Building a server or get a NAS

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  1. Posts : 135
    W10 Pro 1909 18363.476
       #1

    Building a server or get a NAS


    I'd like to build a server or NAS.

    I think I need a server. I am VERY much a newb when it comes to Linux. I'd like to stick with Windows unless someone can point me to some real clear YT links or something.

    It is for a home business with 3 PCs accessing it. I will need to access it remotely at times. I have good internet.

    Thoughts?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 13,898
    Win10 Version 22H2 Pro and Home, Win11 Pro and Home
       #2

    I have a Network consisting of a Router with 802.11ac Wireless and 8-port switch, have 5 Desktops, 2 printers [LaserJet and OfficeJet] and 2 x 2TB NAS drives connected via Ethernet cables. Any computer Wired or Wireless that can access the Router can also Map the Public folder on the NAS drives and the files therein plus have Internet access. My Router does not have the Modem function built-in, I use a PoE Wireless DSL service with the Modem from the ISP. A benefit with the arrangement versus a Server-based network is no one computer has to be running. I haven't set up remote access as it's not in my needs yet but the two drives do have their own IP address as do the printers.
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  3. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #3

    ChrisPbass said:
    I'd like to build a server or NAS.

    I think I need a server. I am VERY much a newb when it comes to Linux. I'd like to stick with Windows unless someone can point me to some real clear YT links or something.

    It is for a home business with 3 PCs accessing it. I will need to access it remotely at times. I have good internet.

    Thoughts?
    Hi there
    Linux can run on quite minimal hardware so if you have any sort of spare machine try and install on that first.

    A lot of Linux distros are very easy for noobs with decent GUI's -- for beginners use FEDORA or UBUNTU desktop versions

    Then ensure these packages are installed -- SAMBA, NetworkManager or equivalent, SSH (OPEN-SSH), and for accessing NTFS (Windows) files ntfs-3g.

    It's a good learning opportunity. For a decent NAS you can have a very reliable system running on a really old piece of kit. For Linux the whole OS is open source and free.

    For Windows to act as a decent NAS you really need the Server version(s) and those are hideously expensive for a home user.

    With a NAS as well no user needs to be logged on and it will just keep running and running -- you don't even need to permanently attach a screen, keyboard or mouse permanently.

    Windows (the standard non server editions ) also has problems as well in that sometimes it wants to update, sometimes it expects keyboard input and a response etc.

    I know I'm biased here but for a decent NAS any old bit of kit will last for years running Linux, - most times you'll never need to re-boot once it's up and running.

    I'd avoid those QNAP proprietary things as well - go for a proper NAS not just "Network available HDD's".

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 2,068
    Windows 10 Pro
       #4

    Running TrueNAS is a great way to go. (It used to be called FreeNas). It's an opensource and free NAS operating system that you can run on just about anything. So, you won't need dedicated server equipment...any old box that you cobble together a number of hard drives will suffice.

    Now, with that said, you can get some really nice dedicated TrueNAS hardware. Here is the link to the page with the physical equipment.
    TrueNAS Mini - TrueNAS Open Storage | ZFS for the Home to the Data Center

    These dedicated boxes give you multiple ethernet interfaces and hot swap drive capabilities.
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  5. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #5

    Hi there
    For once I'll disagree with @pparks1 - Why pay for this when any old box will do fine -- also zfs file system can (not always of course) also cause problems when you want Windows to access these types of boxes.

    On any Linux distro there's zillions of help forums -- on these other types of NAS systems - any problems you are more likely to be on your own. !!!

    As always in these things -- Ratio of Risk to reward -- just go for what you think is best -- suffice to say I think most of use agree unless running (expensive) Windows Server versions a Windows NAS server isn't the best choice - even for home users with only 3 - 4 PC's on a LAN.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,068
    Windows 10 Pro
       #6

    jimbo45 said:
    Hi there
    For once I'll disagree with @pparks1 - Why pay for this when any old box will do fine
    I did say that you could use whatever. But I also said you could get some nice TrueNas hardware too.


