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NAS or Headless Linux box for multimedia server etc
Hi there
I know loads of people here use NAS boxes one way or another.
I'm torn between getting a standard NAS box or using a home build Linux headless server for similar --using Linux LVM makes creating Logical data spaces out of multiple physical HDD's a doddle.
NAS advantage - purpose built - ready to go from the Off.
Disadvantage -- proprietary file systems and OS (QNAP for instance) -- difficult to add applications and support for Wireless (Wifi) usually problematic as well as one-off operations such as copying files to the NAS from external USB's.
Difficult to maintain / upgrade --for example if you start with a two HDD system adding more HDD's is difficult unless you initially bought a NAS with more bays.
Linux advantage --Free easily fixeable and maintainable OS where Networking WORKS, can add as many volumes as I like, can add applications such as PLEX for multi-media serving, VMware / VBOX / ZEN / KVM so I could have a Windows VM also running on it, easy to control via remote access.
Disadvantage -- Have to self build -- means messing around with cases, power supplies etc -- probably hard to get a decent system into a very small box.
I have plenty of Linux experience --would probably use CENTOS for the server as it's really robust (is the open source of Reds Hat's very successful enterprise server used on zillions of server farms etc) but zero experience in the use / maintenance and operation of NAS type boxes.
Any guidance here over whether I should go NAS or Linux. I've enough decent pieces of hardware over apart from a mobo and small case to create a Linux system, but I'd have to buy a purpose built NAS - I've got enough HDD's though for 4 bays.
Cheers
jimbo