Mini server storage: direct DAS or separate NAS?
The planned first homelab uses a Lenovo Ideacentre Mini as the main server. The mini PC has 32GB of memory, an Intel i5-13420H chip, and a 1TB SSD, with Proxmox planned as the main server .
The storage plan leans toward a Terramaster D4-320 DAS with two 6TB WD Red HDDs. TrueNAS would run inside a VM on the mini PC, alongside services such as Immich for photo backup and for storing and playing movies.
The main question is whether a mini PC server should use a directly attached DAS or a separate NAS. The practical concern is whether people choose a NAS mainly to keep storage and compute separate, so one machine failing does not take down at once.
Key points
- The server would be a Lenovo Ideacentre Mini with 32GB of memory, an i5-13420H, and a 1TB SSD.
- Proxmox is planned as the main platform, with TrueNAS running inside a VM.
- The services would include Immich for photo backup and for movies.
- The storage option being considered is a Terramaster D4-320 DAS with two 6TB WD Red HDDs.
- The core decision is direct DAS storage versus a separate NAS for better separation.