Best overall OS for general use NAS

[SG14_96]

Hey guys,

I am planing to build my first proper NAS box for home and was wondering what OS recommendations you had.

Its main use will be for data backups of MacBooks, media streaming, GitRepo, and later on I might use it as a web server for experimenting with APIs.

I would prefer something free, but I'll consider non-free options(Just don't recommend an industrial linux distro or anything windows based).

 

Thanks.

[corrado33]

Debian

[Electronics Wizardy]

what hardwar?

 

how well do you know linux?

 

Id porbably use centos, but something like freenas, unraid, and windows server will all be valid option.

[Oshino Shinobu]

I personally use FreeNAS and that's what I'd recommend. It's simple enough to use, but there's a lot you can do with it. There's virtually endless plugins and user developed extensions to play around with. 

 

Right now it's mainly just centralised storage for me and a DLNA server using MiniDLNA in a Jail, but I'm planning on expanding it to handle backups off all the PCs and Macs on the network and eventually run a VM of Ubuntu and use that for managing a series of IP cameras. It seems like doing things like that is all possible with FreeNAS. 

[SG14_96]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

what hardwar?

 

how well do you know linux?

 

Id porbably use centos, but something like freenas, unraid, and windows server will all be valid option.

I can do anything linux or unix based, even without a GUI so its fine. And my hardware is gonna be based on both the OS and filesystem.

[Electronics Wizardy]

8 hours ago, SG14_96 said:

I can do anything linux or unix based, even without a GUI so its fine. And my hardware is gonna be based on both the OS and filesystem.

you got a budget and a storage space required?

[SG14_96]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

you got a budget and a storage space required?

Right now my budget is set for $900 CAD.

In terms of storage I would like to start with 6 TB and maybe scale up after that.

I was thinking of building the system in a Node 304 case with 2 drives in ZFS raid 1 and boot ssd(maybe 2 in raid 1 for protection).

[Electronics Wizardy]

8 hours ago, SG14_96 said:

Right now my budget is set for $900 CAD.

In terms of storage I would like to start with 6 TB and maybe scale up after that.

I was thinking of building the system in a Node 304 case with 2 drives in ZFS raid 1 and boot ssd(maybe 2 in raid 1 for protection).

im assuiming your on a gig network.

 

No neede for a ssd, just install it on a flash drive. A cache won't make it any faster.

 

Here is what id get

PCPartPicker part list: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/frHjbj
Price breakdown by merchant: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/frHjbj/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($94.00 @ shopRBC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150N-GSM Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($131.99 @ PC Canada)
Memory: Kingston FURY 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Seagate Desktop HDD 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($149.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: Seagate Desktop HDD 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($149.99 @ Memory Express)
Case: Fractal Design Node 304 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($119.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 360W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($79.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $835.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-26 12:38 EST-0500

 

With somethingi like zfs or btrfs(id reccomend this on linux). they ill check for errors, so no use spending a lot for a expensive drives.

[SG14_96]

3 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

im assuiming your on a gig network.

 

No neede for a ssd, just install it on a flash drive. A cache won't make it any faster.

 

Here is what id get

PCPartPicker part list: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/frHjbj
Price breakdown by merchant: https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/list/frHjbj/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Pentium G4560 3.5GHz Dual-Core Processor  ($94.00 @ shopRBC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B150N-GSM Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard  ($131.99 @ PC Canada)
Memory: Kingston FURY 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-2400 Memory  ($109.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Storage: Seagate Desktop HDD 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($149.99 @ Memory Express)
Storage: Seagate Desktop HDD 4TB 3.5" 5900RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($149.99 @ Memory Express)
Case: Fractal Design Node 304 Mini ITX Tower Case  ($119.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Power Supply: SeaSonic 360W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply  ($79.99 @ Newegg Canada)
Total: $835.94
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-01-26 12:38 EST-0500

 

With somethingi like zfs or btrfs(id reccomend this on linux). they ill check for errors, so no use spending a lot for a expensive drives.

Do you think its a good idea to go for a CPU that supports ECC?

[SG14_96]

2 minutes ago, SG14_96 said:

Do you think its a good idea to go for a CPU that supports ECC?

How about this one? https://ark.intel.com/products/97130/Intel-Core-i3-7101E-Processor-3M-Cache-3_90-GHz

[Electronics Wizardy]

8 hours ago, SG14_96 said:

Do you think its a good idea to go for a CPU that supports ECC?

Id say it isn't worh it. he change of data loss due to non ecc ram is very low, and your paying normally a extra hundred or two.

[SG14_96]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id say it isn't worh it. he change of data loss due to non ecc ram is very low, and your paying normally a extra hundred or two.

Ight thanks.

[Mikensan]

If you want EEC and don't intend to do any crazy number of streams, the G series intel chips are cheap and support ECC.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1UH3Z96302

 

Price difference in memory is little.

 

The motherboard is certainly where you pay more :-( instead of a $40-$60 board you're spending closer to $160.

 

 

In terms of O/S, if you're familiar with Linux I'd go that route. Use mdadm for raid and zfs for the file system. Then install docker/containers to divvy up the services/roles you want it to do (gitrepo / mediastreaming (Plex?). You could also install KVM to spin up some virtual machines on this box too.

 

If you're not comfortable with linux, then Server 2016 + storage spaces + hyper-v (free) or Windows 10 + storage spaces + vbox  ((reddit microsoft swap, about $50 for either). I don't think windows has anything like containers/jails which is useful when it's baked into the core O/S.

 

I love freenas to death, and it suites my needs. However getting ports to work (especially those that require the linux kernel installed in the jail) is a bit of a headache.

[SG14_96]

4 hours ago, Mikensan said:

If you want EEC and don't intend to do any crazy number of streams, the G series intel chips are cheap and support ECC.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1UH3Z96302

 

Price difference in memory is little.

 

The motherboard is certainly where you pay more :-( instead of a $40-$60 board you're spending closer to $160.

 

 

In terms of O/S, if you're familiar with Linux I'd go that route. Use mdadm for raid and zfs for the file system. Then install docker/containers to divvy up the services/roles you want it to do (gitrepo / mediastreaming (Plex?). You could also install KVM to spin up some virtual machines on this box too.

 

If you're not comfortable with linux, then Server 2016 + storage spaces + hyper-v (free) or Windows 10 + storage spaces + vbox  ((reddit microsoft swap, about $50 for either). I don't think windows has anything like containers/jails which is useful when it's baked into the core O/S.

 

I love freenas to death, and it suites my needs. However getting ports to work (especially those that require the linux kernel installed in the jail) is a bit of a headache.

Yeah I am debating between FreeNAS, unRaid, Debian, Ubuntu, and RockStor.

Linux is probably going to be better for running various applications isolated.

[Zygizz]

On 1/27/2017 at 4:26 AM, SG14_96 said:

Yeah I am debating between FreeNAS, unRaid, Debian, Ubuntu, and RockStor.

Linux is probably going to be better for running various applications isolated.

Well my first nas systems was on freenas its was great at the time but i really hate then i needed upgrade my hard drives.... 

 

Unraid is easy to expand your store devices, easy to setup , many docker app from community apps , if you want to mess around with vm too