NAS Planning: Exploring Storage Options

This document captures the thinking process and considerations for setting up a dedicated Network Attached Storage (NAS) solution for the homelab.

Current Status

PAUSED - NAS setup is on hold while focusing on:

Proxmox virtualization infrastructure
TSI-Telemetry project completion
Core networking services (Pi-hole, Tailscale)

The MacBook Pro Option

Hardware

Model: 2012 MacBook Pro
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 500GB SSD + potential for additional drives
OS: Ubuntu 20.04 (currently installed)
IP: 192.168.68.12 (reserved)

The Battery Question

A key consideration for 24/7 NAS operation is whether to keep the MacBook Pro running without its battery:

Pros of removing the battery:

Eliminates swollen battery risk (common in old MacBooks running 24/7)
Reduces heat generation
Allows running purely on AC power
Battery life is degraded anyway (2012 model)

Cons of removing the battery:

No UPS-like protection during brief power interruptions
Requires careful cable management to avoid accidental unplugs
Laptop may not boot without battery (needs testing)

Decision: Need to research whether the 2012 MacBook Pro can boot and run without a battery installed. Some models require a battery present to reach full CPU performance.

Alternative: External UPS

If removing the battery proves problematic, use an external UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to handle power interruptions while running the MacBook Pro on AC only.

Services to Run

When NAS setup resumes, planned services include:

Samba/NFS - Network file sharing for the homelab
Restic - Automated backup solution for other machines
Syncthing (optional) - File synchronization across devices
Storage monitoring - Disk health checks (SMART), capacity alerts

Capacity Planning

Current Needs

Proxmox VM backups: ~50GB (estimated)
Pi-hole backups: <1GB
Development projects: ~100GB
Personal files: ~200GB
Total: ~350GB (comfortable on 500GB SSD)

Future Expansion

Can add external USB 3.0 drives if more capacity needed
Consider RAID setup for redundancy (requires multiple drives)

Why Not Cloud Storage?

While cloud services (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.) are an option, running a local NAS provides:

Learning experience with Samba, NFS, backup tools
Full control over data and privacy
No monthly costs beyond electricity
Faster local network speeds (1Gbps vs internet upload speeds)
Homelab integration with other services

Next Steps (When Resumed)

Test MacBook Pro without battery - Can it boot? Any performance throttling?
Benchmark disk performance - Ensure SSD speeds are acceptable for NAS workloads
Decide on file sharing protocol - Samba (Windows/Mac compatible) vs NFS (Linux-optimized)
Set up automated backups - Restic to backup Proxmox VMs and configs
Configure monitoring - Integrate with Grafana/Prometheus for disk metrics