It’s a bit like your choice of cordless hole punch (Uragan), an NP02 at 1/6 the price will technically do a similar job of putting holes in things at 50yds, but like you, I choose to own the AGT as it’s simply better designed/built/spec’d.

 

[Snapshot]

Ah, I'd wondered if you were the same Avalon. There are ergonomic reasons why I wouldn't choose an NP02 but I take your point. For my use the Ironwolf has been an appropriate choice and would never get to a fraction of its MTBF but I can understand the different rationale for a datacentre.

 

[Bluecube]

Another vote for Unraid. I’ve been running Unraid for so long I can’t actually remember when I started using it. Six or seven years now anyway… Unraid is a very stable, (relatively) easy to use platform with lots of useful add on applications you may find useful

 

[Avalon]

Ah, I'd wondered if you were the same Avalon. There are ergonomic reasons why I wouldn't choose an NP02 but I take your point. For my use the Ironwolf has been an appropriate choice and would never get to a fraction of its MTBF but I can understand the different rationale for a datacentre.

Yep, one and the same The drives aren't in a DC, though I do tend to buy ex-DC drives in bulk, as it's around 20% of Ironwolf online pricing on 10TB drives, and generally the sellers are open about run times etc.

 

[doodah]

Thank you for the replies , lots of reading and researching to do.

@Avalon I noticed some of those drives on HotUKDeals recently for seemingly great prices. Are yours 7200/noisy? Really put off 7200 drives after buying an Exos, it's so damn loud in my HTPC.

Edit - at least I won't need to get too massive a set of drives. The bulk of what needs backing up is currently <2TB, lets round that up to 3TB when you include my wife and mother-in-law.

 

[Avalon]

Thank you for the replies , lots of reading and researching to do.

@Avalon I noticed some of those drives on HotUKDeals recently for seemingly great prices. Are yours 7200/noisy? Really put off 7200 drives after buying an Exos, it's so damn loud in my HTPC.

Edit - at least I won't need to get too massive a set of drives. The bulk of what needs backing up is currently <2TB, lets round that up to 3TB when you include my wife and mother-in-law.

I learnt many years ago that HUKD is only a deal if you actually need it, I lost track of the thousands I threw at 'deals' only for the product to sit unused. Noise is subjective, but I have half a server rack running, if you've ever been in a DC, this is comparatively quiet, but comparing it to a - usually near silent - HTPC build is never going to end well, and I wouldn't want 'this' in my lounge. For your sort of usage, a few SSD's would seem the obvious choice, 4TB QLC is cheap and near silent, a pair in R1 or as a ZFS mirror for example would give you what you need for not a lot of cash with decent performance (unless you write a lot in one go and fill the cache), you also save on power long term.

 

[Demon]

My next project is to build a NAS for backup. I have an HTPC and did consider putting both into one solution but I'd rather have the HTPC separate and dedicated.

The NAS would go under the stairs next to my UDM SE. My ideal solution would be to have a NAS that auto backups selected folders, new content (e.g. photos) from phones, upload selected content to a cloud solution and have some redundancy.

Any recommendations on an OS, aware of the likes of TrueNAS and ZFS but not sure which is best for my needs. And any HDD recommendations (the staircase is next to our bedroom so need it to be fairly quiet)? The last one I bought for my HTPC is quite loud but just realised, I think it's because it's the only 7200RPM drive in that PC.

Think I'm going with the Jonsbo N1 or N2 case. Thank you.

Hmm..

If you want something pretty much ready to run, and have an upgrade path to run Unraid later on (100% recommend Unraid), how about the Terramaster range?

Buy Personal or Home Cloud Storage Online - TerraMaster

Purchase our best network-attached storage (NAS) solution for Home/Personal uses and get lots of storage space, as well as easy file access at TerraMaster.

www.terra-master.com

The F4-424 Pro for ~£600 (price fluctuates) is quite compelling
CPU - i3 N305 (8C/8T) with Quicksync for transcoding
RAM - 32GB DDR5
NVME - 2 x slots (very good for a Mirror RAID cache array)
LAN - 2 x 2.5Gbe
4 Bays - 2.5" or 3.5" Hotswap

The free OS they supply is adequate to start with, it has Docker, so you could easily install Immich (great photo backup solution, as slick as Google photos!) and it already has backup/sync stuff built in.

The only compromise seems to be limited to 1 x 32GB DDR5, but in reality 32GB is ample, I'm running Unraid with 30+ dockers and a VM and only using 12GB.

However, later on if you decide you want Unraid, then I believe it is a very simple process of just unplugging the internal USB for their OS and replace with a new USB stick with Unraid.. (Unraid does not require any storage for itself, it runs in RAM, booting from the USB Stick), might want to check this, but I'm sure I found people who had done this.

And if you want more than 4 drives later on, then they do different DAS units (The D4-320 adds 4 more bays, uses Thunderbolt / 10Gbps USB-C) for £179 and matches aesthetically.. I have the D6-320 which works amazingly well and very quick for a thunderbolt solution, which gave me exposure to Terramaster.

I think by the time you get the Jonsbo N2 and everything needed, you will be at £600 anyway and the power consumption will no doubt be that bit more.

They've just launched the F4 and F6-424 MAX versions starting at £820 and add an 10C/12T i5-1235u, 2 SoDIMM slots and 2x 10GbE, a bit more, but if you knew you wanted something more powerful later on, that would be not bad considering.. the equivalent QNAP is £2.5k!

 

[doodah]

@Demon looks like an easy decision. I don't mind building it but like the look of these and the quiet operation is a big sell for me. Thank you.