I have been using a NAS running TrueNAS for a couple of weeks now. From the App GUI for setting up Docker containers, which I genuinely despise, to the removal of SMART tests in the new version, I don’t think this was a good call. So I’m thinking I might as well DIY it, although if you believe that may be a questionable idea, feel free to mention that!

Because of that, I am looking at Debian, as it seems to be the standard server OS, and I have used it a little before. I have light server administration experience, although not a lot, and no specific knowledge of how to optimize one to act as a NAS. I am, however, reasonably familiar with Linux in general.

  • How do I optimize Debian for NAS use?
  • What utilities should I install that provide system info, allow for network shares, and so on?
  • Are there things that TrueNAS did that I may be unaware of and should also set up for myself on Debian?
  • Do you have any tips and suggestions for what I should install in addition to that? Maybe some power optimization tools or useful dashboard software?
  • Can I just wipe the OS drive, put Debian on there, and then mount my pool once Debian is set up for ZFS, or does TrueNAS do anything special to the filesystem? If not, how should I migrate the existing data? (Mostly videos, pictures, documents, and a Home Assistant setup)
  • What are good resources to find help with Debian server administration?
  • Are there any issues with Nvidia? If so, how do I fix them? I have an old Nvidia GPU in the NAS for video encoding since my CPU doesn’t have an iGPU.
  • Are there common pitfalls in this for people with little experience like me?

I’d be glad to get some info on these topics to know if this is a reasonable idea or if I should just stick with what I have.

  • Synapse@lemmy.worldEnglish
    73·
    10 hours ago

    Hello, I have some experience using Debian in NAS, but none with TrueNAS.

    Before anything: BACKUP !

    If possible, make a full copy of your pool onto external drives, or another NAS or anything else. If it is not possible to get enough spare storage soace, then at least backup the things your really care about (personal photos, important projects, password database). Just make sure you have a valid backup in case things go terribly wrong ! I am sure everything will go well, but this will give you additional peace of mind.

    Setup Debian for NAS use

    There are a few things I can think of, many might be obvious, anyway:

    1. Install and configure network file sharing protocols: Samba (files sharing compatible with Windows, Linux, Android and others), NFS (more like network drive)
    2. Install: S.M.A.R.T monitoring tools
    3. Choose and configure filesystem. I have been using BTRFS, but since your pool is ZFS and you probably don’t want to format and start from nothing, I think you are already set on that one. I believe this is extra configuration as it doesn’t come by default on Debian.

    More advanced things:

    1. Setup SSH for remote connection with the terminal
    2. Install htop or btop for system monitoring in the terminal
    3. wireguard is a very nice VPN, it’s easy to configure on all platforms in order to access your NAS from outside your home

    Power optimization

    1. Enable C-stats in the BIOS (warning in case your CPU is a 1st gen Ryzen, do not activate)
    2. powertop is an utility to optimize power saving settings (I’ve not bothered with this until now)
    3. hdparm is an utility to manage and configure hard drives, you can use this to configure automatic spin-down after some time of inactivity, this is a bit tricky though.

    Dashboards, UI, frontends

    1. OpenMediaVault is the first one that comes to my mind. It’s actually a Linux distro based on Debian with a web interface that allows you to do all the NAS relevant confirmations from the Webbrowser. It can also be installed on top of an existing Debian install. I have used it a long time ago.
    2. CasaOS, similar in concept, I have not used it.
    3. Another simple option to get started, get a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Install Debian with full desktop environment and configure everything in person. You can always go headless at a later time

    Docker

    You definitely want to install docker to run most of your services. Please, also add your local user to the docker group to not have to run everything as root. Useful services I use:

    • Portainer: manage containers with a web interface
    • watchtower: Auto-Update other docker containers
    • Jellyfin: media Manager and player (similar to Plex)
    • *arr, transmission, sabnzbd: sail the high seas
    • gluetun: route containers traffic through a VPN
    • caddy: reverse proxy, to access your container with sub-domain name, example: jellyfin.mycoolnas.net
    • vaultwarden: redistribution of the Bitwarden password manager for self-loading with the premium features available.

    Graphics cards

    It’s been a long time I didn’t have to deal with NVidia. Debian comes by default with the nouveau open source driver, which works but may not give the best performance. I don’t know if it impacts transcoding performance. I suppose it doesn’t give your the NVENC codecs. Anyway, you can install the NVidia proprietary drivers and should be able to transcode.

    Conclusion

    Debian is a solid option for a NAS, it’s been serving me well for many years. It is set and forget. However. It takes time to setup and the terminal is going to be your main configuration tool unless you go for OMV or another distro specialty made for NAS.

    Your main source of information shall be the Debian Wiki. You will find step-by-step guides to install most of the things mentioned above. The Arch wiki is also a good resource, keep in mind that some files may have different locations and package different names across Linux distributions, but configuration should be similar.

    Best of luck my friend

    • CatLikeLemming@lemmy.blahaj.zoneOPEnglish
      2·
      5 hours ago

      Huh, sound pretty simple overall. I was mostly afraid I was missing some key features that would be painful to set up and were needed for a NAS, but apart from the filesystem and SMART tools, this isn’t much less setup than I had to do with TrueNAS. Thanks!

      • Synapse@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        9 hours ago

        Come on man… I spent so much time typing this from my phone, with formating and everything…

      • SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        41·
        8 hours ago

        Really, kneejerk somewhere else, some of us paid attention in school and actually format things properly while using decent grammar. Bonus if you’re an organized thinker. Definitely a touch grass moment, the internet is wearing on you.

        • GraveyardOrbit@lemmy.zipEnglish
          11·
          6 hours ago

          Calling me uneducated? Why such a hostile response :( we need to spread more love in this world

          • SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            11·
            5 hours ago

            I didn’t even imply that, so I will now call you anxious.

            I was defending people who write well and craft long detailed answers. Read it again.

              • SreudianFlip@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                1·
                55 minutes ago

                Again not reading what I wrote FFS! I did not call you uneducated but said you were kneejerking by intentionally missing the point, which looks suspicious, then said you are being anxious, because you were not reading the comment, and making it about you instead of the previous commenter. It’s not an insult.