Hi selfhosters,

I would like to expand my server storage and I am confused now. For a bit of context, I have a mini pc running several Docker containers and I am pretty happy with it.

Right now I want to expand my server storage and after going though some options, this is my current understanding:

  • NAS: it is a real PC with its own chip/memory/OS and we can connect to the storage via network mount. Some are powerful enough to run docker containers on them and are generally not cheap.
  • HDD enclosure/docking station: it is just some enclosure to hold a lot of HDDs together and I could just plug it into my server like an USB.

I would like to ask:

  • Is my understanding above correct ?
  • Since I still have some resource left in the mini pc and want to save some bucks, is it safe to go with the HDD enclosure ?

Thank you very much and have a nice day :D

  • northernscrub@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    You don’t need something huge. Remove the DVD drive and the old mechanical drive from a USFF machine, stick a pair of 4TB drives in it, and put a basic debian image on it. Configure SMB with a shared folder or two, and voila: you now have a comfortable NAS for maybe £20 plus drives. Add in a sata pcie card if you can find a decent low-profile one, and that’s an extra four or even six drives. It won’t give you the cream of top performance, but it will be perfectly serviceable for a homelab.