Using New Mac Mini To Replace NAS

[frinsenmann]

I have a Drobo 5N2 for 3 years now. I always was very frustrated with low MB/s via network. So I wanted a NAS which could act as a DAS (Direct Attached Storage) via Thunderbolt at the same time... there are not that many options:

I tried QNAP TS-453bt3 (>1.000 USD)
I was so disappointed with the overall stability of the Tunderbolt3 connection and I do not like the management software at all.

So now I sold the Qnap + for the same price I bought the cheapest Mac Mini M1 + Qnap- TR-004 as a 4-bay RAID system that will be connected via USB 3.2 Gen 1.

So my setup will act as a custom NAS (Mac Mini + Qnap TR-004) over ethernet and has the option to use it as a DAS (directly connect the Qnap TR-004 to other devices).

And the price is lower than the Qnap TS-453bt3...

 

[frinsenmann]

Update: MacMini arrived today - will start the migration

 

[jeyf]

not my monkeys tho
you see posts here about users having issues the BigSur not recovering as expected after sleep.

 

[frinsenmann]

not my monkeys tho
you see posts here about users having issues the BigSur not recovering as expected after sleep.

yes - but this will be fixed hopefully by Apple within the next weeks ... hopefully

 

[BeatCrazy]

I started using my 2014 Mac mini as a NAS many years ago, mainly for Plex, Logitech Media Server, multi-Mac Time Machine Backups, etc.

It has performed very well! Way better than the older Netgear NAS I used to use. I won't go back to a dedicated NAS, just too many compromises.

I don't even have a keyboard/mouse/monitor connected to the 2014 mini, I just use the Apple Remote Desktop app from another Mac. Works out just fine for software updates, occasional reboots, etc. In other words, I use it exactly like a traditional NAS, with no downsides that I've experienced - and this is over several years' worth of use.

 

[jeyf]

way back when rock was dirt i did the same thing: had a macmini as a home server. As i recall it didnt end well and peeps are going that path still.

I bought a NAS box after that. I still use same for early morning backups, its like +10y old and super sloooow.
Nothing better for spinning rust.

 

[frinsenmann]

I started using my 2014 Mac mini as a NAS many years ago, mainly for Plex, Logitech Media Server, multi-Mac Time Machine Backups, etc.

It has performed very well! Way better than the older Netgear NAS I used to use. I won't go back to a dedicated NAS, just too many compromises.

I don't even have a keyboard/mouse/monitor connected to the 2014 mini, I just use the Apple Remote Desktop app from another Mac. Works out just fine for software updates, occasional reboots, etc. In other words, I use it exactly like a traditional NAS, with no downsides that I've experienced - and this is over several years' worth of use.

Same here - no keyboard/mouse - using Apple Remote Desktop + TeamViewer as Fallback

 

[Osamede]

I started using my 2014 Mac mini as a NAS many years ago, mainly for Plex, Logitech Media Server, multi-Mac Time Machine Backups, etc.

It has performed very well! Way better than the older Netgear NAS I used to use. I won't go back to a dedicated NAS, just too many compromises.

I don't even have a keyboard/mouse/monitor connected to the 2014 mini, I just use the Apple Remote Desktop app from another Mac. Works out just fine for software updates, occasional reboots, etc. In other words, I use it exactly like a traditional NAS, with no downsides that I've experienced - and this is over several years' worth of use.

Which macOS version are you on?

 

[BeatCrazy]

Which macOS version are you on?

11.1, I usually keep it updated with the latest public release.

 

[mdgm]

I started using my 2014 Mac mini as a NAS many years ago, mainly for Plex, Logitech Media Server, multi-Mac Time Machine Backups, etc.

It has performed very well! Way better than the older Netgear NAS I used to use. I won't go back to a dedicated NAS, just too many compromises.

You can run all of those on a NETGEAR NAS, but for Plex you need one with a powerful CPU to get the best experience and by the time you get one with that the cost adds up. The Mac Mini is a decent alternative. There are advantages and disadvantages to different approaches.

