Operating system for Linux server is typically Ubuntu, CentOS, or Debian.
Operating system for Linux server is typically Ubuntu, CentOS, or Debian.
After much research and support from different groups, I'm still unsure about the ideal OS for your home server/NAS setup. You're planning to use it for NAS purposes, backups, self-hosted cloud storage, run a TP-Link Omada controller, serve Jellyfin, act as a Tailscale exit node, plus some custom Docker apps. So far, Unraid and Truenas with Ubuntu Server stand out, mainly because of my limited Linux experience. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
My current configuration has a bit of an odd setup, but it fits my needs. I'm using Proxmox with a virtualized TrueNAS instance, plus several other VMs for services like NextCloud and Jellyfin. Running TrueNAS Scale alone isn't ideal here because I need GPU access inside the Jellyfin VM and since I'm running a headless environment, TrueNAS Scale is necessary to have a dedicated GPU for the console. For your specific goal, TrueNAS Scale seems to be the best choice. UnRAID shines when you can combine drives and upgrade HDDs one at a time, but for most other tasks TrueNAS generally offers better value and free functionality.
We rely on Minimal Arch bases for every node, keeping everything inside Kubernetes. This approach isn’t ideal for beginners, but it helps us stay current and avoid unreliable backports. We can customize configurations as needed. If I had to suggest another option, I’d likely choose Alma Linux or Talos (a k8s-specific distro). Among the three options you mentioned, I’m not familiar with unRAID, and Ubuntu has been the most challenging to deploy. In that case, TruNAS would probably be the best fit. It offers OpenZFS, KVM, and a Rancher K3s variant—essentially a streamlined Kubernetes solution.
I use Unraid, but I think you should know that it’s not the right place to ask questions about this. Basically, you have two approaches: one focuses on running things meant for containers like Docker or VMs, while the other centers on software that needs a live operating system with other components. 2: you have raw hardware (again, mostly Debian-based) plus tools like Docker or a VM manager to handle containerized apps. Unraid has its niche with features such as SR-IOV and custom storage setups, but for most users, Truosana offers better value and simplicity.
You've just added CentOS Stream, leaving RHEL six months behind.
I'm just an APT user, not a Yum person, haha. My upcoming server project will use CentOS.