Setting Up a TrueNAS Server

Acquiring and Preparing Hardware

I began my project by acquiring a Dell PowerEdge R320 server to serve as the foundation for my TrueNAS setup. I actually got a great deal on two of these with mixed hardware which had previously been used in a small business for simple file storage, so I don't think they would have been put under much stress in their time there. I know the model is ageing a bit now, but for what I need it for, with a few hardware upgrades, it's perfect for a homelabber like me.

RAID Card

The first challenge was configuring the RAID card for TrueNAS. The software uses ZFS for storage and does not play nicely with the hardware in these Dell servers. This means that if you go straight to set up, only one of the four drives would be available to use. Not very redundancy of me.

To do this, I needed to set up the RAID card in IT mode, which required flashing the PERC H310 Mini RAID Controller. After scouring the internet and reading many such cases as my own, I came across this handy tool on fohdeesha.com/docs/perc.html. I removed the battery on the card, flashed it and it worked perfectly.

Additionally, while I had the case open, I upgraded the DIMMs and fixed two faulty fans (unbearable noise) to ensure the server ran smoothly and reliably.

Configuring Storage

For the storage setup, I used ZFS and configured it to operate in RAID 5. This setup was chosen for its balance of performance and storage capacity, suitable for my needs. I chose RAID 5 in my 4 drive setup because one hard drive can fail at any time without data loss. If a drive fails, I can replace it and the array will rebuild the new drive. After the drive rebuilds, I can have any hard drive fail again without loss of data. If two hard drives fail at the same time though, I'm f****d. Hopefully, these SAS drives can hold up a few more years though. I would like to upgrade them in the future, but SAS is always going to be more expensive, and due to using RAID 5, I wouldn't see any benefit until the last drive with extra capacity has been added.

Setting Up File Sharing

Once the storage was configured, I set up Windows sharing (SMB) to enable file access across all workstations. This made it easy for everyone in the home and office to access and share files seamlessly, and means I have a central hub for all of my documents in case of a device failure, or if it is too cold outside to walk to the office in the garden to copy something to a stick.

Installing and Configuring Plex

Next, I installed Plex to manage our media library. With Plex set up, I began filling the server with media content I had collected over the years. This included home movies I had digitised from VHS and Hi-8 and phone backups. It also allowed me to burn all the DVDs and Blu-rays I had onto somewhere easy to access from anywhere in the world. To provide easy access to Plex in the living room, I configured a mini PC I had lying around to boot directly into the Plex app running on Linux. This setup allowed for straightforward media consumption for others in the household who were not adept at the navigation of Linux.

Conclusion

With the Dell PowerEdge R320 configured in IT mode, upgraded, and repaired, and TrueNAS set up with ZFS in RAID 5; Windows file sharing and Plex are now fully operational and very available and secure.

This configuration has significantly improved my life. With effortless file storage and media streaming capabilities, it makes a versatile solution for both professional and entertainment needs.