NAS to replace Qnap TVS-h874T-i9-64G

[Enquiries]

Hello !
I would like to build a NAS to store everything I could imagine for a while on it.
I will also have a big part of it dedicated to business needs, as well as some part of it for personnal plex usage that could transcode ~3 4k streams to 1080p.

I've never build a NAS, but I'm a developer so I don't mind the learning, as I already manage my own servers (bare metal, OVH) and such.

I would like to have at least 80TB storage space; I was thinking about 12x 12TB in RAID 6 of IronWolf PRO Nas disks. Having 2 or 3 nvme to have a fast cache seems like an excellent idea. One of them will probably be used as OS as well ?

By looking to your video that describes the best NAS for Plex, which is my requirement that needs the most power, I though of the following 2 components:
1) MB+ CPU : ERYING-Kit 14900HX https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005007445741820.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.0.0.7f4asIo5sIo5Pu&mp=1&gatewayAdapt=glo2fra
2) Case: Jonsbo N5 NAS;https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005007724666260

[ed]

Hi Philippe,

Thanks for reaching out! The QNAP TVS-h874T-i9 you currently have is a very powerful NAS, and it should easily handle multiple 4K streams, especially with its i9 processor. For Plex, that CPU alone should manage several 4K to 1080p transcodes without issue, thanks to its high core count and performance.

An additional benefit of the TVS-h874T is that it has PCIe slots, which allow you to add a dedicated GPU for even more efficient hardware transcoding. Adding a supported NVIDIA or AMD GPU would offload the transcoding tasks from the CPU and provide even smoother 4K streaming for Plex, making this NAS an extremely capable option if you want to scale up your multimedia setup without building a new NAS from scratch.

That said, if you're still keen on building a NAS yourself, here’s how you could go about it.

DIY NAS Build
1. Storage Setup
Your plan to use 12x 12TB IronWolf PRO NAS drives in RAID 6 is a solid choice. RAID 6 provides excellent redundancy by allowing two drive failures without data loss, which is essential for long-term reliability.

In a RAID 6 array, you’ll end up with approximately 76TB of usable space from your 12x 12TB drives (once RAID overhead is considered), which is close to your 80TB goal.
If you want to ensure some extra future-proofing or need a bit more storage, you might consider using 14TB or 16TB drives, which will give you more headroom in the long run.
2. NVMe Cache
Using NVMe SSDs for caching is a great idea, especially for speeding up both read and write performance. For your use case, I would recommend dedicating all of your NVMe drives purely for cache, as the operating system (OS) will typically run off the main RAID array or a separate SSD rather than one of the NVMes.

Two or three NVMe drives in RAID 1 or RAID 10 will significantly enhance the performance of frequent file accesses, especially useful for business tasks and Plex media serving.
3. CPU & Motherboard (Plex Transcoding Needs)
For the DIY build, transcoding 3 simultaneous 4K streams down to 1080p requires a powerful CPU. Your selected ERYING-Kit 14900HX is a great fit. The Intel Core i9-14900HX has 24 cores and offers both excellent multi-threaded performance and Intel's Quick Sync feature for hardware transcoding, which Plex leverages for efficient video handling.

This setup should easily manage your Plex transcoding needs, whether for business or personal use, with plenty of power for the 4K streams you’re planning to transcode.

4. Case (Jonsbo N5 NAS)
The Jonsbo N5 NAS case is an excellent choice for a 12-bay build. It’s designed with NAS storage in mind, meaning you’ll have good airflow and room for all your drives, which is essential when running so many hard disks.

5. Budget
With a budget of 5 to 7k€, you should have no problem putting together a very powerful system:

12x 12TB IronWolf PRO NAS drives will take up a significant portion of your budget (around 3,600€–4,000€).
The ERYING-Kit 14900HX and Jonsbo case, along with your NVMe drives and other components, should easily fit within the remaining budget, giving you room for good-quality cooling and a power supply.
6. Other Considerations
Power Supply: Ensure you select a PSU with enough capacity to handle the 12 drives, your CPU, and any additional components. A 750W–850W PSU should be sufficient.
Cooling: Proper cooling is essential in a DIY NAS with so many drives and a high-powered CPU. Make sure the case has good airflow and consider adding extra fans if needed.
Backup Plan: Even though RAID 6 provides redundancy, it's still important to have external backups, especially for critical data.