Dylan

Hey there. I picked up THIS CHASSIS ($370) and 5x8TB ($800) and I'm at just over $1.1k because I bought that spare. If you only bought 2 drives and get the upgraded RAM you'd still be <$1k. Please note that I have only ordered this system and not used it yet - they haven't shipped yet, but I do like what I see. Hope that helps!

It really doesn't matter as long as you backup your OS install/disk. You are backing up your OS disk, right? Don't forget RESCUEZILLA is a free and open source GUI base disk cloning and imaging software that is super easy to use. Just sayin...

I think you'll be more than fine with that gear. That's essentially what I will be running. 4 bay NAS chassis with 4x8TB disks in a raidz2 (because I'm paranoid like that) with 32GB DDR4, with HexOX running on a 512Gb SSD (it came with that sized drive) and I will install a 1Tb m.2 SSD for cashing just to see if that helps. My use-case is primarily streaming movies, probably some light tailscale usage and file/image store and I fully expect that to be more than sufficient, especially has we move out of beta and into 1.0. Hope that helps and good luck!!

Yeah, I also have a proper server if I need something beyond what my daily NAS can handle. I don't have the N100 device yet, it's being shipped in about 10 days, but I did spend a good amount of time trying to squeeze out as much functionality as I could for a sub $1k device (including new disks). So I def respect the use-case. I know folks here will be interested in hearing how your little box performs when a good amount of load is placed on it, so please post when that happens!

Damn dude. You have an i3 managing over 26TB of data? That's pretty hardcore - you must trust that CPU. I mean, I'll be running mine on an N100, which isn't a huge leap forward or anything but dang. Hey..go you. How much RAM is installed? Are you just streaming with some file storage?

The only two support apps are Immich and Plex, for now. However if the apps are supported via TrueNAS then you can install and use from there.

Wow. This is an intriguing question. I did some digging and yes, it appears this is possible provided a few conditions are met. 1) Same OS 2) ensure hardware compatibility and once you've moved the disks 3) using the zpool import <pool_name> command. After that I'd also run zpool status Now, I've not done this before so the usual "back up your data" and create a plan and a back-out plan rules apply. If you do this, please post your steps and results as I'm certain this would be very useful info for the community. Good luck!

Hex OS uses the ZFS filesystem which is software raid. It's worth getting to know ZFS, even if you just keep to the "high level" points and topics. Understanding the filesystem, how it handles drive failures, how it re-builds vdev's, why it is RAM hungry will all better enable you to not only understand your system but also know what to do when something goes wrong. HERE YOU GO. Good luck!

That thing is going to be loud. You may be able to throttle the fans but that type of server is designed for either a data closet or data center.

Yeah, when viewing files on a Linux CLI there is an old pager program called "more" but it was a pain in the rear so some dude coded up an updated pager program and called it "less" and described it as "less is more" so folks would know what it did. It's just an old bit of Linux trivia that puts a smile on faces of those who know. And now YOU know, lol! Cheers!

Hey there! Just don't forget we're still in beta so managing expectations is key as you setup and deploy. 1.0 is not targeted until 2025, which may only be a few weeks away, may some some time after the new year.

Almost identical builds. Funny. Hope you post your results especially as we move from beta to 1.0. I won't get mine for another week or two and even then just going to set it up with little no zero "real" storage data until I can prove the OS functionality. It's a great time to be an enthusiast!

Yeah, I deff put the cost/benefit analysis to work on that chassis; N100, drives not hot-swappable but the rest of the build looked to fit my needs well - lots of good port options and even though only 2x2.5Gb NICs, that'll work for what I want to do. It'll sit it my bedroom so I need it low power and quiet fans. Fingers crossed.

I purchased something SIMILAR and hope it's not as chintzy as you say your is...because they look similar. Hope it works out for you!

Really appreciate your post and the specific examples you provide - well done. I also like what you said about being mindful of curating your media to enable your device to remain performant - not asking it to do more than it may be able to handle. One of the things I need to spend some time to validate is the N100 memory issue. While Intel only supports 16GB there are several reports of 32GB working just fine. This mostly appears to be mobo/bios/HW specific. In my case, the vendor does sell a 32GB version but isolating whether this is a single 32GB stick or 2x16GB I'll have to chase down. But, you're right - it's a great time to be an enthusiast Cheers!.

ZFS is a VERY RAM hungry filesystem. In fact, I have relatively small requirements for my NAS - streaming, photos etc - and even went with a low power CPU, the Intel N100. However, I DID upgrade to 32GB of RAM just to ensure that my little system has every opportunity to do its job well. Short answer, go with as much RAM as you can,

I bought THIS DEVICE specifically to run HexOS as I too am only looking to stream movies/shows, store photos etc. It also has the N100 but it I did upgrade the RAM to 32GB and suspect that I'll have a more than sufficient system for my needs and beyond (with in reason). I think @Mobius is probably right to call out that the N100 is likely the minimum CPU you'd want for a fully functional NAS. However your post is pretty clear that your requirements are small along with consideration for power consumption and I think the N100 meets those needs. Good luck!

Good question. I'd either ping one of the admins or reach out via their LinkedIn page

Not yet via HexOS, but if TrueNAS supports either then it can be configured.

Can you share what you have read/experienced that suggests the N100 will struggle? I ask because I have a NAS on order (to be shipped) that has the N100. Prior to purchase I looked at the Jellyfin documentation that shows the N100 is not only supported but recommended. Hoping I haven't overlooked something. Thanks!

Really appreciate your thorough feedback! Posts like these will help as we continue to kick the tires (beta test) this OS. Like you, I'm invested because I want a solution that is set and forget because I too cannot be bothered. I just want it to work without having to do what I do for a living at home for free. Have fun!

Dude, those are hilarious. Especially "HexOS: Less is more" and you're a Linux admin and get the joke. Thanks for sharing these!

LOL...can we un/officially code name HexOS "KISS"? I'd settle for just the beta, but there's something there in the branding. Just sayin'...

I may be an edge case but I've been in IT for 24 years. Just because I CAN get stuff done at the command line does not mean I want to, if it can be made easier, especially when I'm at home and just trying to get movies up for my kids to watch. Dig? I get paid to do this stuff and no one is paying me to do it at home. Further, the thought of paying an Apple or whomever, just doesn't sit right with me. So, DIY home NAS that's simple to set up and manage for $99? Yes, please and I'll take two while were at it.

You're post is pretty dense but I'll try. I f you go with 500GB OS drive and 3x2TB (we'll get the the external USB SSD in a minute) would get you a raidz1 vdev with about ~3.6TB of usable storage and will be able to survive a single disk failure, Raidz2 requires at least 4 disks offering less capacity but can survive 2 disk failures. I was going to go down the rabbit hole of SATAII performance but unless you're other option is to pull the trigger on a new/different rig, you likely just need to run with this one. And that's cool, especially with HexOS still being in beta. Now, about that external USB SSD thang. IF it were me I'd use that to either send snapshots to or better yet (because the OS is still in beta) keep my really important files backed up there (and maybe even in the cloud) until or unless you either decide to get a NAS supporting raidz2 when HexOS is no longer in beta and is as performant as well know/want it to be. Here is some LIGHT READING because you like to learn. Good luck!