 

[understudyhero]

Yeah when you've just joined in this forum a few months ago lol, get ready for crazier comments

He's not wrong though. Runtime on a MacBook Air with nothing attached is great, but we are talking servers.
----
I currently have 4 QNAPs for various things (Plex, Radarr, Sonarr, NZBGet at about 100TB total storage) and an Intel Mac mini running Docker for some other things (Jellyfin and PiHole full time at the moment).

I also use 10gbe to interconnect them all since one of the NAS is my storage for my two Mac minis with 256gb system drives. I can sustain about 550 between everything read/write.
---
NAS - quiet, dedicated, run for months without complaining. QNAPs and other brands have a ton of things that can be installed, some of the faster ones run big boy processors and can take gpu etc. Anything above "entry level" is basically a PC at this point.

MAc - Probably more powerful, but more fluff running at a time. You tend to have to reboot more often. Mac minis can work but rely on usb thunderbolt or other external storage. No hardware raid capability at the moment as far as I know AND can't reliably run iscsi in Big Sur on an intel and can not run it at all on a M1 at the moment.

I mean I have been doing this forever, ask questions if you want.

(the reason I am running my Mac mini as a docker server is just to play around with it and it has 64gb. I find indexing on my QNAP for Plex and Jellyfin was causing some performance issues if I also had docker or VMs running. SO I am splitting the services between devices at the moment. My movie library is ~5000 files so indexing it takes forever the first time)

 

[BeatCrazy]

You can run all of those on a NETGEAR NAS, but for Plex you need one with a powerful CPU to get the best experience and by the time you get one with that the cost adds up. The Mac Mini is a decent alternative. There are advantages and disadvantages to different approaches.

Time Machine backups to a NAS always gave me trouble, especially when OS X would get a major update, and break support.

 

[seismick]

I've used a Mac mini as a network storage device in my home for 8 years, and I'm quite happy with how it's performed. This is after having used a Synology NAS. I run Plex, SecuritySpy, and occasionally use Transmission for BT. My other macs back up to the server with Time Machine.

My current setup is a base-config M1 Mac mini, with 2x Thunderbay 4 RAID enclosures (running soft raid beta), 3x 8TB USB 3.0 WD external HDDs. The RAID enclosures are set up with RAID5; one RAID backs up the other. These house all of my media files for Plex. I use one of the WD external drives (8TB) for SecuritySpy continuous/motion captures, and the other two are for network Time Machine backups of our other macs. The M1 never gets hot, and what I'm asking it to do barely taxes the CPU or RAM at all.

Here's the beauty of this setup. Yes, the initial investment for the enclosures and HDDs was substantial. However, the only thing I've upgraded over time is the Mac mini itself. I've gone from a 2012 2.3 i7, to a 2012 2.6 i7, to a 2018 3.0 i5, and now to the M1, selling the previous one to help offset the cost for the new one. Everything else stays the same - I guess the only other thing I needed to buy was a TB3 to TB2 adapter.

Overall, this setup has run flawlessly. The M1 in particular is very well suited to the task IMO.

 

[Yourt_be]

OK. @understudyhero @seismick So I have a QNAP 431P2. Performs (1Gb network) like more expensive models. I recently updated my hardware backbone... that means: multi gig managed switch and CAT 7 cabling. That should do it for quite some years to come. Up until now I was running a TB3 drive or external SSD's and that goes very fast (HP TB3 drive, Samsung T5, Sandisk extreme). But that's not on the network. So I got back to QNAP TB-NAS reviews and costs. NO GO! It's better to get a 10GbE NAS and get a TB3 to 10GbE adapter. Mhhh.... another cost. So my question concerning speed, reliability, uptime,...: do I need a NAS or a file server? Both have advantages. A fast NAS needs multiple drives and better hardware (and gets more pc like features and power usage). Running backups, IFTT, IP camera's,... is nice on the QNAP. But Plex? Too slow, and for a 4K transcoding NAS the cost skyrockets. So I have this standby spare Mac mini... and I think I might hold on to that QNAP for IP cams, pics, backup files,... but how to configure the Mac mini for file serving purposes. I have a Canon DSLR that shoots 40MB RAW files and 4K footage. What would be the best solution considering cost/speed/useability? Running the Mac mini with external disks or going for an external enclosure (hardware or software raid)? Could I connect to that enclosure like a DAS while keeping it available on the network over my Mac mini? I can place the mini close to my switch and main workstation (for photo and video editing).

