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Tomthedrum
By Tomthedrum
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Have a look at FreeNAS, it costs nothing as implied in the name and it has a great community. It use FreeBSD as its backbone. From what I have found, the windows home server license can cost a little bit and the Linux one is free but the linux server is a lot more complex.

From FreeNAS you can setup SSD's as caches. These are known as L2arc's and ZIL's. One is a read cache and the other is a write cache I believe.

Lots of videos out there on the subject, well worth at least a look!

Leviathan - CaseLabs Mercury S8 Build Log 

Betsy - NCase M1 Media/ LAN Build Log

Bertha - 12TB  NAS Build Log

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Don't use FreeNAS.... everybody here is a massive FreeNAS fanboy for some reason... fact of the matter is, it is easier to just run something like ubuntu with samba rather than build a machine with FreeNAS and dole out the money for ECC RAM.

 

FreeNAS is stupid, and ZFS is snake oil.

 

If you want to BUILD it, just use an old PC with some hard drives and use ubuntu with samba (10 minute setup MAXIMUM)

 

if you JUST NEED A NAS, buy one. talk to @Captain_WD ; he's the WD affiliate and they offer some great solutions.

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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Don't use FreeNAS.... everybody here is a massive FreeNAS fanboy for some reason... fact of the matter is, it is easier to just run something like ubuntu with samba rather than build a machine with FreeNAS and dole out the money for ECC RAM.

 

FreeNAS is stupid, and ZFS is snake oil.

 

If you want to BUILD it, just use an old PC with some hard drives and use ubuntu with samba (10 minute setup MAXIMUM)

 

if you JUST NEED A NAS, buy one. talk to @Captain_WD ; he's the WD affiliate and they offer some great solutions.

ECC RAM is only advised if you are going to be using the ZFS file system as that is how the ZFS file system regulates/ repairs itself in case there is an error. You dont have to use it if you are using a dedicated RAID card or not using ZFS.

I ran RAID 5 from FreeNAS for nearly a year without using ZFS, ECC RAM or the correct hard drives (I used greens) and it worked completely fine. However the data which I was storing, the integrity wasn't something that I cared about. However my new server is use ZFS, ECC RAM and red drives because the integrity of that data is paramount now!

 

Leviathan - CaseLabs Mercury S8 Build Log 

Betsy - NCase M1 Media/ LAN Build Log

Bertha - 12TB  NAS Build Log

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ECC RAM is only advised if you are going to be using the ZFS file system as that is how the ZFS file system regulates itself. You dont have to use it if you are using a dedicated RAID card or not using ZFS.

I ran RAID 5 from FreeNAS for nearly a year without using ZFS, ECC RAM or the correct hard drives (I used greens) and it worked completely fine. However the data which I was storing, the integrity wasn't something that I cared about. However my new server is use ZFS, ECC RAM and red drives because the integrity of that data is paramount now!

 

 

FreeNAS themselves advise more against using a dedicated raid card than using ECC RAM, I admit, FreeNAS is a good option in some instances*. but far too often i see on this forum people who just want to put their steam library or music or home files on a NAS. they don't need a dedicated machine for this with checksums and ZFS and SSD cache and all that other crap. 

 

What I'm saying is that ever since LTT made any mention of FreeNAS, too many people here think it is their BEST AND ONLY option... when in fact, it is a good option for LTT because they need to store and access lots of mission critical data quickly, with maximum data safety. There's too much Fanboy happening and not enough thinking... Like I've said before, it seems too often that people here love to build computers and are self proclaimed "tinkerers" but as soon as the idea of Linux or a CLI comes up, they wet themselves and cry to mommy. The fact of the matter is that you can run a full desktop machine with Ubuntu ON TOP OF using it as a NAS, UPnP/DLNA server, Minecraft Server, Mumble Server... whatever you want. 

 

Like I said, if he wants to build and tinker, the cheapest, most hands-on (and its not even difficult) option is Ubuntu with Samba. 

if he just needs a NAS for his family; BUY ONE. they are not expensive, and they are the easiest things to configure. 

