Setting up your own cloud

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HARDWARE DIY By Ben Myers I began a pilot project to see what a NAS (Network Attached Storage) computer could do to improve data backup and management
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joltar, glnz, fisher75, Rick Corbett, DLivesInTexas

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Ben Myers wrote:

It makes no sense to pay an annual rental for a Windows server license. There are several Linux distributions built for the specific purpose of hosting a NAS. Each of them, once installed, provides administration through the browser of a computer connected to one’s local area network.

I had a similar notion in September, 2015.  Through a fortuitous set of circumstances, I was using an Intel consumer motherboard (before they got out of the consumer motherboard business) which has motherboard-supported RAID capabilities, and a spare retail Windows 10 Pro license.  I chose to stick with Windows for my OS, since the RAID array was setup via the motherboard UEFI settings, and I’m more familiar with Windows.

To setup Intel motherboard-supported RAID with RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10 options (this is typically available from other motherboard manufacturers using Intel chipsets), one must use Ctrl + I on startup in order to get into the RAID configuration.  This is just a matter of selecting the preferred array type, and then selecting the drives to be used in the array.  I started with RAID 1, but ended up at RAID 10 with four 3TB drives, later upgraded to 4TB drives, using Intel RST for management, with all drives setup for hot swap.  I recently upgraded to Windows 11 Pro, and the NAS is still humming along quite nicely, even though my mostly recycled hardware is ten years old.  The RAID 10 array has 7.45TB total storage (which includes 186 movies and copies of all my data), with 2.02TB free.

To make my movie collection more widely available, I installed Plex Media Server in my NAS OS, and the Plex client on my other devices, including the Amazon Fire TV Sticks on my TV’s.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Maybe I’m wrong but, to me, ‘the cloud’ is a misnomer for someone elses internet-connected server(s).

This article makes no mention of making your own NAS connectable (and secured, of course) over the intertubes.

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Rick Corbett wrote:

Maybe I’m wrong but, to me, ‘the cloud’ is a misnomer for someone elses internet-connected server(s).

The title of the article is “Setting up your own cloud”.

Rick Corbett wrote:

This article makes no mention of making your own NAS connectable (and secured, of course) over the intertubes.

My reading of it suggests that such was not the intent of the article.  I know that when I setup my own NAS, I had no intention of taking it online outside my private network.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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bbearren wrote:

The title of the article is “Setting up your own cloud”.

A Google for ‘what is ‘the cloud’ suggests the title of this article would more accurately be described as ‘Setting up your own locally-connected NAS’ as there is no mention whatsoever of making such a device internet-accessible… unless that’s for ‘part two’.

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Ben,+

A couple of thoughts.

• I’m typing on a DellXPS8920 and it’s big box! Possible space issue.
• I realize you’re using surplus hardware, recycle great, but how about energy usage vs a NAS box like Synology (my solution BTW) for lower energy usage?
• Also purpose built NAS boxes come with software and utilities that are much easier to use than learning Linux as bbearren pointed out.

I may just have to get out my Kilowatt meter, if I can find it, and test my Synology box to see what it uses, especially at idle, is it possible you could test your setup so we can compare?

BTW: Synology working flawlessly since Jan. 2021.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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Kirsty

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I have a Kill-a-Watt meter to determine steady-state power consumption of the XPS 8920 when fully operational.  Stay tuned.  The 8920 is today’s idea of a “small tower.”  It would take up more space than a dedicated Synology box, a well-designed piece of gear.

I see no risk whatsoever in using surplus equipment.  The 8920 was definitely used very little before I go it.  All the hardware needs to pass diagnostics before being pressed into service.

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RetiredGeek wrote:

I may just have to get out my Kilowatt meter, if I can find it, and test my Synology box to see what it uses, especially at idle

RG, my NAS is powered through a UPS, and the UPS tells me that my NAS uses 49 watts at idle.  Four drives spinning at 5900RPM, three fans fanning, everything else at idle.

Streaming movies to two TV’s it uses 54 watts.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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Kirsty

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49W at idle is a lot of power. I’d hope for a few watts if it’s not being used.

cheers, Paul

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Paul T wrote:

49W at idle is a lot of power.

~$39/year at my electricity rates.

Paul T wrote:

I’d hope for a few watts if it’s not being used.

It is, after all, a NAS.  Taking advantage of its RAID 10 redundancy, there are a number of daily Scheduled Tasks for which it is a target, as well as a number of daily Scheduled Tasks initiated within its own OS.  It gets plenty of use.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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joltar

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Lucky you! It’s about 4 x that here.

cheers, Paul

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I suspect that the power consumption of the Dell XPS8920 will be less with only two drives, an SSD and sufficient cooling by a single fan.

I have not checked yet whether TrueNAS allows drives to go on standby and to stop spinning after an idle period, like a Windows Pro system.  This saves power at the expense of a time delay of a few seconds when one needs to access data on the not-spinning drive.  The D: drive on my system, used mostly to store information, is set up this way.  Here is how it is done in Windows:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/21454-turn-off-hard-disk-after-idle-windows-10-a.html

 

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joltar

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Great article – thanks!

For these purposes, how does this Dell XPS 8920 (which apparently is young enough to already have capacity for an NVMe) compare to a Dell Optiplex 7010 Mini-Tower (not normally ready for NVMe) or (maybe) a Dell Optiplex 7060 smaller box?  Could I set this up on those maybe-older PCs if it’s in the same room as my wife’s other small-business devices?  I ask because my day-job company might have some surplus PCs like that.

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joltar, Ben Myers

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The Optiplex 7010 mini-tower, IIRC, has room for 2 drives and no more, unless you want to repurpose the optical drive bay. Its BIOS does not recognize an NVMe mounted on a PCI-Express card, unlike newer Dell systems (several Precision T5810’s) which I have outfitted thusly.  I have a spare 7010 here and I considered it, but not for long.

I am looking at the inside of a Dell Optiplex 7050 SFF, to be used by another project.  It is like most of the Optiplex SFF systems with limited drive capacity, usually one.

The newer Optiplex mini-towers either have an NVMe mounting on the motherboard, or their BIOS recognizes an NVMe on a PCI-e card as a drive.  I do not have enough Optiplexes here to determine when, with which models and which generation, Dell BIOSes began to recognize an NVMe on a PCI-e card, something you will not find in a Dell service manual.

The criterion for storage needed for TrueNAS is simple: three drives, one SSD for booting (can also be 2.5″ form factor) and two for mirrored storage.

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