I'm searching for a simple and cost-effective Network Attached Storage (NAS) solution for my home. I don't need features like backups or high performance since I've already got that covered. My main goal is to find a quiet, low-powered device that allows me to set up an open network share without any authentication. It should be easily accessible from Apple, Windows, and Android devices so that my family can share files effortlessly. The device shouldn't need to be available outside our home network; I just want a hassle-free setup that doesn't involve hosting it on one of our PCs.
4 Answers
Creating a DIY NAS with an old system can be a great option, especially if you use ECC memory. Look for used SAS HDDs, they can be much cheaper per TB than SATA drives.
You might want to consider a refurbished micro PC running any lightweight Linux or storage-specific distro. It’s budget-friendly, and you can set up an open share easily without too much hassle.
An old PC can be turned into a TrueNAS server—just throw in some hard drives. If you need more SATA ports, you can grab a PCIe expansion card to fit your needs.
A lot of NVMe-only NAS options are available, and some come without an OS, allowing you to install OpenMediaVault, which fits your requirements perfectly.
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