I'm on the raspberry pi bandwagon. I have setup things like InfluxDB and Grafana on my first one, plus run a Conbee2 Zigbee stick on it as well. I have also used a raspberry pi to run a local DNS. In terms of your question about remote access, I have also installed Wireguard VPN to allow this, another pi my life tutorial.
As you can see, there is a mixture of applications and admin "stuff" here. I currently have two main rpi's, one intended atm for my Cobee2 and analytics (InfluxDB and Grafana) and one for admin like the DNS, Wireguard and backup routines, but I plan to get a third to move my Conbee2 into and to run anything in NodeRED I do in the future, allowing me to split the analytics from the automation related setup.
Not sure how that happened @Hal3 , I meant to respond to @markbellkosel84 's original post
I want to chime in - I feel server choice is made based on 3 main factors. What is the server for or potentially intended to do? What is your strongest experience in OS's? What is the price range?
Reading the responses here runs the gamut - and that isn't really helpful IMHO. You get every form and facet this way, each wants to describe how they solved their specific problem. But as a consultant, it really is important to listen to the clients needs - and you haven't stated answers to some of the basic questions.
What will you use the server for? (for a list of things, this thread covered a lot!)
What types of computers/OS are you comfortable with? (ie; Apple? Linux? Microsoft?)
Price range? You mentioned cost is a major factor but that reallllly doesn't help. Are we talking $50 bux or $500? $5000? The functions you want the server to handle can really impact the cost so maybe create a wish list of services you want, evaluate cost, if any, for each service and build out then evaluate the overall direction your taking.
It also occurs to me that I didn't really see a 'how technical a person' you are. that can play a major factor - as it's one thing to setup a basic media server, it's a whole nother story to setup SQL DB's with event storage for graphing with integration... etc.
My advice - take it slow - its a journey not a destination. Enjoy small steps and build on from a smartly started place!
Excellent advice @jshimota . To pick up on one of your points in terms of experience and familiarity with an OS / platform, while I had used Linux /Unix for work a little while ago, I am more at home on Windows. But when it comes to the range of tutorials and instructional sites and videos, a karge number of them are geared around using raspberry pi's, which was one reason I chose to go that route. Not the only reason, but one to consider.
And you are completely right about better understanding the requirements before launching into something like this. Not to say you have to know everything you are likely to use the server for, but at least stop to think it through first.
This would work w/a NAS quite nicely. And depending if by "tinker" you mean you want a lot of command line stuff, or you want a device w/lots of features built in and others available via add-on programs/tools, you can access both on a Synology NAS (and I would assume QNAP, and others). Some research on your part required.
unless you're planning on running websites/heavy services (e.g. conferencing system, game server, etc), you can accomplish most tasks with a NAS. look into the model you buy as some can run VMs/docker, while others cannot
If you want to serve media do you want this accessible via the Internet? Your OP starts extolling your new symmetric Internet provision so I assume so ?
@markbellkosel84 and @danabw QNAP NAS also are good for beginner to advanced users. I have a 9 drive QNAP. QNAP and Synology both have good GUIs that keep the beginners from having to know Linux or Windows administration. They both have VPN software built-in. Most of them can support virtual machines and containerized applications. Be aware a NAS can get expensive depending on the capacity you are looking for but you do get a lot more than your typical external hard drive.
In the end @marktheknife is right. The appropriate solution depends on...
I am leaning towards some kind of NAS. I love tinkering with Pis but that is really more from a hardware type project stand point (think Adafruit type stuff).
As I am getting older I tend to look to something that works with minimal configuration now. I used to love to tweek my old home server (Windows Home Server) and added a lot of software to it for email server, DHCP, DNS, etc. But now I find I have to make sure things just work for myself and the family so I went with Synogloy for most of my private cloud needs. I still run docker for things that Synoglogy doesn't offer like Pi-Hole DNS and Emby media streaming. And I put the network security where it belongs and it's in my Untangle router. You have to balance "Best of Breed" against "It works good enough"
As others have said, Synology or QNAP can probably meet your needs, to the extent that you’ve described them here.
Any NAS will function as a file server (obviously), QNAP can run docker containers and synology can likely do the same (but I have personal experience with QNAP only).
If you have some old computers/parts laying around (and who doesn't?) you might be able to cobble together a system and install something like TrueNAS..
I like the UI and it's been working great so far. It might be the thing to try before spending the money on a "real" NAS.
There's so many opinions and options floating around here that may or may not suit your needs or inclinations.... I think @erktrek and @jshimota probably crystalise my own approach.... Along with others...
Do what you can to understand your own needs and wants and learn from others, this thread being a perfect example of exploring those concepts....
Take it slowly, trying things to help "play" with ideas to help confirm these needs and wants.... You may "play" with tech that is not your ultimate end-state, but may help confirm a choice for a more expensive option...
Most of all, have fun along the way...Enjoy the journey and don't place too much emphasis on the decisions you make... Kind of re-emphasises my point about starting small and confirming your decisions...
Perhaps by getting too philosophical about this I am over-blowing this decision and making it more complicated than it should, but I think some of these themes can apply in a number of different aspects a HA setup, but everyone has their own take on how to approach HA. Hopefully the "enjoy the journey" can be a common theme...
I prefer to use what I have on hand to see if that justifies a potentially more permanent solution. Sometimes, like my TrueNAS setup and OPNSense firewall it works out and I don't need to go further. Other times like for my Ubiquti WiFi setup the commercial solution just works better with less initial problems.
If you don't have the time or inclination to tinker with certain tech related stuff or just want the something done with minimal hassle then yes spend the money and buy an off the shelf system.
I've always enjoyed learning about this stuff anyway so the extra work is no big deal to me. ymmv!
The problem with this topic is that there are so many ways to address it and each method has potential hicups or added cost depending on how your use grows with it.
I use a solution call UNRAID. Largely so that I can use drives of different sizes. But i use decent consumer hardware and a combination of enterprise components like a Mobile rack to make drives easily hot swappable.
The bones of my rig are now about 10 years old, but other then a few minor hicups it has worked great. It wasn't cheap when i built it but after 10 years the cost of ownership isn't to bad.
Just research the NAS before you pick it up because some of them are way underpowered or just don't have features that allows much growth with use other then simple integrated apps. I have spent a ton of time researching different QNAP/Synology Nas's or solutions like Unraid/FreeNas/NAS free, or simply using a Linux box. Each solution has it's issues and you really need to define some expectations so you don't hit a issue that is insurmountable with a appliance like solution like a QNAP/Synology.
Keep in mind most solutions require drives of similar size and make for storage protection. I have only seen a few that allow you to use drives of varying size. Unraid is one of them.
Just could not resist, could I ...