 

[jeyf]

dump Time Machine:
Last year I re did my home network backup:

-I found out a lot of modern file formats are already compressed so wast of time to try and compressed them any further

-looked at varrious forums of "sparse disk image" , "sparse bundle" with & without compression and or encryption and the resulting bakcups from these approaches was actually a larger file size than just copy the file(s) over

-any type of bundled image puts another layer of complexity when it come time to recover a backukp file. No need to re invent the wheel.

-Both the Apple macOS Finder and the ios "Files" are error prone. Lets say you have a family photo album with 10,000 images well 10 or 20 files will have errors.

-Time Machine is not cross platform. An accountant situation here uses windows. A freind of family uses Linux. They have moved on.

i use ChronoSync
-it works very very well. Fast. Depencable. Easy setup.
-no special software neeed to retireve files from the ChronoSync backup
-during the backup it totally floods the LAN and uses all avaliable bandwidth getting done fast
-it starts up about midnight and does one or two groups of files. Generates a report.
-it tracks file revisions in an archive function.

i am project orentated. Project has a sandbox on the NAS. I working on taxes in the kitchen last night. Plan is to continue from the basement office just now. Typically i will mount the NAS box and pull the file set I need, say for the daughter's 2020 tax. I need her mortgage info as read only but not big effort as is there in a flash. Around midnight tonight the tax files will get backed up archived.
You can glom mulptiple ethernet ports together on the NAS box "Port Trunking?" but I have not implimented this. I did double up on its RAM tho. From a QNap box you run a Plex app, home security, etc. As you bloat out your privacy is no better than that of each app you run.

the Apple stuff is great for watching netFlix, surfing and a text to mother.
the kitchen iMac really looks faboulus with all the stainless steel kitchen appliances.
Apple has more resets, less up time and cost$ more money.


i dont represent apple, ChronoSync what ever.

 

[Yourt_be]

dump Time Machine:
Last year I re did my home network backup:

-I found out a lot of modern file formats are already compressed so wast of time to try and compressed them any further

-looked at varrious forums of "sparse disk image" , "sparse bundle" with & without compression and or encryption and the resulting bakcups from these approaches was actually a larger file size than just copy the file(s) over

-any type of bundled image puts another layer of complexity when it come time to recover a backukp file. No need to re invent the wheel.

-Both the Apple macOS Finder and the ios "Files" are error prone. Lets say you have a family photo album with 10,000 images well 10 or 20 files will have errors.

-Time Machine is not cross platform. An accountant situation here uses windows. A freind of family uses Linux. They have moved on.

i use ChronoSync
-it works very very well. Fast. Depencable. Easy setup.
-no special software neeed to retireve files from the ChronoSync backup
-during the backup it totally floods the LAN and uses all avaliable bandwidth getting done fast
-it starts up about midnight and does one or two groups of files. Generates a report.
-it tracks file revisions in an archive function.

i am project orentated. Project has a sandbox on the NAS. I working on taxes in the kitchen last night. Plan is to continue from the basement office just now. Typically i will mount the NAS box and pull the file set I need, say for the daughter's 2020 tax. I need her mortgage info as read only but not big effort as is there in a flash. Around midnight tonight the tax files will get backed up archived.
You can glom mulptiple ethernet ports together on the NAS box "Port Trunking?" but I have not implimented this. I did double up on its RAM tho. From a QNap box you run a Plex app, home security, etc. As you bloat out your privacy is no better than that of each app you run.

the Apple stuff is great for watching netFlix, surfing and a text to mother.
the kitchen iMac really looks faboulus with all the stainless steel kitchen appliances.
Apple has more resets, less up time and cost$ more money.


i dont represent apple, ChronoSync what ever.

