I have decided to build home NAS server for file backup, but I have no idea wich option is better

[dens22]

Hello. I have decided to build a home server for a file backup. I would probably schedule a backup once a week. I have a few components lying around from my old gaming pc:

 

CPU: Ryzen 5 1400;

RAM: 8GB 2666mhz ddr4;

MOBO: Asus prime A320M-E.

 

Due to the insane GPU markup, the cheapest GPU that I can find in my country is GT210, for 40 euros. As I am aware, that’s 2x the price that its supposed to be, and I do not know, if that will be sufficient for it, since I want to install Linux Debian with a desktop environment, cause I do not feel 100% comfortable with terminal only. Then of course I will need to buy atleast 5-6TB HDD. The 6TB WD Red costs around 170 euros. And then a 600W PSU (the corsair CX650M seems sensible) for 70 euros, since I would like to have more sata connectors. I would like to add, that used components on marketplaces like ebay are not really an option.

 

The second option would be, to buy Athlon 200GE, and everything mentioned above, except the GPU. But since it is a 2 core 4 thread CPU, I am questioning its performance.

 

The third, and the cheapest option would be to get a decade old ASUS laptop from a relative of mine for free, and add an external HDD to it. But the performace is questionable again, since it barely can handle windows 10, that is installed on SSD.

 

So, those are my options, and I am not sure which is better. I would like to hear your opinions. Thanks beforehand.

[KingTdiGGiTTy]

1 minute ago, dens22 said:

I want to install Linux Debian with a desktop environment, cause I do not feel 100% comfortable with terminal only.

I highly using TrueNAS. Once you've got it installed it is all done through a GUI on a browser.

 

2 minutes ago, dens22 said:

The second option would be, to buy Athlon 200GE, and everything mentioned above, except the GPU. But since it is a 2 core 4 thread CPU, I am questioning its performance.

You really don't need a lot of CPU performance if you're just doing regular file backups.

But, I wouldn't recommend using an old laptop and an external drive, as the external drive would limit the speed and there could be some reliability issues that could cost you your data.

 

Here is a video if you want to surf YouTube for a bit more information

[Windows7ge]

If you go with Debian be that Debian itself or derivatives of Debian like Ubuntu, Mint, PopOS, etc most of the packages and means to maintain a file server are going to be CLI tools only...

 

CLI File Servers are really nothing to fear. I have a old beginners guide for Ubuntu Server but it should be applicable to any other Debian distro that has the same repositories.

As for the GPU. It should be fine for anything that isn't graphically intensive. If all it will do is provide display out for the desktop environment and maybe a web browser it should do OK. Just don't expect to be doing anything workload intensive with it. I myself have a few boxes where that's really all I needed GPU's for and I ended up buying NVIDIA 8400GS's. These work perfectly but all of my systems are CLI only.

[HeroRareheart]

A GPU is not needed for a NAS so I'd build a setup that uses graphics processing built into its CPU as a cost cutting measure. Like @Windows7ge said you can get packages to manage a Debian system and use it as a NAS but most use a CLI, command line interface, and it's likely more intimidating than it really is. If you would rather not learn a CLI your best option is to forgo the Debian install for TrueNAS like @KingTdiGGiTTy recommended. My current NAS is a total wreak of failing trash picked parts and despite that I was able to get TrueNAS running on it with relative ease and it preforms excellently for my use case even on the slow 2 core bulldozer CPU in the thing. If you are the only person using the NAS and it's just to back up some files your second option should work perfectly, although if you need to move lots of those files off the system all at once you'll have to wait a little while.

 

Unmentioned option 4 is to say screw it and buy an actual rackmount server and a bunch of NAS grade drives but you'll be dropping some serious cash on a VERY overkill solution.

[Needfuldoer]

23 minutes ago, HeroRareheart said:

A GPU is not needed for a NAS

One caveat: if you're running Plex or Jellyfin, NVENC is very helpful. If not, then all you need is the cheapest, most potato-ey graphics adapter you can slap in the thing.

  

22 minutes ago, HeroRareheart said:

Unmentioned option 4 is to say screw it and buy an actual rackmount server and a bunch of NAS grade drives but you'll be dropping some serious cash on a VERY overkill solution.

This is the way.

[HeroRareheart]

17 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

One caveat: if you're running Plex or Jellyfin, NVENC is very helpful.

I was unaware of that, I'll keep it in mind for the future.

[KingTdiGGiTTy]

16 minutes ago, HeroRareheart said:

I was unaware of that, I'll keep it in mind for the future.

It is helpful, but unless you're doing 4k bluray quality, it probably isn't necesary

I'm able to get by well with 1080p Blurays encoding on 8 cores from 2006

[Jameszy]

2 hours ago, KingTdiGGiTTy said:

It is helpful, but unless you're doing 4k bluray quality, it probably isn't necesary

I'm able to get by well with 1080p Blurays encoding on 8 cores from 2006

If your transcoding h265, that hardware will choke.. h264 it should be fine.