I Replaced My Synology NAS with a Custom-Built Proxmox Server
It was time to take back full control of my data. Years ago, I started using a Synology NAS primarily to store image files for work and media files for Plex. Although it was never meant as a home lab, over time it evolved into one. Eventually, it tried to manage too many tasks simultaneously and failed to keep up.
Building my own server has long been on my home lab roadmap, and now it’s finally the right moment. The NAS will return to its original purpose—archival storage—while the new server will handle the more demanding workloads.
While SilverStone, Asus, and Kingston provided hardware for this article, none influenced the content or saw the copy before publication.
The decision was somewhat inevitable, accelerated by certain company missteps but fundamentally driven by my growing requirements. My home lab needs outgrew the Synology NAS and mini PC capabilities.
- The mini PC is capped at 12GB of non-upgradeable RAM.
- The NAS chassis likely supports up to 64GB but cannot use a GPU to accelerate workloads.
- Additionally, the NAS had run out of available drive bays.
Ultimately, the growing demands pushed me to transition to a more capable and flexible setup.
Author's Summary
This decision reflects a necessary shift from limited NAS storage to a powerful custom server, enabling better performance and future home lab scalability.