Advice on DIY NAS plans

[Enquiries]

Hello! I was hoping you could review my high level DIY NAS plans and possibly offer advice or hardware suggestions. I'm looking to build something for file storage (photos, videos, documents, games, et), editing 4k Youtube/Twitch videos, and to host various services via Docker. My background is very technical. I'm a software engineer, I've been building my own computers since I was 10, and I'm pretty comfortable with k8s and docker.

My current plan is...
OS: TrueNAS Scale
Docker Pool: nvmes in raidz1
File Pool: Either SATA SSD's or HDD's in raidz1
Network: 10gbe (limited by cat6)
CPU: Threadripper or server CPU
GPU: Integrated or cheap
RAM: 64 GB
Backup: Backblaze

I'd like to start with less disks and leave room to expand over time and ensure I'm saturating the network connection.

Questions:
Does it make sense to have 2 pools?
Should I stick to 1 disk type?
Any CPU and mobo recommendations?
Should I start with more RAM?
10gbe switch and pcie card recommendations?

Thanks!

[ed]

It looks like you have a solid plan for your DIY NAS build. Here are some recommendations to consider:

Having two separate pools (one for Docker and one for file storage) can provide benefits such as isolating storage resources and reducing potential performance issues. However, this will depend on your specific use case and needs. If you are planning to host many Docker containers and have high I/O requirements, a separate pool for Docker may make sense. Otherwise, you can consider using a single pool for both Docker and file storage.

Whether to use SSDs or HDDs will depend on your budget and performance requirements. SSDs will provide faster access times, but they can be more expensive than HDDs. If you plan on storing a lot of large files, such as 4K videos, you may benefit from using HDDs for cost-effective storage with larger capacities. On the other hand, if you want to maximize performance for video editing, you may consider using faster NVMe SSDs or even PCIe SSDs in a dedicated pool for editing.

For CPU and motherboard recommendations, a high core count CPU such as an AMD Threadripper or Intel Xeon can provide great performance for virtualization and Docker containers. It is important to choose a motherboard that supports your chosen CPU and has enough PCIe lanes to support your storage and networking needs.

Starting with 64GB of RAM should be sufficient for your current use case. If you plan on running many Docker containers and virtual machines simultaneously, you may consider adding more RAM in the future.

For 10GbE networking, you will need a compatible network card in your server and a 10GbE switch. Some recommended network cards include the Intel X540-T2 or the Aquantia AQtion 10G Pro NIC. For switches, the Netgear XS708T or the TP-Link T1700G-28TQ are affordable options.

Overall, it looks like you have a solid plan for your DIY NAS build. Remember to consider your specific needs and budget when selecting hardware components. Good luck with your build!