I'm with you for a part... especially when I think of Lightroom and its '(è!i()àç&&^$^ database. I drop my photo and video files in folders by date, or by project (i.e. private, personal versus work related). Those files can still be used in databases but I keep control of the base data: a .CR2 file. PRoblem with starting to work and continuing afterwards: a lot of data to be processed. A single file from layered work in Photoshop can easily be 200-300 MB. So hopping those around the network in batches is cool at night but not when working (hence the file server / DAS options) while my daughter is streaming a 4K (Netflix) movie and my son is gaming online on his PS4 while watching Youtube. Those things (can) go in a separate VLAN... I know. That could also mean using the two QNAP LAN ports separate and not in a LAG (being a combined LAG to double speed or load balancing, not just a failsave). Concerning privacy: I keep IP cams, smart doorbell, guest wifi network,... separated from my personal data and the systems I use for banking and stuff.

 

[understudyhero]

So I am rethinking my strategy now since I have a "failing" QNAP (has a J1900 intel processor that will die due to an intel flaw).

I am *thinking* what I am going to do is this:
TVS-871 (i3 w/ 4gb + 10gbe/nmve add-on card) will continue to be my main storage. I am likely going to max out this machine with RAM, storage and possibly an i7 swap and keep it long term. My Plex library absolutely lives here because it's big and unwieldy. This backs up to it's elderly grandfather (my TS-870pro) I keep off site. That thing is a tank but EOL. I need to see what the max drive size is because it's full and I am 99% sure it's already running RAID 0.

If I get enough storage in the TVS-871, I think I will make it my all around file and backup server.
It's going to run Plex (At least for a little while longer more on this later), and will continue to run RADAR and SONAR, NZBGet and if I get more memory maybe some docker. It will also be the backup for my other NAS.

My TS-453BE3 will continue to be my main file server for day to day desktop use, where my documents live etc. It's about 30TB in RAID0. It will back up to the TVS-871. On my Macs, this is where anything that doesn't need to live on an AFPS filesystem (F YOU LOGIC AND PHOTOS) also lives. For example, my "downloads" folder is shared between all my desktops. It makes installing stuff across systems so much easier.

I will decommission my failing unit and repurpose the drives (TS-451) or use it as a third backup until it dies dies.

For Plex + Jellyfin... I have an M1 Mac mini and a maxed out i7 Mac mini I use interchangeably. I am toying with the idea of making the i7 a server since it has intel compatibility and 64gb of RAM.

Currently it's using Jellyfin and hosting PiHole both in Docker. This is more playing with Docker than anything else. The Jellyfin library is the Plex library currently living on the QNAP. I very very very rarely transcode anything so it works great without hardware acceleration for my use case. If I do need to transcode and Jellyfin is having slowness I just jump over to the plex server instead. I am doing Docker because Jellyfin REFUSED to install on only this specific Mac in my collection and there wasn't alot of troubleshooting info.

I am likely going to move all my stuff to docker on this Mac now that I am getting the hang of it (SONAR RADAR etc.)

I am debating on if I will install Plex or not, I am trying to migrate away even though I have a full lifetime license. The company is straying enough that I don't trust it to continue doing what I need it do (think the anydvd story if you have been in the self serve home video market for awhile)

 

[tubular]

I don't even have a keyboard/mouse/monitor connected to the 2014 mini, I just use the Apple Remote Desktop app from another Mac. Works out just fine for software updates, occasional reboots, etc. In other words, I use it exactly like a traditional NAS, with no downsides that I've experienced - and this is over several years' worth of use.

That's basically what I'm doing -- running an old mini headless, using Screen Sharing to get into it when I need to. It's my media server and my Time Machine, and it's been problem-free. Because I'm not using it for professional reasons, it doesn't have to be gold-plated and built from Space Titanium.

 

[dannytang]

So my setup will act as a custom NAS (Mac Mini + Qnap TR-004) over ethernet and has the option to use it as a DAS (directly connect the Qnap TR-004 to other devices).

I'm looking at getting a QNAP TR-004 for the same purpose, how's it working out for you?

 

[Omega Mac]

I've been using a 2014 Mini as a Media server since about 2013, it has close to 100% uptime. I reboot a couple times a year, generally for issues related to iTunes/Apple TV's. Have lost two media drives on external USB disks. They are automatically cloned nightly, so no data was lost and it only took a few minutes to get back up and running.

