Building nas for first time for home use.

[Enquiries]

i am building a NAS for home. confused with what configuration to take and which OS to use or any other step by step guide.

Looking forward for response.
Thx for time

[ed]

Thank you for reaching out! Building your first NAS is an exciting project, and I’m happy to guide you through it. Based on your budget of $400 and storage needs of 10TB, here’s a step-by-step approach:

1. Hardware Configuration:
Since your budget is modest, I’d recommend focusing on a compact and efficient build:

Processor: Look for a low-power CPU like an Intel Pentium Silver or AMD Ryzen 3, which offers sufficient performance for basic NAS tasks.
RAM: 4GB to 8GB is enough for home use, but go for more if you plan to run heavier workloads like Plex streaming.
Storage: Use two 5TB drives in RAID 1 for redundancy or a single 10TB drive if redundancy is not a priority.
Motherboard: Choose a Mini-ITX or Micro-ATX board with enough SATA ports to support future drive upgrades.
Case: Opt for a case with good airflow and space for multiple drives, such as the Fractal Design Node 304 or Cooler Master Elite 110.
Power Supply: A reliable 80+ Bronze certified PSU with 300-400W will be sufficient.
2. Operating System Options:
The choice of OS depends on your technical comfort level and specific requirements:

TrueNAS SCALE/Core: Excellent for reliability and ZFS-based storage, but it can be a bit complex to set up for beginners.
OpenMediaVault (OMV): User-friendly and highly recommended for beginners; it supports plugins for additional functionality.
Unraid: Great for flexible storage and media server use, though it requires a paid license.
Proxmox VE: If you want to run virtual machines or multiple services alongside your NAS.
3. Step-by-Step Guide:

Assemble Hardware: Install your components and connect storage drives.
Install OS: Create a bootable USB for your chosen OS and install it on a separate small SSD or USB drive.
Set Up Storage: Configure your drives (e.g., RAID 1 or ZFS pool) within the OS.
Network Configuration: Connect the NAS to your home network and assign a static IP address.
Enable Services: Set up file sharing (e.g., SMB/CIFS for Windows, NFS for Linux) and other features like backups or media streaming.
Secure Your NAS: Change default passwords, enable firewalls, and set up user permissions.