Can the zee s2 also do NAS?

[MichaelK]

I've been researching how to set up Network Attached Storage, and found that an easy DIY setup uses a Raspberry Pi.

I have a Zee S2, running HS3-pi. Would it be OK to have it also do my NAS?

My notion is that the Zee S2 runs Raspbian -- correct? I'm quite familiar with linux (it's my only OS).

My rationale: I have a small HA system (8 devices), and my NAS needs are minimal (use once every 2-3 weeks, NO streaming).

Has anyone done this?

[rmasonjr]

If I were you, I would get a separate RPi for running your NAS. There's no point in slowing down your automation controller with additional overhead.

[Pete]

Hear! Hear! Rob.

Just recently have been helping a Homeseer 3 forum user build a multiple function NAS / HS box.

I am impressed with it. It is the cat's meow!

Hardware:

1 - Intel iSeries i3 / 16Gb of RAM
2 - LSi Megaraid 8 port controller (two RAIDs configured with 8 drives) / Boot OS is drive #9.
3 - 8 full height drive bays
4 - OS Ubuntu 16.10 server
5 - Main OS currently running Homeseer 3 Pro, WeeWx - Davis Weather Station and software RAID (more to come)
6 - Oracle Virtual box running one instance of Windows 7 Pro 64 bit (doing iStuff and CCTV stuff)

I am one on this forum always mentioning to run HomeSeer autonomously on it's hardware / OS.

Here run a dedicated NAS4Free box with an LSi Megaraid controller and it has done well over the last few years.

It is one of two BSD boxes today....

[rmasonjr]

Wow Pete! That is pretty impressive!

Are you using a PicoPSU for the i3? I'm always interested in low power consumption machines.

[Pete]

I am guessing no for the i3. New i3's now are very low powered so it could work.

The one I mentioned above power supply is unknown as I have only played with it remotely (virtually) and just seen pictures of the front of it.

My HS3 Pro machine with an i3 is using a Pico PSU and doing fine now for a couple of years 24/7. I built two of these and one HS forum user is still using his just fine today. I did put his in a micro case with the pico PSU. I did need to purchase a low profile server style cooling fan for new HS3 Pro computers.

The tiny Xi5A (for Zee-lite) runs warm enough to fry an egg on it these days.

My NAS uses a low power server style 1U short PS with a fan on both sides. I purchased it a la carte as all I got for the original NAS was the case. It is very tight and the size of a mini ITX board on its side with 8 hot swap 3.5" slots. On mine the mITX board is the AMD equivalent to the Atom 525 except with 8/16 Gb of RAM. The LSi card sits above the motherboard on a PCIE expansion cable next to the boot SSD drive. What is nice is that the SATA cables are really thin.

I am still running 24/7 4 DIY older built PCs with the with the PicoPSUs and the new (well now old) HS3 Pro machine.

That using BSD motherboards (server style) with build in laptop style power supplies (for bricks) for other computers.

[MichaelK]

If I were you, I would get a separate RPi for running your NAS. There's no point in slowing down your automation controller with additional overhead.

Yes, I considered using another RPi for the NAS. But, I think that would be total overkill, because of how much I expect to use it -- and that I couldn't think of anything else to do with it. I researched this; there are a bunch of projects that use a RPI, but I don't really need any of them.

And, I don't expect to use any NAS software (just simple 'save to disk'), so it won't interfere with HomeSeer.

[rmasonjr]

Yes, I considered using another RPi for the NAS. But, I think that would be total overkill, because of how much I expect to use it -- and that I couldn't think of anything else to do with it. I researched this; there are a bunch of projects that use a RPI, but I don't really need any of them.

And, I don't expect to use any NAS software (just simple 'save to disk'), so it won't interfere with HomeSeer.

I've been reading about Pi-Hole quite a bit lately and am considering using one of my Pis for that. I lost count of the Pis I have on-hand right now