Unraid with OPNSense for small businesses – great tips welcome
Unraid with OPNSense for small businesses – great tips welcome
Hello, your plan looks solid but keep an eye on a few details. A rackmount server with Unraid and an OPNSense VM for security should handle day-to-day needs without needing constant upgrades. The Ubiquiti switch will manage general traffic efficiently. Since you don’t want wireless, stick to wired connections for reliability.
This setup should be fairly stable once configured, but ensure proper cabling and power management to avoid surprises. Watch for potential bottlenecks in bandwidth between the NAS and switches, especially if many devices connect. Also, verify that your firewall rules with OPNSense are correctly set—misconfigurations can cause unexpected issues.
Since you're new, double-check that all interfaces are properly secured and that the network topology supports future growth. Let me know if you need help with specific configurations!
Consider exploring high availability setups. This can be achieved using pfSense or OPNsense.
I’d likely just purchase a standard server if I were handling it myself. For an am5, the AsRock rack board with IPMI works well for server tasks. Also, the cooler won’t fit in a 3U case. Choosing a Unifi switch makes sense even without other Unifi components—something you can manage independently without relying on the controller. A separate firewall would simplify things too. Backup plans are important; what’s your approach?
Goal is to design storage with resilience against drive failures. I should mention earlier that using Docker containers or other VMs on the network could offer useful advantages. From my perspective, this provides additional adaptability for upcoming requirements.
During setup for clients, I always keep the router independent since it's essential equipment. As others noted, if the Unraid server fails, internet access drops too. If you plan to use Unify, why not opt for a UDM Pro that combines firewall and routing functions? It’s easier to maintain everything together because mixing hardware can cause problems.
Avoid turning networking into a virtual setup for your business unless you have high availability options. Invest modest funds in dedicated router or sidewall devices. For a complete and budget-friendly package, consider Netgate offering—the firm behind PFSSL. They provide first-party equipment at very competitive rates.
I'm new to the Unifi suite and wanted to know what to expect with matching or non-matching switches and firewalls. The ability to launch VMs or Docker containers is a strong feature. Currently, their main software relies on RDP, but they're considering moving away from the cloud. (Runs on Windows Server.) This prompted me to build this system initially. M365 isn't feasible due to slow upload speeds—only double-digit transfers on good days. Any suggestions for brand, series, or model?
It should function properly if you have its own controller to manage it separately. Running just a Unifi switch makes sense if you're not using other Unifi components. In Windows environments, I'd recommend sticking with Windows. Hyper-V offers a free virtualization option, and AD works well for permissions on shared networks. You might find a Dell R250 or similar suitable, though options like Supermicro, HP, or Lenovo will perform similarly. It requires minimal computing power, and the IMI chip is beneficial on those devices.