 

*when data loss prevention and error checking is mission critical

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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Chances are if you're building a NAS you care about the data you're storing on it. Otherwise any normal person would just put together a JBOD or whatever using their motherboard. And if you care about the data you're storing, it's worth the investment of a motherboard that supports the RAM you need, and it's worth using ZFS.

 

I agree with what you're saying, but FreeNAS would be like putting a VW W16 engine in a Mazda Miata... if this guy wants to just store steam games, some family pictures, and maybe some other stuff he doesn't want to lose, its pointless to build an entire machine and waste the time/money/hardware resources on FreeNAS.

 

if you do want a budget option, where everybody can access files on your LAN, and everything is backed up safely, buy 2 internal HDDs, plug them into your MoBO, RAID 1 them, and then share the drive on your local network.

 

Ever since LTT did something on FreeNAS suddenly everybody NEEDS it.... same with UnRAID for VMs. everybody has this massive attraction to it even though a) it costs money b)it isnt even a good Hypervisor for VMs. 

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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~snip~

I agree that people should do it right, but "do it right" means something different to different people; FreeNAS is NOT the answer in 99.9% of the "Do I need a NAS?" or "How do I build my first NAS?" posts. Ever since Linus did the video (and the name contains FREE and NAS) people jump on it like crazy.

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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FreeNAS themselves advise more against using a dedicated raid card than using ECC RAM, I admit, FreeNAS is a good option in some instances*. but far too often i see on this forum people who just want to put their steam library or music or home files on a NAS. they don't need a dedicated machine for this with checksums and ZFS and SSD cache and all that other crap. 

 

What I'm saying is that ever since LTT made any mention of FreeNAS, too many people here think it is their BEST AND ONLY option... when in fact, it is a good option for LTT because they need to store and access lots of mission critical data quickly, with maximum data safety. There's too much Fanboy happening and not enough thinking... Like I've said before, it seems too often that people here love to build computers and are self proclaimed "tinkerers" but as soon as the idea of Linux or a CLI comes up, they wet themselves and cry to mommy. The fact of the matter is that you can run a full desktop machine with Ubuntu ON TOP OF using it as a NAS, UPnP/DLNA server, Minecraft Server, Mumble Server... whatever you want. 

 

Like I said, if he wants to build and tinker, the cheapest, most hands-on (and its not even difficult) option is Ubuntu with Samba. 

if he just needs a NAS for his family; BUY ONE. they are not expensive, and they are the easiest things to configure. 

 

*when data loss prevention and error checking is mission critical

Buying a NAS is boring:D I want to build one and have it rackmounted in my server case:)
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Probably better off with Linux/FreeNAS/etc.

The biggest advantages to using a windows server based NAS would be it's ability to run Active Directory with it which allows better and easier control over who can access what. I run an AD in my own home, but for 99.9% of people it's completely unnecessary. 

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Probably better off with Linux/FreeNAS/etc.

The biggest advantages to using a windows server based NAS would be it's ability to run Active Directory with it which allows better and easier control over who can access what. I run an AD in my own home, but for 99.9% of people it's completely unnecessary. 

 

Ubuntu with Samba lets you run AD too ;) hahaha

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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Setting aside all the "fanboy" and "ignorantly'  flavored comments, the OP asked about the viability of taking some existing components and putting together a NAS. Assuming his components will allow him to build most of a computer (existing MB, CPU, memory, etc), FreeNAS, OpenMediaVault, or just a plain old Linux box is a very cost-effective way to put together a cost-effective NAS for home use.  For a bit more money, he can certainly buy a commercial NAS solution from WD, QNAP, etc.

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Setting aside all the "fanboy" and "ignorantly'  flavored comments, the OP asked about the viability of taking some existing components and putting together a NAS. Assuming his components will allow him to build most of a computer (existing MB, CPU, memory, etc), FreeNAS, OpenMediaVault, or just a plain old Linux box is a very cost-effective way to put together a cost-effective NAS for home use.  For a bit more money, he can certainly buy a commercial NAS solution from WD, QNAP, etc.

 

we know, we established this many posts ago hahaha

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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I agree that people should do it right, but "do it right" means something different to different people; FreeNAS is NOT the answer in 99.9% of the "Do I need a NAS?" or "How do I build my first NAS?" posts. Ever since Linus did the video (and the name contains FREE and NAS) people jump on it like crazy.

