Started my first home server about 3 weeks ago and I really need to reconsider my storage options, but everything I read about NAS setups is going right over my head. This is gonna be a novel partially because writing this down helps me think through it, and I also just want to be sure I’m on the right track.

Here’s my current setup and what I’m looking to do:

• My server itself is a little HP mini PC. i7, 2 TB SSD, solid little machine so far. Running Proxmox with a single debian VM which houses all my docker containers - I know I’m not using proxmox to its full advantage, but whatever it works for me. I mostly just use it for its backup system.

• Currently using an 8 TB powered usb external, primarily for media and backup files. Everything else fits directly on the server’s internal SSD with plenty of space available, but being able to expand or migrate nextcloud and immich down the road would be nice

• Coincidentally, I’ve been using a similar 8 TB external for my desktop for the past 3-4 years. Right now it’s just for desktop backups (cachyOS) and storing about 500GB worth of ROMs and growing. I used to use this to expand my steam library, but over the years internal storage has gotten much cheaper so I really don’t need to do that any more.

• I’ve been reading about external drive shucking, since apparently that’s a thing? Seems like my best bet here would be to crack both of these external drives open and slap them into a NAS. 16TB would be plenty for my use.

• Hardware: while I like the form factor of Synology/Terramaster/etc, seems like the better choice would be to just slap together my own mini-ITX build and throw TrueNAS on it. Easy enough, but what sort of specs should I look for? Since I already have 2 drives to slap in, I’d be looking to spend no more than $200. Alternatively, if I did want the convenience and form factor of a “traditional” NAS, is that reasonable within the budget? From what I’ve seen it’s mostly older models in that price range.

• I assume I can essentially just mount the NAS like an external drive on both the server and my desktop, is that how it works? For example, Jellyfin on my server is pointed to /mnt/external, could I just mount a NAS to that same directory instead of the USB drive and not have to change a thing on the configuration side?

• Will adding a NAS into the mix introduce any buffering/latency issues with Jellyfin and Navidrome?

• What about emulation? I’m going to set up RomM pretty soon along with the web interface for older games, easy enough. But is streaming roms over a NAS even an option I should consider for anything past the Gamecube era?