Your First Home Lab: A Complete NAS, Mini PC, Switch and UPS Build
Build your first home lab with a NAS, mini PC, 2.5GbE switch and UPS. Complete parts plan, example budget, backups, setup and recovery checklist.
Build your first home lab with a NAS, mini PC, 2.5GbE switch and UPS. Complete parts plan, example budget, backups, setup and recovery checklist.
Nextcloud on a NAS vs Microsoft 365 vs Google One: compare 2026 storage limits, UK subscription costs, backup requirements, power and five-year ownership.
Install Immich on a NAS with Docker Compose: choose safe storage paths, enable supported GPU acceleration, import photos and back up both originals and PostgreSQL.
Best 10GbE switches for NAS and home servers: compare fanless RJ45 and SFP+ models, 2.5GbE uplinks, management, power, noise and total cost.
Best Frigate hardware for 4, 8 or 16 IP cameras: compare Intel N100/N150, Core Ultra, OpenVINO and Hailo, with realistic storage, PoE and running-cost calculations.
APC vs CyberPower vs Eaton UPS for NAS and home servers: compare six 230V models, real watts, runtimes, USB/NUT compatibility and battery costs.
UPS VA vs watts explained for NAS, routers and home servers. Size both ratings, check runtime curves, measure load and configure safe shutdown.
NAS vs USB RAID enclosure: compare DAS and network storage for speed, cost, multi-user access, RAID, backups, USB4/Thunderbolt and server-hosted use.
Best NAS for 4K video editing over 10GbE: compare HDD and all-flash systems, ProRes bandwidth, NVMe tiers, dual 10GbE and complete network cost.
Best NAS for Immich and family photo backups: compare RAM, Intel Quick Sync, Docker, NVMe, storage sizing, backup tools and 3-2-1 protection.