I Kicked My Synology NAS to the Curb and Replaced It with a Custom-Built Server Running Proxmox
Reclaiming Control of My Data
When I first started using a Synology NAS years ago, it was simply a storage device for work image files and media for Plex. It was never meant to serve as a home lab. However, over time, it evolved into one—until it tried to juggle too many tasks and failed at all of them.
The Transition to a Custom Server
Building my own server was always part of my plan for home lab experiments, and now is the right time. The NAS will return to its original purpose: archiving files. Meanwhile, the new server will handle the demanding workloads.
“The only thing slightly surprising to me is that it took so long to realize that my needs had changed and something had to be done about it.”
Why the Change?
Although the company’s missteps accelerated my decision, the need for change was clear for some time. My home lab demands have outgrown both my Synology NAS and mini PC resources.
- The mini PC is limited to 12GB of RAM, which cannot be upgraded.
- The NAS enclosure supports around 64GB of RAM but lacks GPU support for workload acceleration.
- Additionally, I have run out of drive bays on the NAS.
About This Article
Hardware for this article was provided by SilverStone, Asus, and Kingston. These companies did not preview the content nor influence it.
Author's Summary
Switching from a Synology NAS to a custom Proxmox server allowed reclaiming control over expanding home lab needs with improved hardware flexibility and performance.