The stupid and fast sleeper NAS

[Laurentiu Pinte]

So I have a build in mind and I want some opinions.

The purpose: I am software developer and my client needs reassuring that I don't lose or let his data stolen so I need a 1-2-3 backup setup with full disk encryption (I know stupid but I don't make the rules). 1 my laptop with a Samsung 970 nvme. 2 the NAS (that I don't have) that will update every minute one folder with many small files. 3 the clients NAS updated via VPN every hour.

The idea: A small NAS that has fast  ssds as storage with hardware encryption so maybe nvme NAS (  ) is not a bad idea. The laptop is capable of 2.5 Gbps and has thunderbolt 3 so the NAS should have some kind of fast conenction It does not need a lot of storage 1TB with raid1 would be more than enough but it needs to be silent as I will be working next to it 8 hours a day.

What I have: 

• A spare second-hand Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G 
• the provided cooler ( the one that comes in the box with the proccesor and it is also used )
• 2 x 4GB of some kind of ram of which I don't have details yet because these pieces come from someone at my office but I know they were in the same device as the CPU so DDR4
• A very very very old dual core lenovo horizontal thinkcenter  with ddr ... 1 ... and 80GB harddrive ... that I consider garbage but kind of fits perfectly in my desk ... hole Since the sleeper NAS idea and that is why I like the idea of this project and I don't want any premade solution I mean NO FUN.

What I need: Ideas for what components I should buy to make this project working and how should I solve the obvious issues: extremely low latency, 2.5G vs 2.5G + any (even 100M should suffice) for outside communication vs thunderbolt + any, reliability and obviously silent cooling.

And I know this sounds like a want a pants build for no money but actually I don't have any kind of buget limitations so if you can give me arguments that I need some stupid 10 grand cpu or anything fot that matter no problem. 

 

Soooo who will help me with a stupid but awesome NAS?

[Radium_Angel]

Just buy a dedicated Synology NAS and be done with it. Less hassle, purpose-built for just such things.

This is my 0.03$ worth (adjusted for inflation)

 

[Laurentiu Pinte]

Just now, Radium_Angel said:

Just buy a dedicated Synology NAS and be done with it. Less hassle, purpose-built for just such things.

This is my 0.03$ worth (adjusted for inflation)

 

I know of premade solutions but they are NO fun. It is just the idea of building a fast storage that looks from the early 2000s that does not let my thinker brain to buy a premade solution.

[Radium_Angel]

And when the POS lenovo fails because it's old and of iffy quality to begin with, what are you going to tell the client when you can't recover the encrypted data?

 

[jaslion]

6 minutes ago, Radium_Angel said:

Just buy a dedicated Synology NAS and be done with it. Less hassle, purpose-built for just such things.

This is my 0.03$ worth (adjusted for inflation)

 

I agree partly for pure nas but the moment anything else needs to happen I stop suggesting them. There have been a fair few synology models with common psu failure and that is not ok on their part using low quality psu's on what is often a primary backup solution.

[Radium_Angel]

Just now, jaslion said:

I agree partly for pure nas but the moment anything else needs to happen I stop suggesting them. There have been a fair few synology models with common psu failure and that is not ok on their part using low quality psu's on what is often a primary backup solution.

I used Synology as a generic term, I should not have. My person preference is ReadyNAS, but I also have several other models. I understand QNAP is highly regarded.

[Laurentiu Pinte]

Just now, Radium_Angel said:

And when the POS lenovo fails because it's old and of iffy quality to begin with, what are you going to tell the client when you can't recover the encrypted data?

 

I totally agree with you. But where did I mention I intend to keep anything from the old hardware other than the case? 

[Radium_Angel]

Your post was kind of vague on that, it sounded like you were trying to shoehorn the Lenovo as it stands, into a NAS.

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 hour ago, Laurentiu Pinte said:

hardware encryption

Id stay away from hardware encryption, normally less secure. Let software do it.

 

1 hour ago, Laurentiu Pinte said:

at I need: Ideas for what components I should buy to make this project working and how should I solve the obvious issues: extremely low latency, 2.5G vs 2.5G + any (even 100M should suffice) for outside communication vs thunderbolt + any, reliability and obviously silent cooling.

And I know this sounds like a want a pants build for no money but actually I don't have any kind of buget limitations so if you can give me arguments that I need some stupid 10 grand cpu or anything fot that matter no problem. 

 

Id get a 2.5gbe switch, probably go 10gbe if you can cause its basically the same price. Id go with a mikrotik setup here, They have good silent switches.

 

Not sure what other advice you need. Get a board + case for that cpu + ram. Then put a linux distro on it and start configuring it.