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Ceph: A Distributed NAS Solution for the Budget-Conscious
Initially considering a Raspberry Pi with ZFS for a budget-friendly NAS solution, I discovered limitations in scalability and recovery time. Ceph, a distributed file system, emerged as a more promising alternative. Ceph offers features like automatic data replication, recovery, and rebalancing, making it ideal for building a robust and scalable NAS system starting out current… Read More
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Optimizing NAS Drives for ZFS: What to Know
Selecting hard drives for a ZFS-based NAS requires understanding various technologies and features. This guide compares drives from MDD, Seagate, and Western Digital, explores SMR vs. CMR recording, and explains key features like TLER, vibration resistance, and helium filling to help you make an informed choice. Read More
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NAS OS & Bootable HD
I add open media vault as one of the front runners to DIY NAS on a budget. I review file systems, eMMC storage, and compare speeds of various storage formats and interfaces, and finally settle on eMMC to avoid sacrificing speed on the PCIe lane that’s needed for the primary storage of the NAS or… Read More
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The Path to NAS
Follow along as I start to spec out the cheapest NAS system in my journey to have multiple backup servers to ensure that data is not lost to drive failures and protected after theft. Read More
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History of Data Loss
I talk about many of the storage failures that I ran into over the years including water damage, RAID failures, bit rot, corrupt drives, theft, unresponsive NAS, and bad firmware. Read More
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Simplifying Cloud Sync and Services: Why I’m Switching to TrueNAS for My NAS Setup
Switching from Unraid to TrueNAS has reshaped my home NAS setup. After overcoming challenges with Dropbox sync and testing new hardware, TrueNAS emerged as the more efficient option, offering seamless cloud integration and reliable app support. Here’s a recap of my journey toward building the ideal home server for backups and more. Read More
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Cheap PC + NAS
I purchased a $30 PC from the library and set it up as a file server. The software is also capable of running docker containers and virtualized PC’s so you can turn it into a media server at the click of a button. Read More