Question Self build Home/Storage NAS (AIO vs Self Build)
Question Self build Home/Storage NAS (AIO vs Self Build)
Hello, I'm currently confused.
I want to build a NAS machine, or potentially buy an AIO solution.However, I want to get
as cost-efficient as possible without risking data loss
, so considering DIY.
My goal:
OS: TrueNas or something you can recommend (User friendly UI)
RAM: enough to handle 48TB in the end
HDDs: 2x EXOS X12 (12TB HDD) -> 4x 12TB later
Purpose is 99% media storing of old client footage
Option 1:
I have an old rig lying around with these components:
G41 based motherboard (only 4GB Ram support)
Intel Pentium E5800
I think the old rig has too less power to actually run the 48TB I planned. Also, only offers 4x SATA2 (1 reserved for OS).
Option 2:
I was looking into other cheap mainboards like the MSI G41M-P33, offers 8GB max RAM and upgrade the CPU to Intel Core2 Quad Q9300. However, still SATA2 and only 4 SATA slots (1 reserved for OS).
What would be great for this option is that it is very cheap to get the parts. Total of like 50€-100€. Maybe there is a motherboard you can recommend, where I can find cheap parts online, that offers something like
Max. 32-64GB RAM, so I can upgrade on the go
Cheap multicore CPU options
SATA3
USB3 or M2 slot to run the OS
At least 4 SATA slots
Option 3:
I also found interesting AIO solutions like these:
TERRAMASTER F4-210 (Quad Core, max. 1GB Ram, 4 Bays) 230€
TERRAMASTER F4-210 (Quad Core, max. 2GB Ram, 4 Bays) 300€
TERRAMASTER F4-223 (Dual Core, max. 32GB Ram, 4 Bays) 460€
Only thing that keeps me from the Terramasters is that I hear the OS is bad, also two of them are limited to small RAM and when considering the expensive version I think I might be more effective with building it myself.
Option 4:
A high/mid-range build with following specs:
AMD Ryzen5 4600G
Biostar A520MH 3.0 Mainboard (4x Sata 1x M2)
32GB Ram (Up to 64GB)
Some cheap case and mid PSU
What's great here is that it is only 250€, has relatively good/high specs, has a M2 slot for the OS
I'm a big supporter of prebuilt NAS choices, like QNAP or Synology.
(Currently owning a QNAP, thinking about adding another)
In 2017, I was exploring options to upgrade my "house server" from a simple PC.
Options included: better PC with Windows Server, better PC with Linux, or a commercial NAS from QNAP or Synology.
The QNAP TS-453a proved to be the best choice.
After nearly seven years of continuous operation, data loss remains minimized thanks to multiple backups of your information.
Each system can face risks, but typically this doesn't occur on more than one device simultaneously.
My 7 year old TS-453a will have this setup.
They'll accept almost anything in it right now.
It currently includes:
480GB SATA SSD (system drive)
8TB Toshiba
14TB Seagate
18TB Seagate
USB attached TR-004:
4x 4TB Seagate Ironwolf
USB attached MediaSonic ProBox:
3TB WD
8TB Seagate
8TB Seagate
16TB Toshiba
90+TB online and available.
Hey, just checking in again.
I spotted a decent offer on eBay for around 240€ for the TS-453A.
It seems quite promising, and it would save me the hassle of installation and building, which usually takes a while.
I just want to share my final thoughts—did you mention having about 90TB available through this platform?
The site claims roughly 32TB on the device itself and up to 96TB with expansions.
But it looks like you’ve already exceeded those limits.
I’m just trying to confirm before making a purchase, so it won’t fail or prevent future upgrades, especially since I already have the 12TB drives set up.
Also, do you use any raid configurations? I’m planning to create two RAID1 (RAID10) volumes, each 12TB later.
Thanks again for your advice!
Initially, I had a 4x3TB RAID 5.
Then, changed it to 4x4TB.
Now, no RAID at all.
In the regular consumer space,
a good backup routine
alleviates any need for a RAID, of any type.
The 4x 4TB drives in the TR-004 are a single JBOD volume.
All the others are just individual drives.
If you seek an alternative backup plan, consider a two-bay configuration with drives that allow one to store everything you require and expand as needed. Then select a drive of identical size. Designate one as the main drive for updates and access, while configuring the NAS to automatically transfer its contents to the secondary drive on a regular basis—such as weekly.
Why opt for RAID1 instead? Because only the primary drive is reachable over the network, leaving the secondary hidden. This limits exposure: if malware attempts to attack via the NAS, it can only affect the single drive. With weekly mirroring, data loss would be minimal—just a week’s worth at most.
The secondary drive remains less active, which may extend its lifespan compared to the primary. If a drive fails, you can simply replace it, potentially avoiding a complete week’s data loss.
Thus, you retain most of RAID1’s advantages, with the exception that one copy might lag slightly.