NAS for File Serving and Virtual Machines

[Enquiries]

I have managed Windows Storage, Servers, Authentication, and Network Services (DHCP, DNS, Authentication, Storage Security) in both Private Business and State GOV Datacenters for over 35 years. Want to move AWAY from Windows Server and Active Directory.
Have 2.5G managed, 1Gb unmanaged switches and a hi-end WiFi Mesh.
Would like NAS to support:
- Win10/11 Clients File access & backups.
- Asstd Linux Clients for same.
- VirtualBox? (other?) VM support for occasional Win10/11 VM's & persistent Linux VM's (i.e. Pi-Hole Secure DNS Server)...and LDAP Services if needed?
- 1080p and 4k media to AZ FireTVCubes.
Like mixed drive RAIDs if the performance and reliability doesn't suck (Hybrid/TRAID?).
NAS with VIDEO Output (KVM) for DIRECT Administration (not a fan of 100% Web base Administration).
Your VIDs DO help, but I'm drowning in RETIRMENT time re-education - THANX!

[ed]

Given your extensive IT background and goals, you'll want a powerful, flexible NAS that can handle file serving, virtualization, and media streaming while offering direct video output (KVM support) for local administration. Here’s what I’d recommend:

NAS Recommendation
QNAP TVS-h674 or TVS-h874 –

Intel 12th Gen CPU (i5/i7 options) – Strong virtualization support.
2.5GbE & PCIe Expandability – Can upgrade to 10GbE or GPU if needed.
ZFS via QuTS Hero – Great for reliability and data integrity.
HDMI Output (KVM) – Allows direct management without relying on a web UI.
Virtualization Station & Container Station – Native support for Windows/Linux VMs and Docker.
Asustor Lockerstor 6 Gen2 (AS6706T) or 8-bay model –

Intel Celeron N5105 (not as powerful as QNAP but still solid).
HDMI Output for local admin.
2.5GbE & M.2 NVMe support.
ADM OS is lighter, but virtualization options are more limited than QNAP.
RAID & Storage Setup
Hybrid RAID (TRAID) or ZFS RAID-Z1/Z2 for redundancy without wasted space.
Mix of SSD & HDD: SSDs for VMs & caching, large HDDs for bulk storage.
WD Red Pro / Seagate IronWolf Pro HDDs, and WD Red SN700 or Kingston KC3000 SSDs.
VM & Network Considerations
Pi-hole, LDAP, and other services can run smoothly in LXC containers or light VMs.
VirtualBox isn’t native to most NAS platforms, but QNAP supports QEMU/KVM & Virtualization Station, which works just as well.
2.5GbE & Managed Switches will help for multi-client file serving.