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 :)
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 debated the same with myself. I went with Synology and haven’t looked back. It just works without me having to think about it.
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.
https://www.u-nas.com/xcart/cart.php?target=product
I use a version of this. It’s a bit tricky to work in due to the tight quarters, and if you use a hot CPU then your CPU fan will be running high and loud, but for mid-low-range stuff it’s great.
Thanks a lot. I have looked around and haven’t found anything like this… Maybe my search words weren’t the right ones.
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.
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
