I Built An 8 Drive Nas

# I Built An 8 Drive NAS: A Comprehensive Guide to Building a TrueNAS System

Welcome to this in-depth guide on building an 8-drive Network Attached Storage (NAS) system using TrueNAS, a powerful and versatile open-source software-defined storage platform. In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up your very own NAS server, providing a step-by-step installation guide, discussing configuration options, and offering valuable insights into usage and troubleshooting.

INTRODUCTION

The challenge at hand is to create an affordable yet capable 8-drive NAS system suitable for homelab or self-hosted environments. This project not only showcases the power of repurposing used hardware but also demonstrates the benefits of a well-engineered storage solution, including data protection, ease of access, and scalability.

By following this guide, you’ll learn how to:

• Choose suitable hardware components for your NAS system
• Install and configure TrueNAS software
• Optimize system settings for security, performance, and customization
• Operate the NAS, perform backups, and troubleshoot common issues

PREREQUISITES

To build an 8-drive NAS using TrueNAS, you’ll need the following components:

Hardware:

• Motherboard with a LGA775 socket and onboard PCIe slot for HBA card (e.g., ASUS P5E3 Deluxe/Gen3)
• Intel Core 2 Quad CPU (e.g., E8400 or E8600)
• 12GB DDR3 RAM (or more, depending on your use case)
• 8 x 3.5” hard drives (SSDs or HDDs) with compatible SATA interface
• High-bandwidth PCIe HBA card (e.g., LSI 9260-4i or Adaptec 5805 RAID Controller)
• Adequate power supply (minimum 350W)

Software:

• TrueNAS Core 12.0-U3.x (or higher, depending on release schedule)
• FreeBSD 12.3 x86_64 or later (included with TrueNAS Core installation)

Network:

• Stable internet connection for software updates and configuration adjustments
• A dedicated IP address within your home network
• Port 443 (HTTPS) open on your router for web interface access

User Permissions:

• Administrator or root level access to your system

INSTALLATION & SETUP

1. Install FreeBSD onto your system, following the FreeBSD installation guide.
2. Install TrueNAS Core from the FreeBSD Ports Collection using the command:

   pkg install -y truenas-core
   

3. Configure your system’s BIOS settings to enable booting from the installed FreeBSD disk and set the HBA card as the first boot device.
4. Boot your system using TrueNAS Core.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup process, which includes setting up a user account, network configuration, and storage pool creation (using all 8 drives).
6. Configure the NAS’s hostname, timezone, and other settings via the TrueNAS web interface at https://[your_nas_ip]:443/ui/.
7. Reboot your system to apply changes.

CONFIGURATION

1. In the TrueNAS web interface, create a new volume or volumes for your storage pool(s). Choose the file system type based on your desired use case (e.g., ZFS for data protection and performance, UFS for speed-optimized workloads).
2. Configure security settings by enabling SSH password authentication, setting up a strong root password, and configuring firewall rules as needed.
3. Optimize system performance using available caching options (e.g., L2ARC and ZIL SSDs) and tuning parameters such as the vfs.zfs.arc_max and vfs.zfs.cachesize.
4. Integrate your NAS with other services like NFS, SMB/CIFS, or FTP. Configure sharing permissions for individual users or groups.
5. Customize your system’s appearance by modifying the web interface theme and adding custom branding elements (if desired).

USAGE & OPERATIONS

1. Access your NAS shares via NFS, SMB/CIFS, FTP, or other supported protocols from client machines on your network.
2. Monitor the NAS’s health, performance, and usage statistics via the TrueNAS web interface or third-party monitoring tools.
3. Perform backups using built-in tools like snapshots or external backup solutions like BorgBackup or Duplicity.
4. Scale your storage capacity by adding additional drives to existing pools, if necessary.

TROUBLESHOOTING

1. Consult the TrueNAS Community Forums for help with common issues and questions.
2. Use diagnostic tools like dmesg or zpool status to identify potential hardware or software problems.
3. Configure logs for automatic rotation, compression, and backup to ensure you can easily analyze troubleshooting data.
4. Implement best practices for performance optimization, such as limiting the number of active snapshots and adjusting caching settings.
5. Follow security best practices by keeping your NAS’s software up-to-date, using strong passwords, and implementing firewall rules as needed.

CONCLUSION

By building an 8-drive NAS system with TrueNAS, you now have a powerful storage solution that provides data protection, scalability, and ease of access for your homelab or self-hosted environment. With this guide, you’ve learned how to install, configure, and operate your NAS effectively.

As you continue using your NAS, consider delving deeper into topics such as advanced performance tuning, setting up RAID configurations, or integrating backup solutions for data protection. For additional learning resources, visit the TrueNAS documentation. Happy networking!