First NAS Project

[Enquiries]

Hello:

Been seeing a lot of your videos recently as I attempt to venture into NAS territory. I have been looking to detach myself from Google Photos/Drive and perhaps build an automated ARR framework for media downloading (movies, TV shows) for local and remote viweing.

Have thought about:
- Aoostar R1 or R7
- Terramaster F4-424 and Pro
- Custom DIY solution

Was thinking of running Proxmox, TrueNAS as VM.

What do you think?
...is it possible to run pfSense as a VM and then export that data to an Orbi mesh system? Hoping to use VPNs/adblocks that way.

Really appreciate your knowledge in this topic.

Regards,
Manuel

[ed]

NAS choices:

For simplicity:
Asustor R1: Good option for beginners, user-friendly interface, limited expandability.
Terramaster F4-424: Similar experience to Asustor, more flexibility with apps and features.
For flexibility:
Terramaster F4-424 Pro: Similar to F4-424 with more powerful processor and RAM, better for future upgrades.
Custom DIY: Most control and customization, requires technical knowledge and time investment.
Software considerations:

Proxmox and TrueNAS in VMs: Possible, but consider resource requirements and complexity. Might be simpler to run TrueNAS directly on the NAS device.
pfSense as a VM: Possible, but ensure your NAS has enough resources and supports network passthrough. Exporting data isn't necessary, pfSense handles firewall/VPN independently.
Specific thoughts:

Budget: Your 500-600 USD budget is good for most pre-built options with 4-8 TB storage. Factor in hard drives if buying a diskless NAS.
Location: Puerto Rico shouldn't affect your NAS choices significantly.
Media downloading: Many NAS software options have apps for automated downloads (e.g., Sonarr, Radarr). Check compatibility with your chosen NAS.
Remote viewing: Both Plex and Emby media servers are common NAS choices for remote streaming.
Recommendations:

If you prioritize simplicity and user-friendliness: Asustor R1 or Terramaster F4-424.
If you prefer more flexibility and future expandability: Terramaster F4-424 Pro or a custom DIY setup.
For software: Start with running TrueNAS directly on the NAS. Run pfSense in a VM only if the NAS is powerful enough and supports network passthrough.

[mannymore]

Thanks for the help.

I already bought a Aoostar R1 with the N100, 512GB and 16GB RAM. I bought 2 Seagate Ironwolf HDDs (8TB each).

I am willing to experiment with the software side of things, but did not want to build it all from scratch for first project.

Considering this, what do you recommend regarding software? 
I have seen some video guides on using Proxmox and running Container for NAS needs. Is this recommended?
Again, my goals (if feasible now that you know my hardware):

- NAS solution for home use (try to replace GDrive/GPhotos)
- Create a Jellyfin/Envy/Plex home server.
- Have the option to watch my media from another location (ie. family's home).
- Create an ARR solution for media.
- If feasible, run a better home router solution (using an Orbi RBK50 system with 1 router and 2 satellites. Hard to use VPN and other features).

Bought you a coffee! Take care.