FreeNAS Bootdrive
FreeNAS Bootdrive
Yes, you can use a USB drive to install freeNAS onto an internal SSD.
Sure, you could try placing it on a USB stick instead. An SSD won't speed up your home NAS any further.
You have the option, though it's somewhat inefficient for an SSD unless it's a low-capacity one. It might be better to set up FreeNAS on a separate USB stick, since you'll also need one for the installer. Using the SSD as a cache for HDDs is preferable than dedicating it to an operating system drive.
When the storage is 20GB, it makes good use. FreeNAS occupies the full space of the disk and then operates from RAM, which means a large or fast drive isn't essential. That's why I was worried about using an SSD for the boot. If it's only 20GB, it's better to use the SSD as the boot device. You can also employ it as a cache if you don't need it for booting, which can improve the NAS's speed by allowing quick access to frequently used files and reducing delays from disk starts. For a home NAS, I wouldn't see much advantage from an SSD cache because network constraints limit its impact.