    Advantages specifically of the TrueNas hardware.
    #1). Hot swapability of hard drives.
    #2). Typically super low power consumption
    #3). Individual lights to show you the status of each drive at a glance
    #4). Multiple NIC's for high throughput.
    #5). Nearly silent operations...hard drives are usually the loudest part.
    #6). Small form factor
    #7). Lights out remote management.

    Some NAS devices also have redundant power supplies, dedicated hardware RAID controllers and write back cache battery modules. These can all lead to better performance.

    I think the biggest advantage though is rather than trust your data to some old retired box you have lying around that is years and years and years old, maybe it's worth it to you to have new equipment to store your valuable data on.

    But again, many of us do use and run NAS devices on old equipment we already have. And regardless of solution, you should ALWAYS have a backup copy of the data too...so if your older hardware were to fail...it shouldn't be catastrophic.
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  7. Posts : 18,424
    Windows 11 Pro
       #7

    jimbo45 said:
    also zfs file system can (not always of course) also cause problems when you want Windows to access these types of boxes.
    There are no more issues with Windows accessing the zfs file system than with any other file system. How many threads do you read on here talking about one Windows computer not being able to access shares on another Windows computer....and they should both be using NTFS!

    pparks1 said:
    But again, many of us do use and run NAS devices on old equipment we already have. And regardless of solution, you should ALWAYS have a backup copy of the data too...so if your older hardware were to fail...it shouldn't be catastrophic.
    One good thing about TrueNAS and the zfs filesystem is that the drives from one system can easily be moved and imported into any other TrueNAS system. For example if my old AMD FX CPU based system fails, I can even install TrueNAS in a VM on one of my Windows computers, attach the drives to it and be back in business.
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  8. Posts : 11,247
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #8

    NavyLCDR said:
    There are no more issues with Windows accessing the zfs file system than with any other file system. How many threads do you read on here talking about one Windows computer not being able to access shares on another Windows computer....and they should both be using NTFS!



    One good thing about TrueNAS and the zfs filesystem is that the drives from one system can easily be moved and imported into any other TrueNAS system. For example if my old AMD FX CPU based system fails, I can even install TrueNAS in a VM on one of my Windows computers, attach the drives to it and be back in business.
    Hi there
    Any Linux system can "Move devices" from one system to another even with totally different file systems.

    I must admit though the ZFS file system being acessible to Windows via share is someting I wasn't aware of -- I'll have a go with this: (I have a spare box for this type of testing !!)

    Installing Arch Linux on ZFS - Timo's Blog

    Seems Interesting to try on a wet and miserable Saturday !!!!!

    Thanks for the idea.

    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 33
    Windows 10 x64
       #9

    ChrisPbass said:
    I'd like to build a server or NAS.

    I think I need a server. I am VERY much a newb when it comes to Linux. I'd like to stick with Windows unless someone can point me to some real clear YT links or something.

    It is for a home business with 3 PCs accessing it. I will need to access it remotely at times. I have good internet.

    Thoughts?
    Can I ask, how did you conclude that you needed either?

    Do you know what you want to use it for; storing files, running a website, personal email server, something else?

    I only ask because unless you actively want to learn Linux and/or server configuration & maintenance, rather than just having a working device, it is easy to head off down a rabbit-hole (which can be time consuming and frustrating) with something too complex for what you actually want.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 135
    W10 Pro 1909 18363.476
    Thread Starter
       #10

    daklone said:
    Can I ask, how did you conclude that you needed either?

    Do you know what you want to use it for; storing files, running a website, personal email server, something else?

    I only ask because unless you actively want to learn Linux and/or server configuration & maintenance, rather than just having a working device, it is easy to head off down a rabbit-hole (which can be time consuming and frustrating) with something too complex for what you actually want.
    I want a device to host files so 2 or 3 people can work on them in-house and 1 person can connect remotely to work on them. I will be storing a boatload of video and pictures as well.

    I would rather not learn linux but everyone recommends and says how easy it is so I am willing to try. Again...I have almost no knowledge. People give advice like Oh just install package blah blah which makes 0 sense to me. My skill level: i can build PCs. I have a simple network at home. Install windows, usually troubleshoot problems etc...people bring me their PC to fix (you know...look it up online and then fix...) I can install hardware etc...
      My Computer


 

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