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Thank you for your answers. @NelizMastr this is basically what I was guessing, but I am glad you confirm this. Therefore I will most likely "only" buy the mentioned 8HDD enclosure for now and maybe later on upgrade to a NAS. I am not exactly sure what the difference between a NAS and my option 5 ("Server") really is. A NAS also needs a CPU, RAM,..., and then I would agree with @NelizMastr that this may be too much for now.

Hi all, My goal is to achieve something like the following: - a Storage Solution for my Videos/Pictures/... (approximately 10-15TB, preferrably backed up/mirrored like a RAID 1), accessible in the local network - a backup solution for my Mac devices in the local network, preferably using Time Machine Currently/I used to have a MacMini from 2014 as a "server", which was accessible through the local network. I had a couple of different hard drives connected to it (2xLaCie Raid Systems with each 2 HDD slots over Thunderbolt 2) and other hard drives via USB. Performance is inconsistent, in general ok. Connecting to the server usually works through the finder GUI, sometimes I have to use cmd+k to connect to a server with smb/afp/vnc since the macMini does not always show up in finder. vnc was the most stable option of the three. I currently have about 18TB of hard drive capacity available, consisting of 7 different hard drives with mostly different sizes. What would you do, if your budget is limited? I have done some "research"/looked into different options: First though, I should probably wipe the MacMini and reinstall OS X and also get rid of OS X Server. Then... 1. Just keep connecting different hard drives in different enclosures; use some hard drives for backing up the computers, and split the rest into the mirrored storage - probably the cheapest 2. Buy something like an 8-bay hard drive enclosure to have the hard drives organized, but still use them as a single drives; some for backing up the computers, the rest split into the mirrored storage 3. Use our FritzBox 7590 as a NAS 4. Buy a NAS 5. Build a completely new server like Linus - most expensive Option 3 and up are something I have never really done and would need some time to set up, but I'd say I could do it. Option 5 though will probably not really work with Macs - or will it? I am actually quite lost and unsure which route to pursue. I'd love to hear some of your thoughts. Thanks.