Network Attached Storage (NAS), explained in 100 seconds.

I am a paranoid data-hoarder.

There, I said it.

I hear stories of people’s entire iCloud photo library being accidentally deleted, and I shiver.

Also, the idea of ”running out of storage space” gives me anxiety. 

At one point, I was paying for…

• Google Drive storage AND
• Dropbox AND
• iCloud AND
• buying new external hard drives each year AND
• Netflix AND Spotify AND HBO Max AND Prime AND Audible

I pay for none of those now.

Actually we still pay for Netflix because my wife won’t let me cancel. Dadgum Call The Midwife.

ENTER: The NAS.

What’s a NAS?

Stands for ”Network Attached Storage.”

But it’s easier to explain backwards.

• STORAGE = hard drives
• ATTACHED = plugged into…
• NETWORK = …your wifi router

Right cool beans Pete…but what IS the actual device?

A server (a.k.a. ”computer”).

When you hear ”SeRvEr”, just think ”computer.”

Let the fancy-pants IT Professionals flame me for that description, but there ya go.

Mine hangs out next to my router in my basement. A tiny bit bigger than a toaster.

I forget it’s there—until I need it.

Boorrriiiing. Who cares?

A NAS can do LOTS of cool things, actually.

My own personal cloud storage

I moved my stuff OFF of iCloud, Dropbox, and Google Drive 👉 onto my NAS.

I can access it from anywhere in the world. 

My own media streaming platform

• All my photos
• All my movies & TV shows 🏴‍☠️
• All my music

Stored on the NAS.

I use free, open-source software to ”consume” that stuff.

• Photos = Immich (and it’s AMAZING)
• Movies/TV = Plex
• Music = Plexamp

Perhaps we’ll talk about how I get that media in another email? 🏴‍☠️

Running software 24/7

I could…

• host my WordPress sites from my ”server.”
• install AI LLMs on it.
• put Openclaw on it to have those LLMs operate on their own—24 hours a day.
• automate backups and other stuff to happen overnight.

Ok ”paranoid Pete”, all of your data on a hard drive in your basement? Sounds risky.

Not as long as I stick to the ”3-2-1 Backup Method!”

• THREE copies of your data
• on TWO different devices
• with at least ONE of them stored off-site.

Here’s my setup:

1. My NAS has an 8TB hard drive. It stores stuff.
2. My NAS has another 8TB ”parity” hard drive, sitting right next to the other one.
3. A USB external hard drive, sitting at my mother-n-law’s house.

If a HDD fails, the ”parity” is a backup.

If my basement floods, my (backed-up quarterly) external hard drive is the backup.

If my town is nuked and I lose both, I have bigger problems to worry about.

3 ways to have your own NAS

Buy a pre-made one (easiest)

Synology is the go-to. Plug it in, install their app, you’re basically done. More expensive, but simple.

NOTE: Some pre-mades come with the actual hard drives, but many do NOT.

• 2-HDD Synology pre-made = $275
• 5-HDD Synology pre-made(”top-of-the-line” specs) = $2,000

There are PLENTY around the $200-400 price range! (If you just cut ONE Dropbox subscription, that’ll pay for itself in no time 💸).

Build your own (most fun, what Pete did)

Order parts, watch YouTube, put it together like adult Legos. It WILL take time and patience—but you’ll spend WAY less money than a similarly-featured pre-made.

Mine cost roughly $450, including the hard drives, and it has roughly the same specs as the $2,000 Synology. 

#humblebrag

Recycle an old computer (cheapest)

Old desktop in the storage unit (or Goodwill)??

Install Unraid or TrueNAS on it and BOOM. You have a NAS. Great way to dip your toes in before spending a lot.

	PRE-MADE	DIY	OLD COMP
COST	$$$	$$	$
DIFFICULTY	Easy	Hard	Medium
FUN	😊	🤩	😅

NAS software

Pre-made NAS boxes come with their own software.

Build your own or recycle an old PC? You’ll need to install an OS. I went with Unraid ($49 lifetime) because it seemed the most ”i’ve never done this before”-friendly. Worth every penny.

Power consumption

Most NAS units are specifically engineered to use as little power as possible.

Each hard drive (once spun up) might use between 6-12 watts, and the rest of the NAS a bit more.

My hard drives are spinning 24/7, and I estimate roughly $4/month in electric.

An old computer might be a bit higher if it’s running 24/7.

I want to do this. What are the next steps?

PRE-MADE 👇

Do shopping research! I recommend sticking with Synology, but I’ve also heard of…

• Terramaster
• QNAP
• Ugreen

The SOFTWARE is what you care about with pre-mades, and Synology and Terramaster are more ”proven.”

BUILD YOUR OWN 👇

1. Read through one of Brian Moses build breakdowns! These are great for ”what do I need to order.” He publishes a new one every year. I followed the ”2024 econo-nas” build.
2. Order parts (I used Aliexpress for most of my stuff cuz’ it’s cheaper)
3. Head to YouTube for how to put it all together

It took me maybe 8 hours spread out over a few weeks. If you don’t enjoy this process, don’t go the DIY route.

You WILL have to Google/YouTube/Claude.ai each little roadblock that comes up!

Rabbit-holes…

Things you’ll likely learn about in this process…

• How do I ”expose” my NAS to the internet, so I can access it when I’m NOT on my wifi network?
• Why tf are hard drives so expensive, and is it worth considering used hard drives from Ebay? (yes)
• Pete, do you have a cool way to see current hard drive prices-per-GB on ebay? YES.
• You didn’t get this from me, and I definitely don’t approve of it.

lol I used to play World of Warcraft, and this makes me nostalgic.