There are so many different systems on Amazon, figured I'd see what others here are using. Looking for some kind of setup where I can run all this Docker stuff I keep seeing. Looking for something small but expandable, something I can access from our laptops/chromebooks.
ie.
Thanks
Just throw Linux on something, it's so flexible.
QNAP.... I love mine
Yeah, FWIW, I'm with @dstutz -- Ive got a lowish spec i5 from a few sockets back, running Ubuntu Server, with Cockpit for management, and docker.
Low cost, easy to maintain, and flexible.
I also have a TruNAS server running side by side with it, also on a inexpensive i5 with an all flash array. Again, easy to maintain, and the array used to be a bunch of WD reds with ZFS. Ran for 5 years with almost no intervention/maint.
I like QNAPs and Synologies, i just don't find them compellingly cost beneficial for home use in the face of commodity priced pc hardware.
S
I love my linux server. I use kernel raid and LVM (which is exactly what Synology charges a lot of money to put a web GUI in front of, slap a cheapo low power CPU in and have some hot-swap bays). Once you know a handful of commands it's super easy to manage storage with LVM. I actually prefer kernel raid over hardware because no proprietary controller card is required. Everything is commodity hardware and if there's a problem I can pop in a live USB and boot and the kernel raid comes right up automatically, or take a drive out and hook it up to another computer.
Samba/CIFS for windows files shares? Check.
NFS? Check.
Web server? Choose whichever one you want
Docker? You bet.
Mail server? Of course
etc, etc...I think you get the point.
Another thing I love about kernel RAID and LVM (software partitions) is how it's future proof. I've had the same damn installation of Gentoo on my server for something like 20+ years now (gotta love rolling releases). I started off using kernel RAID with a 2 disk RAID mirror with a pair of 160GB IDE drives...one died and got a warranty replacement which was a 250GB drive...did I care? No, did kernel raid care? No. Used dd to copy the partition table from hda to hdb, added the partitions back to the mirror and it rebuilt. Got some fancy new SATA drives and an icy dock and created a 4 disk RAID 5 array (~2010) for storage. Eventually I added 2 more and while the system was online and running migrated the 4 disk RAID 5 array to a 6 disk RAID 6 array. Moving forward in time some more I replaced that 6 disk array with 2 cheap WD Black 1TB drives (~2016) and went back to a simple RAID 1 mirror due to costs coming down. RAID 1 with kernel raid is super safe, there's nothing special about it so you can access any disk in the array all by itself. Actually lost one of the drives early last year and replaced both WDs with the same model for the whopping cost of $49.99 each. Super easy to migrate all my data using pvmove. LVM just magically moves all the data from one backing store to another, again, you guessed it, while the system is up and running and it's all perfectly safe. Personally I make my LVs big enough but not huge and I keep a bunch of spare space in the VG handy and can expand the LVs as needed that way if a "partition" gets too full.
A handful of mdadm (kernel raid) and pv,vg,lv (LVM) commands and you too can be a storage wizard.
I also know there are some fancier file systems like ZFS and BTRFS that can do some RAID-ish type stuff all on their own. ZFS in particular can do some really cool stuff like using SSDs as an acceleration cache to a larger pool backed by slower disks.
Yes, the case is as old as it looks...it's from '97 I think?
For turnkey packages, Synology and QNAP are probably the leaders.
I'm a long-term Synology user and have always liked their stuff. They fully support Docker.
Completely agree with @danabw. I've been using Synology DS218+ for several years and with the newest system upgrades dock is even easier to manage including updating packages. A click and the package is updated.
I second @scottgu3's comments.
I have a Synology NAS which I use for all the home storage and backups but prefer to use inexpensive thin clients for HA, node red etc running on Proxmox. The benefits IMO are that:
Qnap.for.me i have 4 in 3 locations
Unless you're running an old DS115 like I am 
Well hello Grampa Synology NAS! 
It is nice how long they keep running w/out causing problems. I've only upgraded mine over time because I wanted to, never had an issue w/any of them failing or becoming troublemakers.
I was thinking about upgrading, but it got the DSM 7 update (last one for this model) and it has an E-SATA port which I have connected to an external drive for nightly Hyper Backup. Just works and so I was less motivated to spend money on a NAS.
Put my pennies into an new Apple TV for Thread support and I'm upgrading my old 2011 MacBook Pro with a 2014 Mac Mini for Homebridge, etc.
Somewhat similar to some of the responses here, you should checkout a used "micro" PC.
For example, I was able to procure a HP ProDesk 600 G4 for less than $100USD.
I currently have running on it:
OMV
Debian 12 (Echo Speaks)
Home Assistant
etc...
There are many other similar machines all available for less than $100 from eBay.
e.g.:
I want to set this up as well, but too busy to dive into it yet. Wife has my to-do list stacked to the ceiling. I'm putting you on my "pick his brain" list when I get to it in the future...
Agree. I'm using Mac on the front end and so it was just easier for me to keep a Mac on the backend. Screen share is built-in and Time Machine backup to my Synology NAS is as simple as just choosing the destination. With a more modern OS on the Mac Mini, I'll be able to remote in without the need for TeamViewer too. Got it off eBay for $150 CAD.
I have had my synology DS220+ for a couple years now and love it.
I've had my Synology DS916+ for almost 8 years now with zero problems. Just works, I constantly hammer it with torrents up and down, all of our digital life backed up daily from laptops/phones etc..
Surveillance station for all of my cameras is awesome and built in.
I have never used docker but may look into it, just not sure what I would do with it..
I have docker running on an old NUC I happened to have, under Debian 12. You can install it on pretty much any pc you have lying around. Mind you I don't find Linux fun to maintain, in many ways I'd rather go to a NAS like Synology with their more user friendly front end. I had a QNAP but it had outlived it's upgrade support life and was getting the network hammered by port searchers due to something it kept leaving open
Thanks everyone, lots to look over and digest
Yay Quantex ! they were in my home state and made amazing machines, sold at Costco. The case doubles as a stepladder.. for 2 people, strong as hell
Download the Hubitat app
