NAS Build Device

[Booblla]

I don't know if this is the right place for this but if not, just point to where it should be.

 

I'm looking to build a new NAS and I have no idea what hardware I need ect and I currently have a QNAP TS-451 Turbo which has 4x3TB WD Red drives is doing the job for the most part, but I am starting to demand more of it now days.

 

I use my current NAS for file storage, backups, Plex, the occasional VM, as a remote Time machine for friends Apple computers and not much beyond that.

 

I will be looking to do everything I'm doing now, but I would also be looking at the possibility of trans-coding videos on the fly in Plex (ie HD>SD for remote viewing ect.) and for the OS I have played around with FreeNAS and I like it, but if anyone has any better suggestions then I'm all ears.

 

I don't know what to look for hardware wise (right down to the case) so any suggestions would be welcomed including and off the shelf solutions that may be acceptable/cost effective.

 

Thanks in advance.

[xxMega11xx]

Are you looking for a rack mount or a regular ATX case?

[Windows7ge]

If FreeNAS serves the functions you need right now it's a fine OS with many advanced features. If I were to recommend anything else it'd be to build an OS from the ground up (Install a server distro of Linux, install a desktop, install SAMBA, SSH, a hypervisor (QEMU), etc.) That'd offer you the most flexibility and control as FreeNAS is a little limited in the ways it can be expanded. It has a set list of features but let's say you don't want to use Bhyve you want to use QEMU. You're kind of SOL unless you want to dig deep into the OS and mod it yourself (Which the developers really don't recommend).

 

Depending on the workload a 4 core 8 thread Xeon would probably be as much as you'd need (Unless you're running many simultaneous video streams I don't think you'd need more) and 8GB of ECC RAM. If you have a 10Gbit network there's perks to adding more RAM (specific feature to ZFS).

 

If you're looking for cost effectiveness look no further than eBay. They always have a large stock of retired barebone Supermicro servers (and Dell, HPE, etc). All you have to do is install your own CPU/RAM.