Bulding a NAS

[hmminteresting]

Budget (including currency): £550

Country: United Kingdom

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: NAS

Other details: able to somewhat stream 4k 

 

So, I'm trying to build a NAS. Currently I've got a buffalonas for media streaming and some backups. Due to lockdown my family and friends have been streaming from my server more often, so i need to upgrade. I was going to buy an Asustor nimbuster (linked), but wondered about building my own. I need the case to be ITX form factor for wife approval as it'll just replace the current one thats on a bookshelf. 

 

I'll link everything and include a poll.

 

If anyone has better suggestions for a case, please feel free to let me know. These are the only 2 I found that can be upgraded to up to 4 drives and that fit the formfactor. Also I'm a bit new to building a NAS so do I need to GPU for better transcoding? I dont have many 4k files, but there's one or 2. It's mainly 720 or 1080p videos. 

 

Additionally, in terms of software whats the best route for allowing people to stream remotely, (other side of the planet in a couple of cases)? Is plex able to facilitate a username/ password like my buffalonas is?

 

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

NAS build 1  : https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Vv7czN

 

NAS build 2: https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/cgxDV7 (case includes a 265 flex PSU)

 

Asustor Nimbuster: Asustor NAS + 2 4TB ironwolf NAS drives

[Electronics Wizardy]

Do you need media transcoding? You can do have plex or jelly fin do what you ned to do.

 

How about a case like the node 304?

 

Form those 2 builds, go the intel one, about the same speed, cheaper

 

Stay away from those barracude drives in a nas, there smr.

 

Id get the shucked 8tb drives, and start with one drive, and add more later.

 

Whats your backup plan?

 

[hmminteresting]

7 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Do you need media transcoding? You can do have plex or jelly fin do what you ned to do.

 

How about a case like the node 304?

 

Form those 2 builds, go the intel one, about the same speed, cheaper

 

Stay away from those barracude drives in a nas, there smr.

 

Id get the shucked 8tb drives, and start with one drive, and add more later.

 

Whats your backup plan?

 

Hey thanks for the reply. 

 

Thanks for the node 304 suggestion, I quite like the look of the case, it certainly has the capacity, though theres no backplane? Which I know isnt a must have but rather a nice to have from my understanding.

 

Shucking the drives is another great suggestion and I'll defo consider that instead of reds.

 

Currently I have RAID 1 on my buffalonas, I'd imagine I'll have something similar (hence 2 drives), there's nothing important on the NAS, anything important is backed up both to google drive and my pc HDDs.

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 minutes ago, hmminteresting said:

though theres no backplane?

with such a small case it doesnt matter, its only 6 drives.

 

2 minutes ago, hmminteresting said:

Currently I have RAID 1 on my buffalonas, I'd imagine I'll have something similar (hence 2 drives), there's nothing important on the NAS, anything important is backed up both to google drive and my pc HDDs.

you probably dont need raid.id focus on backups more than raid

[hmminteresting]

8 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

with such a small case it doesnt matter, its only 6 drives.

 

you probably dont need raid.id focus on backups more than raid

Okay awesome.

 

You've actually made me rethink my strategy.

 

My current build is an i74790k and 16gb ram. I'm upgrading to ryzen soon anyways so I'm thinking I'll use this CPU and RAM with an ITX mobo, the node 304 and an HDD from somewhere.

 

What do you think?

[Electronics Wizardy]

17 minutes ago, hmminteresting said:

Okay awesome.

 

You've actually made me rethink my strategy.

 

My current build is an i74790k and 16gb ram. I'm upgrading to ryzen soon anyways so I'm thinking I'll use this CPU and RAM with an ITX mobo, the node 304 and an HDD from somewhere.

 

What do you think?

yea that sound like a good plan