I currently use an old (2013?) Intel NUC with a 12TB MyBook plugged in as a simple Plex server. I want to get a NAS. Right now at Amazon or B&H I can get a DS923+ w/ two 16TB HDDS for about $1000.
My main question is if I should try to go the DIY route. Am I going to possibly regret putting all my eggs in the Synology basket? I like the DS923+ because of it’s small form factor mainly. But I am sort of keen to use an open source OS like TrueNas.
My main uses are going to be Plex hosting, photo management for myself and wife and data backup. I am a bit of an enthusiast when it comes to electronics. I love messing around with things, trying new software, breaking stuff and fixing it. Are there any major restrictions I am going to experience with Synology? Thanks a bunch!
-edit- Thank you everyone for all the replies! Super helpful, Lemmy rocks :)
Nobody mentioned the high amount of security issues in Synology products over the years, plus the fact that their OS is closed-source so impossible to audit, plus the fact that they will straight up stop offering OS and security updates for legacy products after some time.
I do infrastructure stuff professionally and wanted to not manage that at home so just went for a Synology.
Just depends on how DIY you wanna go. I’ve had my Synology for years and it’s needed zero ongoing maintenance and has never had any problems so I’m pretty satisfied with it.
As I get older, the more I realize that minimalism and simplification tend to be a priority when it comes to tech things, because should something happen to me, there’s no damn way anyone in my family would be able to figure out how to continue keeping things running if I went all DIY.
So… I got a Synology NAS, which is easy to use and maintain. Photo backups, file backups, and our media collection are easy to access.
That’s the thing. A NAS *should *be pretty “set and forget”, and other than a few manual software updates, I just use the files and services it hosts without giving it a second thought.
Even the fact that I don’t have to mess around with third-party apps across multiple devices to get them to sync or backup to the NAS is pure gold, especially since my wife wouldn’t be able to figure out any app beyond “just click here and that’s it”. LOL
I went from rolling my own (proxmox then unraid) to synology 1019(2). I dont have the time to manage and tweak boxes anymore and the synos just work. 200 tb total and happy as a clam
Did Synology when setting mine up. Fairly simple to set up and manage. I did upgrade the memory using a 8GB samsung unit (the synology branded was like half the capacity and twice the price) to beef it up a bit. Been working great for my purposes
I have been using Synology NAS for a decade now, currently still running a DS918+.
What I want to tinker with I can do with docker, but often I don’t, because that’s my “cloud” for most everything and stability is priority one. So far, Synology delivered on that without fail. It’s an amazing product company.
In your usecase, it probably doesn’t matter. I usually suggest DIY with more disks and XigmaNAS for ZFS and RaidZ2 or RaidZ3 depending on disk size and number. The cost is usually in the disks, and I tend to prefer smaller disks and more for cheap replacements when they die, cheaper initial purchase, and getting more spindles so I can use cheaper “everything” and still get decent performance. I usually wouldn’t consider a 2 bay NAS myself, mostly because I’d just do what you’re already doing and plug in a large single external disk. In the past (15 years ago now though) the single disks lasted quite a long time, though I did buy internal disks and used my own enclosures. Recent Amazon reviews imply that is the best plan even today in that model because the prebuild MyBooks etc at 12TB or whatever are supposedly horrifically unreliable, but maybe you’ve had better luck.
OP, I too have been looking for a form factor like the off-the-shelf NAS units but the ability to run my own OS.
Terramaster has heard our prayers. Their F223 and F423 have the TOS on an USB drive, which you can remove and install your own OS on either another USB drive or on an NVME drive (or both NVME drives).
I went the lazy route with 1st a 215J with 2 2TB disks (mirrored for important data) and en external 3TB disk (backup/expendable data) and it got company from a 220j with 4TB disks internal and a 5TB external (same use as the 215j)
However, those are just for local data storage for me and my wife (picture), music library and a few static websites. Nothing fancy or demanding.
As I work in IT and mess about with more interesting environments, I wanted something simple at home. (next to my RPis that make up the rest of the server park, which we access via laptops) Main laptop here is a 14th gen i9 with 64 GB mem, so enough power to mess about when I’m behind it, but it’s off when I’m not.
I’d go for DIY with expensive/demanding requirements, pick an entry level when you just want to dump data and access it once in a while.
When I was evaluating a NAS, I ended up DIY because it was easier, less expensive, and had better specs than what Synology was offering. You can run TrueNAS.
I got a Synology years ago hoping to do this, but I didn’t do enough research and the model I got couldn’t quite decide and stream very well. I ended up just using it for backup and using my PC as a Plex server for a while. I eventually got an Nvidia Shield and just plugged in a large SSD to it and that works well.
I bought my DS218+ because it was the best of their price for me, I wasn’t thinking so hard about the O.S. because I never used one for that kind of tech.
Luckily it resulted to be awesome and really scratches my Linux itch (I have a MacBook Pro) it supports docker so it is pretty much my only “server”.
DSM is a nice frontend but I don’t know better to be honest.
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Im hosting a Xpenology server ony my old gaming rig.
