DIY: Home UBUNTU NAS Server

In yet another post, dansku has attempted to relive the past of technology. From connecting computer to the old 32′ TV in order to watch things from the internet to the era of eMule, which was ruling the p2p community or to the introduction of HTPC (Home Theater PC), a dedicated computer that gets connected to the TV, with good Motherboard/VGA/Soundboard and with gaming aptitudes.

The inventions never stopped and so the demand for technology. In this tutorial, Daniel has used a 2TB Lacie Network Space 2, which is a simple NAS Server, and a WD plus Live. The WD PLUS LIVE is a small computer with an operating system to playback videos and music with no storage facility. An additional external hard drive is required to plug in it or you can connect it to the network that gives access to shared files over the network.

Daniel has stored files at the Network Space 2, which is connected to the router. With the impressive image quality, it plays heavy files without any obstruction all over the network, and it worked flawlessly. After experiencing some problem with the file system, he decided to build a real NAS Server, running UBUNTU and using that Network Space’s hard drive and another 1TB driving that was laying around.

DIY- Home UBUNTU NAS Server Setup (Image Courtesy: danielandrade.net)

The hardware used for this project includes a fanless MiniITX motherboard Intel D510MO with Atom processor, Gigabit Ethernet, a 2 GB 800 MHz Kingston RAM memory, and both two SATA connectors. The MOBO has up to seven 2.0 USB and one mini PCI Express, if more SATA drives are needed in the future. You can opt for a regular power supply or a tiny power supply like the picoPSU.

Image Showing the Home UBUNTU NAS Server (Image Courtesy: danielandrade.net)

Next step is to build the case as shown in the images above. The MOBO doesn’t contain a fan and hence it is advisable to build an acrylic case and leave the sides open for air circulation. As far as software is concerned, Linux is the best option available for any kind of server, and the author’s distro of choice is UBUNTU, which is quick to install and easy to configure for smooth running.