New NAS - virtualize or not?

Hardware Server
1

Hi, i want to buy a new NAS for my home network. (Maybe Synology DS216se, play, + or someting like this)

Main thing is to save all my files from all local machines of my house to one single point, video from my sat-receiver, photos and so on. So i can easily make backups. I also want to make snapshot backups of my notebook, so that i can backup it very fast, if it will crash.

I also own an odroid u3 running ubuntu with openhab, to control my home automation (knx). I also want to install an asterisk server.

So i would aks you what would be the best way to do this?

1.)
Running openhab and asterisk on my odroid u3 and buy a cheap NAS to only use as storage.

2.)
Buy a better NAS and running virtual machines on it (1 openhab, 1 asterisk)

3.)
Buy a cheap NAS and install asterisk and openhab directly to the local NAS-system (without virtualization).

2

I bought a QNAP with the intention of running some virtual machines…

To be honest if I did it again I’d go with a cheaper NAS with more drive bays and make its only job being data storage and backup.

Then have other small PCs and raspberry Pi’s for everything else…

3

I have a Synology DS413j, I used to run OH on it but the performance was not great and system specificities (USB, paths, package updates) were a pain. I now run OH on a bananapi and it runs fine. However, I also recently upgraded my proxmox server to new hardware and I am thinking of moving OH there too. I have made some tests and ran into some difficulties providing USB ports to the container, it ended up working but was a little lame. I haven’t pursued further because the proxmox server’s physical location is not ideal for my zwave network.
I run on the proxmox server (Intel NUC Kit NUC5CPYH with an i3, SSD and 8GB RAM):

  • Asterisk
  • Plex (content on NAS)
  • Content filter proxy for the kids
  • Zoneminder with 8 cameras
  • An ubuntu server to test stuff (offline most of the time)
  • Will possibly move OH here
    Everything is running great on the NUC, and I backup containers to the synology. I have no experience with high-end NASes but with lower end ones I think they should be kept for mass storage and eventually toying around with packages for testing.
4

By the way, I doubt the DS216se has enough memory (256 MB?) to run OH.

5

Ok, thanks.

But i will not buy a NUC with i3 CPU, because of big power consumption. Make a backup of conatiners would be great, because containers can run on every hardware, no matter what hardware there is behind. But i think its a little bit too big for only running openhab and asterisk on it.

So i think i will keep my odroid u3 and buy a medium NAS.

Which one would you recommend?

Is DS216j or 216se enough or is it better to buy 216play, 216 or 216+? Or even buy a better NAS like 4xx or 7xx?

I want to save my files, record from my sat receiver, install a media server like kodi, plex or dlna-server. Maybe i want to install some ip-cams later and use with synology.

I want to buy a 2-bay NAS and first install only one hdd, making backups to external drives is ok for me the first time, so raid 1 will come later if i need more security.

6

I think power consumption is around 30W, not too bad for all the servers I’m running.[quote=“halloween, post:5, topic:8212”]
I want to save my files, record from my sat receiver, install a media server like kodi, plex or dlna-server. Maybe i want to install some ip-cams later and use with synology.
[/quote]

Plex won’t run well (no transcoding) on ARM-based models.

7

Here you can see the difference between the Synology NAS-drives:

https://www.synology.com/de-de/products/compare/DS216+/DS216play/DS216/DS216se

Which one would you suggest?

8

I would chose the “+” or the “play” but don’t know if they can transcode video for Plex (see this)

9

I like to build my own servers and vm setups in providing for greater flexibilty and upgrades.

Ive been using esxi as my barebone os and then run unraid as a vm/nas along with a seperate vms for openhab and other items.

Just a note though with any vm setup to be sure your barebone os allows for usb passthru

10

Hello there.

IMHO NAS Systems are good for exactly one job: Store your data. Nothing more, nothing less.
A few years ago my rack filling NAS and ESX Environment crashed. Every little VM was lost.

My recommendation is to take a look at HP Microserver. I’ve running as my local storage, Plex Server, Downloadstation, and some OH Tests.

My productive OH will be moved to a RPI 3 this weekend.

11

Just buy any small atx case, Intel Pentium G4400, ASUS B150M-K motherboard and some ddr4 modules. This power be enough for anything you can imagine for home server. Motherboard has 6 sata slots, 4 USB 3.0.
All this will cost less than 250$.
I personally have this setup and it perfectly runs Multiple VMs, openhab, mqtt, git, svn, web, mediatomb, samba… I also use it as time-machine. OS: Ununtu 15.10.
All my 3 drives compose raid5 and 4th is used for daily backup of critical stuff.
All system consumes < 35W when idle. As power supply I use FSP250-60HHN.
All is silent enough for me. Only sound from hard drives is noticable.

12

I think i have found my new NAS: HP G8 Microserver
http://www.notebooksbilliger.de/hp+proliant+microserver+gen8+intel+cdc+g1610t+236374?nbb=8f14e4

190 Euro

One Seagate NAS or WD Red 4TB HDD and some more ECC-RAM.

So i can install FreeNAS or OMV on it. Cheaper and much more power then Synology 216 series or something in the same price class.

I don´t need a RAID, i think one hdd will be enough and i will make backup to usb-hdd´s.

Another question:
Now i use an odroid u3 to run openhab. Will this NAS be faster or at least same speed if i install OMV and there make a virtual machine to run openhab on ubuntu in the vm?