Nobody mentioned the high amount of security issues in Synology products over the years, plus the fact that their OS is closed-source so impossible to audit, plus the fact that they will straight up stop offering OS and security updates for legacy products after some time.
So, for me, it is a no-go.
I do infrastructure stuff professionally and wanted to not manage that at home so just went for a Synology.
Just depends on how DIY you wanna go. I’ve had my Synology for years and it’s needed zero ongoing maintenance and has never had any problems so I’m pretty satisfied with it.
This is pretty much where I’m at.
The Synology gives a good balance of shit just works and the ability to tinker.
The built in software is rock solid and everything just works. Then with docker and vm support, you can tinker and self host to your hearts desire.
With that said, it does come at a price.
I claimed mine as a business expense and by this time next year it’ll have been reimbursed. Totally worth it.
As I get older, the more I realize that minimalism and simplification tend to be a priority when it comes to tech things, because should something happen to me, there’s no damn way anyone in my family would be able to figure out how to continue keeping things running if I went all DIY.
So… I got a Synology NAS, which is easy to use and maintain. Photo backups, file backups, and our media collection are easy to access.
Time vs money, right? In six months, I’ll forget about the NAS and all the tiny little things I never did / automate. It’ll come back to bite me.
With a purchased NAS, that’s… less likely? Or at least, I can yell at their support to help me.
That’s the thing. A NAS *should *be pretty “set and forget”, and other than a few manual software updates, I just use the files and services it hosts without giving it a second thought.
Even the fact that I don’t have to mess around with third-party apps across multiple devices to get them to sync or backup to the NAS is pure gold, especially since my wife wouldn’t be able to figure out any app beyond “just click here and that’s it”. LOL
I went from rolling my own (proxmox then unraid) to synology 1019(2). I dont have the time to manage and tweak boxes anymore and the synos just work. 200 tb total and happy as a clam
Did Synology when setting mine up. Fairly simple to set up and manage. I did upgrade the memory using a 8GB samsung unit (the synology branded was like half the capacity and twice the price) to beef it up a bit. Been working great for my purposes
I have been using Synology NAS for a decade now, currently still running a DS918+.
What I want to tinker with I can do with docker, but often I don’t, because that’s my “cloud” for most everything and stability is priority one. So far, Synology delivered on that without fail. It’s an amazing product company.
In your usecase, it probably doesn’t matter. I usually suggest DIY with more disks and XigmaNAS for ZFS and RaidZ2 or RaidZ3 depending on disk size and number. The cost is usually in the disks, and I tend to prefer smaller disks and more for cheap replacements when they die, cheaper initial purchase, and getting more spindles so I can use cheaper “everything” and still get decent performance. I usually wouldn’t consider a 2 bay NAS myself, mostly because I’d just do what you’re already doing and plug in a large single external disk. In the past (15 years ago now though) the single disks lasted quite a long time, though I did buy internal disks and used my own enclosures. Recent Amazon reviews imply that is the best plan even today in that model because the prebuild MyBooks etc at 12TB or whatever are supposedly horrifically unreliable, but maybe you’ve had better luck.
OP, I too have been looking for a form factor like the off-the-shelf NAS units but the ability to run my own OS.
Terramaster has heard our prayers. Their F223 and F423 have the TOS on an USB drive, which you can remove and install your own OS on either another USB drive or on an NVME drive (or both NVME drives).
I went the lazy route with 1st a 215J with 2 2TB disks (mirrored for important data) and en external 3TB disk (backup/expendable data) and it got company from a 220j with 4TB disks internal and a 5TB external (same use as the 215j)
However, those are just for local data storage for me and my wife (picture), music library and a few static websites. Nothing fancy or demanding.
As I work in IT and mess about with more interesting environments, I wanted something simple at home. (next to my RPis that make up the rest of the server park, which we access via laptops) Main laptop here is a 14th gen i9 with 64 GB mem, so enough power to mess about when I’m behind it, but it’s off when I’m not.
I’d go for DIY with expensive/demanding requirements, pick an entry level when you just want to dump data and access it once in a while.
When I was evaluating a NAS, I ended up DIY because it was easier, less expensive, and had better specs than what Synology was offering. You can run TrueNAS.
Is there a chassis you know of that has similar dimensions to the DS923? I know it’s a strange concern but size is an issue for me.
do birds fly? do ducks duck?
I got a Synology years ago hoping to do this, but I didn’t do enough research and the model I got couldn’t quite decide and stream very well. I ended up just using it for backup and using my PC as a Plex server for a while. I eventually got an Nvidia Shield and just plugged in a large SSD to it and that works well.
I love my Synology. It is my gateway to self hosting. Get one that can run Docker and you’ll scratch most of the itches.
I bought my DS218+ because it was the best of their price for me, I wasn’t thinking so hard about the O.S. because I never used one for that kind of tech.
Luckily it resulted to be awesome and really scratches my Linux itch (I have a MacBook Pro) it supports docker so it is pretty much my only “server”.
DSM is a nice frontend but I don’t know better to be honest.
I debated the same with myself. I went with Synology and haven’t looked back. It just works without me having to think about it.