Network Attached Storage 2 – Building Up Your NAS for Performance and Capacity

Network Attached Storage 2 – Building Up Your NAS for Performance and Capacity

OVERVIEW:

Building a Network Attached Storage (NAS) system can be overwhelming due to the massive variety of options available. Between choosing an operating system, deciding on compatible drives, and selecting the right hardware components, it’s easy to fall into decision paralysis. This guide walks you through the essential considerations for setting up your NAS—from choosing the OS to determining hardware compatibility and optimizing storage. By the end of the video series, you’ll be equipped with a fully functional NAS system. This first part focuses on preparation, hardware recommendations, and initial OS selection.

REPAIR TIME & SKILL LEVEL:

This setup is estimated to take about 3-5 HOURS to complete and is of INTERMEDIATE difficulty, requiring basic hardware familiarity and the ability to evaluate and install operating systems.

STEPS

Tools You Need

For this setup, you will need a desktop or laptop PC, a flash drive or external hard drive for file backup, and possibly a PCIe SATA adapter for additional storage. If optimizing your system further, you may also need a wired Ethernet connection, drive adapters for securing different drive sizes, and Task Manager for performance monitoring.

Understanding NAS and Decision Paralysis

The video begins by addressing the overwhelming number of options when building a NAS.
From OS choices to drive types and network connections, users often get stuck at the decision-making stage.
The creator introduces the goal: to guide you through these choices and help you build a complete NAS system.

Preparing Your PC for NAS Use

Use a desktop PC if possible; a laptop can be used in a pinch.
You’ll be replacing the current operating system, so be prepared to erase the machine.
Transfer important files to an external drive or flash drive before beginning.

Deciding on the Operating System

If you are using Windows, you may keep it as your OS.
Windows is compatible, feature-rich, and integrates easily with other Windows systems.
It supports file sharing, user permissions, and encryption well.

Advantages of Windows for NAS

Supports multiple user file sharing and media exploration.
Offers powerful software options built specifically for file sharing.
Has built-in enterprise tools for managing user access and permissions.

Exploring Unraid

Unraid is purpose-built for NAS systems and is easy to use.
Allows combining different sized drives into a single virtual drive.
Users can designate different drives for varying speed or encryption needs.

Unraid’s Unique Capabilities

Supports drive-specific usage like placing 4K footage on SSDs for faster access.
Slower data like old emails can be stored on legacy drives.
Offers selective encryption and drive targeting.

Why Consider TrueNAS

Truenas is a free, open-source NAS OS built on FreeBSD.
It uses the ZFS file system with enterprise-level features.
Comes with a web GUI that allows browser-based file navigation like Google Drive.

Truenas Cloud Integration

Truenas allows syncing with offsite backups and services like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Perfect for businesses needing both local and cloud redundancy.
Makes it easy to mirror your storage to an offsite solution.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Recommended minimum of 4 GB RAM for smooth file transfers.
PCIe slots are essential for adding drives or faster network cards.
The video emphasizes checking your hardware before proceeding.

Hardware You Don’t Need

Graphics cards are unnecessary and can be removed to save resources.
Wireless adapters are also not needed; wired connections are preferred.
Removing unnecessary components helps focus system performance on storage.

RAM and Upgrade Tips

4 GB RAM is minimum, but more is better—don’t downgrade.
If you need more drive support, consider PCIe SATA adapter cards.
For faster file transfer, upgrade your LAN card.

Diagnosing Bottlenecks

Use Task Manager in Windows to identify performance limitations.
Check if CPU, RAM, or Drive usage hits 100%—that’s your bottleneck.
Upgrade the component that’s maxing out for better performance.

Handling Different Drive Sizes

Older drives may come in 5.25-inch sizes—use adapters for 3.5-inch mounts.
Avoid stacking drives without mounting; vibration can cause damage.
Drives should always be secured to prevent movement.

Final Advice if You’re Still Unsure

If you’re still stuck, the creator offers consultations at techdip.com.
Book a Google Meet video chat via the Business & IT Options page.
Get personalized recommendations tailored to your specific needs.

CONCLUSION:

Setting up a NAS system can be overwhelming, but breaking it down step-by-step makes it much more manageable. Whether you’re using Windows, Unraid, or Truenas, each has its advantages depending on your network environment and storage goals. Ensuring you have the right hardware and understanding potential performance bottlenecks are crucial steps. With the right setup and approach, you’ll have a reliable, scalable NAS system. Stay tuned for the next video where the actual system build will begin.

VIDEO TUTORIAL:

Looking for a more in-depth tutorial? Check out our complete teardown video for a detailed step-by-step walkthrough.

MAIL-IN REPAIR SERVICE:

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