4 reasons you should save money and repurpose old hard drives into a NAS

When looking at ways to either populate a network-attached storage (NAS) system or build one from scratch, you’ll need to consider storage drives. Hard drives are more affordable and come in various capacities, but nothing beats an SSD for speed. Still, you could save considerably by repurposing old hard drives, even from desktop PCs, to create a NAS that can handle device backups, media cataloging, and more. Though I recommend buying NAS-specific hardware for the task, re-using old hardware is a great way to save money and the environment.

It’s better for the environment

We have a serious problem with waste on a global scale and it doesn’t look like it will change anytime soon as we consume more each year. Although parts of your electronics will be recycled if entered into the correct local channels, you’ll still be better placed to help the planet by using everything you own until it’s either near the end of life or you absolutely require an upgrade. Think of using an old hard drive like your mobile phone. Do you require a new model simply because it has slightly larger storage and perhaps a 10 MB/s increased transfer rate? Probably not.

Desktop-class drives aren’t designed for NAS or server usage, but that doesn’t mean you can’t (or shouldn’t) use them. I wouldn’t recommend them for storing backups and sensitive data with simultaneous connections and a few services, but for stashing files and using the NAS as yet another location for backups to be stored with copies elsewhere? Absolutely. So long as you keep on top of S.M.A.R.T. reports and take care of the system (and don’t throw 36 desktop drives into a single server), you shouldn’t encounter any issues.

You can save a lot of money

The cost of a new NAS drive will set you back at least $60. That’s for a 1 TB hard drive from a reputable brand, such as Seagate or Western Digital. An SSD will cost you even more (and for lower capacities) but repurposing an old drive from another system is completely free. Not only will this save you money compared to a new drive, but it also eliminates any concerns when shopping around for refurbished units since you know how the drive was used and (hopefully) took steps to lengthen its lifespan. An important metric for NAS and server drive shopping is the price per GB.

That $60 for a 1 TB drive will equate to around $0.02 per GB. So you’ll pay $0.06 per GB of capacity, which makes for an easier comparison against cloud storage subscriptions. Ideally, you’ll want this cost to be as low as possible. It’s $0 per GB for a used drive from another system you own. Building a NAS or home lab hardware can be costly, so any steps available to bring this overall cost down should be taken. Just remember to back everything up from old drives before repurposing them!

Store everything in one place

If you’re unfamiliar with the benefits of using a NAS for storing data, it’s a fantastic way to securely store all your files, be it movies, music, documents, photos, and more. Are you tired of relying on external media to transfer and store files? We’ve all been there, which is what makes the switch to network-based storage such an upgrade. Cloud storage is convenient and has a lower upfront cost than setting up a NAS, but the local storage will pay for itself after a couple of years and you can create a custom cloud platform, fully secured with certificates, reverse proxies, and VPNs.

Create a home lab

The NAS has evolved over recent years and is now much more than centralized storage. By repurposing old hard drives into a NAS, you can launch a media streaming service, create a home surveillance system, and self-host as much as possible. We’ve done guides on everything from hosting a local Bitwarden vault for storing passwords, creating a Google Photos replacement, and even blocking advertisements using Pi-hole. When it comes to creating a home lab with advanced networking equipment and a custom firewall, you’re only limited by your imagination.

Use an old PC as your NAS

As well as stripping a desktop system of its storage, you could repurpose the entire build if you don’t already have a destination for the extracted drives. Turnkey NAS enclosures from brands such as Asustor and TerraMaster range between $100 and a couple of thousand, depending on the specifications, number of drive bays, and expansion support. A desktop PC no longer in use makes for a great NAS system, especially if the chassis supports multiple hard drives and the motherboard has a few SATA ports to spare. Using your own hardware to build a NAS from scratch is a great learning process.

Source Info: https://www.xda-developers.com/reasons-you-should-repurpose-old-hard-drives-into-a-nas/