I have personally being using FreeNAS for a  few years now and I use it out of preference because I know the software and it has the ability to support the tasks I need. I have configured it and installed it multiple times and know the process well. However I am sure that other pieces of software can do very similar tasks in very similar ways. Your method is Ubuntu with Samba support whereas my method is pretty much a version of FreeBSD with Samba support.

When it comes down to data integrity it depends on how much you are willing to spend on attempting to ensure that, the data you are storing is protected. I have spent a lot of money on hardware and have tasks in place (off site backups and hardware testing) to make sure my data is protected, however OP might find that the cost of this protection outweighs the potential security gains..

Again, everything is about personal circumstance. I run eight drives in RAID Z2 because it allows me to have two drives die within the array while using ZFS in conjunction with my ECC RAM. Whereas OP might just want to run a RAID 1 because it is more space efficient for his needs and not need to run ECC RAM as it pushes the budget of the build way up!

Leviathan - CaseLabs Mercury S8 Build Log 

Betsy - NCase M1 Media/ LAN Build Log

Bertha - 12TB  NAS Build Log

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I have personally being using FreeNAS for a  few years now and I use it out of preference because I know the software and it has the ability to support the tasks I need. I have configured it and installed it multiple times and know the process well. However I am sure that other pieces of software can do very similar tasks in very similar ways. Your method is Ubuntu with Samba support whereas my method is pretty much a version of FreeBSD with Samba support.

When it comes down to data integrity it depends on how much you are willing to spend on attempting to ensure that, the data you are storing is protected. I have spent a lot of money on hardware and have tasks in place (off site backups and hardware testing) to make sure my data is protected, however OP might find that the cost of this protection outweighs the potential security gains..

Again, everything is about personal circumstance. I run eight drives in RAID Z2 because it allows me to have two drives die within the array while using ZFS in conjunction with my ECC RAM. Whereas OP might just want to run a RAID 1 because it is more space efficient for his needs and not need to run ECC RAM as it pushes the budget of the build way up!

 

People have different needs (Bertha is a sexy beast), but all too often people just throw names of services/devices out without actually understanding them just because LTT did a video on it.

 

Like I said, FreeNAS is not a bad product, but its also not always necessary. I am not saying I want people to stop using it, I just want people to stop suggesting things just because it was featured on LTT

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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People have different needs (Bertha is a sexy beast), but all too often people just throw names of services/devices out without actually understanding them just because LTT did a video on it.

 

Like I said, FreeNAS is not a bad product, but its also not always necessary. I am not saying I want people to stop using it, I just want people to stop suggesting things just because it was featured on LTT

Thank you, the final build images still aren't up yet for any of the builds haha. I agree that there can be a fair amount of fanboy-ism when it comes to products which have been featured and it can lead to people making uninformed decisions on something as critical as data integrity!

 

Leviathan - CaseLabs Mercury S8 Build Log 

Betsy - NCase M1 Media/ LAN Build Log

Bertha - 12TB  NAS Build Log

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Thank you, the final build images still aren't up yet for any of the builds haha. I agree that there can be a fair amount of fanboy-ism when it comes to products which have been featured and it can lead to people making uninformed decisions on something as critical as data integrity!

 

 

yes yes yes. 

ESXi SysAdmin

I have more cores/threads than you...and I use them all

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~snip~

 

Hey there Tomthedrum,
 
The guys gave you some really good suggestions! Whichever OS you choose I would recommend checking out really good what specific hardware is recommended for optimized and secure performance. Also I would strongly recommend using NAS/RAID-class drives for this for better data safety. WD Red are example of such drives: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=jMvXfN
 
Getting a pre-built NAS could be the better solution for simple file sharing and home entertainment both in terms of ease of use and simple management. Here're some examples from WD: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=4VlWiw
 
Feel free to ask if you happen to have questions :)
 
Captain_WD.

If this helped you, like and choose it as best answer - you might help someone else with the same issue. ^_^
WDC Representative, http://www.wdc.com/ 

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