Just re-purposed my 2012 quad Mini as a fileserver in June. Has been up continuously since then.

I suppose it depends on your needs and expectations, but the Mini does what I need. However, it seems like an M1 Mini is over-kill for a file server, a 2014 Mini is more than adequate, or a base model refurb 2018 which you can get for $599 from Apple.

Hey what way have you set this u?

Somehitnfg like MM with external drives connected via usb/tb or do you have more complexity in the equation?

I have some spare 20212 and one old Pro 08. I need NAS like capacity and also backup, to consolidate lots of current and historical data that's probably all over a bunch of external drives acquired over time.

So in the not spending money mind-set, other than new HD's as required, current kit should be useable for a toal solution.

Appreciate further insight in advance thanks!

 

[Boyd01]

I am not doing anything special on either the 2014 Mini or 2012 Mini, it is all done with features that already exist in MacOS (Carbon Copy Cloner is the only third party software that I use). The 2014 Mini has MacOS Mojave and just runs iTunes 24/7 with home sharing enabled. I have also enabled screen sharing and file sharing in System Preferences. I have all my media on a 4tb USB SSD and it is cloned nightly to another USB hard disk with Carbon Copy.

The 2012 Mini is a fileserver running Catalina, it has four 5tb USB hard drives connected, two of them are clones and Carbon Copy runs nightly for that. It also has screen sharing file sharing enabled in System Preferences and I am using it as a Time Machine destination. It's easy, but not so obvious how to set that up - see this article.

How to set your Mac as a shared backup destination for Time Machine

Apple makes it easy if you know the right box to check.

www.macworld.com

 

[Omega Mac]

I am not doing anything special on either the 2014 Mini or 2012 Mini, it is all done with features that already exist in MacOS (Carbon Copy Cloner is the only third party software that I use). The 2014 Mini has MacOS Mojave and just runs iTunes 24/7 with home sharing enabled. I have also enabled screen sharing and file sharing in System Preferences. I have all my media on a 4tb USB SSD and it is cloned nightly to another USB hard disk with Carbon Copy.

The 2012 Mini is a fileserver running Catalina, it has four 5tb USB hard drives connected, two of them are clones and Carbon Copy runs nightly for that. It also has screen sharing file sharing enabled in System Preferences and I am using it as a Time Machine destination. It's easy, but not so obvious how to set that up - see this article.

How to set your Mac as a shared backup destination for Time Machine

Apple makes it easy if you know the right box to check.

www.macworld.com

Thanks. I use CCC too. Saved my ass a few times when facing drive failures in the past.

Is the 4TB SSD internal or ext here?

Also are the 4 x 5TB drives in an enclosure or standalone drives?

 

[Omega Mac]

Forgot to mention. I boot off a docked SSD drive in a single dock connected via USB, not unlike picture included, but now i see there are like this 2 and 4 bay docks, they're not too expensive.

I use something like this because I was able to take the primary OS drive away with me every night. So I always had an off location drive. Never had any issues.

 

[Boyd01]

Is the 4TB SSD internal or ext here?

Also are the 4 x 5TB drives in an enclosure or standalone drives?

It's a 4tb USB (external) SSD connected to the 2014 Mini with a USB-A cable. You could use whatever you like, don't know that my setup is especially relevant for you.

I already had the 4 individual 5tb USB hard drives so I used them instead of buying something new. They are in a stack and connected with individual USB-A cables to the 4 ports on the 2012 Mini. Again, use what works for you, there's nothing special about my setup.

 

[kuau]

I am also thinking about ditching myQNAP TVS-672XT I have a m1 Mac mini as my main desktop machine and a Intel XEON NUC, Basically QNAP and thunderbolt 3 does not work, it is so unstable and currently does not work on Windows 10 at all, this has been the case for a few years now with no fix. So for now I had to purchase 2 OWC TB3-10GBE boxes to connect to the QNAP and get good performance, I bought into QNAP because they advertise TB3 connectivity and this is basically a false claim. I am now thinking about picking up an Intel Mac Mini with 10GBe port, and purchasing a 4 port 10GBe switch. All I can say is buyer beware if you go with QNAP and there TB3 connec