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    Technical guide

    Running a NAS

    The software and setup side of network attached storage, once the box is chosen: which operating system, how the pool is laid out, how fast the network can go, and what tends to go wrong.

    A series on running a NAS, in nine parts. Part 1 compares the operating systems, from the ones that ship on Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, Asustor and TerraMaster boxes to the ones you install yourself. Part 2 covers how drives are pooled and protected. Part 3 covers pooling drives on a Windows PC with StableBit DrivePool and the tools like it. Part 4 is about SSDs in a NAS, as cache and as the pool itself. Part 5 tunes the network, Part 6 covers sharing and remote access, and Part 7 covers apps and backing up the NAS itself. Part 8 covers upkeep, and Part 9 lists the hardware and setup problems owners usually find after the build, with how to check for each one first.

    The series

    Read in order

    Each part stands on its own.

    Three views of NAS operating systems: software inside a maker's box, hardware and software picked apart, and a support bar that endsThree numbered panels. First, the box: a NAS case with four drive bays and a software layer drawn inside it. Second, the build: a hardware block with a separate software block above it and a gap between them. Third, the updates: a bar that is solid while updates last and dashed where support ends.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 1The software that runs a NASBOX · BUILD · UPDATES01 THE BOXSoftware inside02 THE BUILDYou pick both03 THE UPDATESSupport can end

    Part 1

    NAS Operating Systems Compared

    NAS operating systems compared, from Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, Asustor and TerraMaster boxes to TrueNAS, Unraid and OpenMediaVault, on cost, updates and hardware.

    Read Part 1
    Three ways a NAS protects its drives: vdevs in a ZFS pool, a parity drive beside data drives, and parity written at each syncThree numbered panels. First, the pool: one outline holding two vdevs, each with two disks. Second, the parity: three data drives of different heights beside one taller parity drive. Third, the sync: a bar for one mount point over three drives, with a dashed bar below for parity written at each sync.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 2How a NAS pools its drivesPOOL · PARITY · SYNC01 THE POOLVdevs in a pool02 THE PARITYParity beside data03 THE SYNCParity at each sync

    Part 2

    Pools and Filesystems on a NAS

    How a NAS pools and protects its drives with ZFS, Btrfs, Unraid parity or SnapRAID and mergerfs, and how each one grows, rebuilds, scrubs and keeps snapshots.

    Read Part 2
    Three ideas for pooling drives on Windows: a pool merges drives into one view, duplication keeps a file on two drives, and a backup is kept apartThree numbered panels. First, the pool: a box for one merged view joined to three drives. Second, the copy: a box for one file joined to two drives that each hold it. Third, the backup: two drives in a pool and a third, dashed drive for a separate backup kept apart, with no link to the pool.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 3Pooling drives on a Windows PCPOOL · COPY · BACKUP01 THE POOLOne merged view02 THE COPYTwo drives, one file03 THE BACKUPKept apart

    Part 3

    Drive Pooling on Windows

    Turning a Windows PC into a NAS with StableBit DrivePool, Scanner and CloudDrive, Storage Spaces and SnapRAID, and what pooling does and does not protect.

    Read Part 3
    An M.2 SSD above the three jobs it can have in a NAS: cache, tier and poolOne large M.2 SSD card seen from above, with gold edge fingers, a controller and two NAND packages. Below it are three numbered boxes for the three jobs an SSD can have in a NAS: a cache, which is a copy of the volume; a tier, which holds the data itself; and a pool, which is the storage.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 4SSDs as cache and as the poolCACHE · TIER · POOL01 CACHEA copy of the volume02 TIERThe data itself03 POOLThe storage

    Part 4

    SSDs in a NAS

    SSDs in a NAS as read and write cache, as ZFS special devices and as the whole pool, with what endurance, TRIM and power-loss protection mean for each job.

