I would like to start and create my first file server at home. I’ve never done this before and I’m a beginner. I would like to know how to create one, how to maintain it for years to come, and what costs are entailed with a direct or indirect costs. Thanks everyone.
Edit
Added the below for clarity.
What I am looking for is a way to storing my personal files at home. I am not looking for internet connected device that I can access remotely.
It will be mainly used to store my personal photos and videos, and not used to stream movies to a device.
Should be accessible by devices such as android, windows, and iOS.
Thanks for replying.
What I am looking for is a way to storing my personal files at home. I am not looking for internet connected device that I can access remotely.
It will be mainly used to store my personal photos and videos, and not used to stream movies to a device.
Should be accessible by devices such as android, windows, and iOS.
Hope this helps.
Then you’re going to be limited to SMB generally because of windows. If you didn’t need Windows NFS is always the superior choice. But only the pro version of Windows has any NFS support.
Just getting started pretty much any hardware will do. One of the best most accessible ways of doing it is something like a cheap Raspberry Pi computer even two gigabytes of memory is enough to get started. You won’t necessarily need the bigger ones. But generally more tends to be better. Combined with some of the more purpose built OS images for things like open media vault or own cloud. It’s a pretty easy and low bar for entry.
After that it really just depends on your interest, needs, and comfort levels. You could just as easily go into eBay and buy a used $100 E-Waste business Tower. It will give you a bit more swap ability and upgradability where you can add things like 2.5 or 10 gigabit networking if you absolutely need faster. A better method of organizing and mounting storage physically. And a few other amenities. As well as some more options software wise. But if you are really new to this. And you really want to do something a bit more DIY that you control as opposed to something like a Synology Nas. It’s hard to go wrong starting with something like a Raspberry Pi.
Just make sure to keep up on your three two one. Three different copies of your data, on two different types of media, with at least one of them stored off site.