I Built an Overkill Home NAS/SAN

Casey Robinson
tech

Understanding Network Storage: NAS vs. SAN

I needed a network storage solution to store my data and support virtual machines. Since I frequently change my operating system—sometimes as often as once a month—I wanted a reliable way to manage storage without relying on internal drives or USB sticks, which are not ideal for long-term use. Additionally, purchasing large storage capacities for each machine is expensive and less secure.

There are two primary types of network storage solutions:

  1. NAS (Network Attached Storage)
  2. SAN (Storage Area Network)

When most people think of network storage, they typically imagine a NAS. Many YouTubers showcase NAS setups rather than SANs.

NAS

NAS is file-based storage that uses protocols such as SMB (Server Message Block) or NFS (Network File System). Most individuals and companies use SMB because it is universally compatible across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

SAN

SAN provides block-level storage for direct connections over a local network. It typically uses iSCSI over Ethernet or fiber. Unlike SMB, which allows multiple machines to access files simultaneously, SAN does not function in the same way.

My Requirements

My storage solution needed to be:

  • Fast
  • Energy-efficient

Because of these requirements, I decided to use SSDs. While SSDs are not ideal for bulk storage, they work well as supplemental storage for my Proxmox server, which hosts my media storage.

My Hardware Setup

  • Processor: Ryzen 5 3600 with stock cooler
  • RAM: 36GB Silicon Power Value Gaming
  • Storage: 4 x 2TB SSDs (TEAMGROUP)
  • Boot Disk: Crucial P3 Plus 500GB SSD
  • Motherboard: ASRock B450M PRO4
  • Storage Enclosure: ICY DOCK 6-Bay 2.5” SATA HDD/SSD
  • Case: RackChoice 2U Micro ATX Compact Rackmount (2 x 5.25” bays)

Both NAS and SAN devices connect to a central box running TrueNAS Scale. The OS runs ZFS, a high-level, redundant, and scalable file system that utilizes RAID for data striping across drives.

RAID Configuration

Here are some common RAID configurations:

  • RAID 0: Stripes data across all drives for speed, but failure of one drive results in total data loss (not recommended for critical storage).
  • RAID 1: Mirrors data across two drives for redundancy.
  • RAID 5: Uses one drive as parity; allows for one drive failure without data loss.
  • RAID 6: Similar to RAID 5 but can tolerate up to two drive failures.

I initially purchased five SSDs, but the fifth serves as a cold spare, ready to replace a failed drive. It is crucial to remember that RAID is not a backup solution—it is a redundancy system that minimizes downtime until a new drive is installed and rebuilt.

Common Misconceptions in Movies

Many movies depict characters taking hard drives and throwing them into a bag. In reality, this is not practical for two reasons:

  1. The platters inside HDDs can get scratched, potentially destroying the data.
  2. If the drives are part of a RAID array, they must remain in the same group and order to function properly.

Future Upgrades

I plan to:

  • Add a dual-port 10GbE NIC for faster network speeds.
  • Install another SSD bay.
  • Expand with 4 x 8TB HDDs for bulk storage.
  • Enable network booting for my PC.
  • Eventually move to LTO tape for archival storage (in the long term).

This NAS/SAN setup is a significant step towards improving my data management, virtualization, and network storage solutions. I made a video on it way before I wrote this post called all ssd nas is it worth it?

This article was updated on March 26, 2025