    Read Part 4
    Three ways to tune a NAS network: a faster link, more lanes for one client and larger framesThree numbered panels. First, the link: four horizontal bars that grow longer, for faster Ethernet. Second, the lanes: a PC joined to a NAS by two parallel links. Third, the frames: a row of six small frames above a row of two large frames across the same width.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 5Getting the network out of the wayLINK · LANES · FRAMES01 THE LINKFaster link02 THE LANESMore lanes03 THE FRAMESLarger frames

    Part 5

    Tuning the NAS Network

    What 1GbE, 2.5GbE, 10GbE and 25GbE deliver from a NAS, and when SMB Multichannel, jumbo frames, link aggregation and a better network card or switch help.

    Read Part 5
    Three parts of sharing a NAS: serving clients, reaching it from outside and locking it downThree numbered panels. First, share: a NAS box joined by links to three client boxes. Second, reach: a remote device and a NAS joined by a dashed tunnel with a node in the middle. Third, lock: a padlock.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 6Sharing a NAS and reaching it safelySHARE · REACH · LOCK01 SHAREFolders and disks02 REACHWithout opening it up03 LOCKAgainst ransomware

    Part 6

    Sharing and Remote Access

    Sharing a NAS over SMB, NFS and iSCSI, reaching it from outside the house, and locking it down against the ransomware campaigns that hit exposed NAS boxes.

    Read Part 6
    Apps and backing up a NAS: containers inside the box, a snapshot replicated to a second box, and a padlock on the protected copyThree numbered panels. First, the apps: a NAS body holding three stacked container bars. Second, the copy: a source box joined by a copper arrow to a copy box. Third, the lock: a padlock with a keyhole, for the copy nobody can delete.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 7Apps on the NAS and backups of itAPPS · COPIES · LOCKS01 THE APPSContainers on the NAS02 THE COPYCopied off the box03 THE LOCKNobody can delete it

    Part 7

    Apps and Backing Up the NAS

    Running apps and containers on a NAS, and backing the NAS itself up with snapshots, replication, vendor tools, rclone, restic, Borg and Kopia.

    Read Part 7
    Three parts of keeping a NAS healthy: a drive health check, a drive swap and a UPS joined to the NASThree numbered panels. First, the check: five stacked reading bars, one of them filled in mint to show a flagged value. Second, the rebuild: a row of four drives with the third drawn as a dashed outline for the replacement. Third, the power: a NAS box joined by a copper link to a dashed UPS box beneath it.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 8Alerts, scrubs, rebuilds and powerCHECK · REBUILD · POWER01 THE CHECKRead, test, scrub02 THE REBUILDSwap a drive03 THE POWERShut down in order

    Part 8

    Keeping a NAS Healthy

    Keeping a NAS healthy: SMART alerts, scrubs, replacing a drive and the rebuild window, UPS shutdown and updates.

    Read Part 8
    Three NAS problems found after the build: overlapping drive tracks, a stopped chip clock and a switched-off SATA portThree numbered panels. First, the drive: five magnetic tracks that overlap like shingles. Second, the chip: a processor with pins on each side and a dashed clock face for the clock that may stop. Third, the slot: an M.2 slot joined to a dashed SATA port that is switched off.GUIDE / RUNNING A NAS, PART 9What owners find after the buildDRIVE · CHIP · SLOT01 THE DRIVETracks overlap02 THE CHIPClock may stop03 THE SLOTPort switched off

    Part 9

    NAS Problems Found Too Late

    Hardware and setup problems NAS owners find after the build, from SMR drives and chip errata to dropping 2.5GbE ports and shared M.2 lanes, and how to check.

    Read Part 9

    All 9 parts

    1. Part 1NAS Operating Systems ComparedPublished
    2. Part 2Pools and Filesystems on a NASPublished
    3. Part 3Drive Pooling on WindowsPublished
    4. Part 4SSDs in a NASPublished
    5. Part 5Tuning the NAS NetworkPublished
    6. Part 6Sharing and Remote AccessPublished
    7. Part 7Apps and Backing Up the NASPublished
    8. Part 8Keeping a NAS HealthyPublished
    9. Part 9NAS Problems Found Too LatePublished

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