The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/s4lt3d_h4sh on 2025-06-10 13:08:15.
Hey hoarders,
I'm planning a small storage setup redesign and would love some input on pros/cons or gotchas I might be missing.
My current setup:
- NAS: Asustor AS3304T w/ 4x12TB HDDs using 2.5gbe
- Getting too loud for my office setup
- Occasionally freezes, requiring hard reboots
- Server: Lenovo M80q Tiny w/ i5-13500T + 96GB RAM, running Proxmox
- Soon to be replaced with a Mini-ITX 265K + 128GB RAM build, also on Proxmox
- Main use: VMs for various services, light containers, and now planning to consolidate storage too
The Plan:
I’m considering retiring the NAS and going with an OWC ThunderBay 4 (connected via USB-C or TB), which would be passed through to a VM (either TrueNAS Scale or OpenMediaVault).
My motivations:
- Simplify everything into one always-on server
- Reduce noise (NAS fans + HDD vibration = unbearable now)
- Fewer cables/connections (1 less Ethernet device, no separate IP, easier to backup/monitor)
- Potentially better performance, since Proxmox + PCI passthrough or USB passthrough has been decent for me in other use cases
Questions & Concerns:
- Reliability: Is passing through an entire DAS (e.g., OWC ThunderBay) to a VM stable for 24/7 storage duty?
- Performance: Any bottlenecks I should expect using USB-C / Thunderbolt DAS vs a native SATA controller?
- Drive management: Is SMART monitoring + spin-down supported properly in this setup?
- ZFS compatibility: I’d like to use ZFS or maybe mergerfs/snapraid. Any issues passing a USB/Thunderbolt DAS to a ZFS-based VM?
- Power safety: Any known risks with the OWC enclosures (sudden disconnection, standby quirks, power loss behavior)?
- OWC SoftRAID: Is it possible to use the OWC ThunderBay 4 without OWC's SoftRAID software, and just present the drives individually to the VM?
- Community opinion: Is this a downgrade from a NAS? Or just a different flavor of DIY homelab?
Would love to hear if anyone is running a similar setup and how it's held up over time. I value data integrity, silence, and ease of remote management.
Thanks in advance — happy hoarding 🧠💾