Starter NAS

[Enquiries]

Hello! I hope this message finds you well. I have been looking at buying my first NAS since last October, and have followed this channel since around the same time to learn as much as I can while I saved up the money for a purchase I will be happy with for the foreseeable future.

I have a good amount of experience working with Linux distros and servers as a part of my career field, but am hesitant to buy something with difficult software because while it will be a great learning experience, I want to avoid being turned-off by NAS systems due to a difficult first-time user experience. I want to begin my NAS journey by hosting some private servers for games like Minecraft, setting up a Plex server for 1-4 people, and storing some photos and videos. Being able to experiment with software like Docker and Kubernetes would be nice as well. A 4-Bay would be ideal.

Thank you for any input you have and for the free reviews and knowledge you've armed me with for jumping into the NAS world.

[ed]

It’s great to hear that you’ve been following along and are ready to make your first NAS purchase. Considering your experience with Linux and servers, I recommend the Synology DS423+. It’s a 4-bay NAS that balances ease of use with powerful features, making it ideal for both beginners and advanced users.

The DS423+ comes with a quad-core Intel Celeron J4125 processor and 2GB of DDR4 memory (expandable), ensuring smooth performance for hosting private game servers, running a Plex server for 1-4 people, and storing photos and videos. The Synology DSM (DiskStation Manager) software is highly intuitive, providing a user-friendly experience while offering extensive features like Docker and Kubernetes support, which are perfect for experimenting and expanding your skills.