Why Run Two NAS Systems?
“Data Gravity” is a real problem in homelabs. Moving computation to the data is easier than moving data to the computation.
I run two primary storage arrays — a Synology and an Unraid box. Different tools for different jobs.
NAS 1: Synology DS920+
Hardware: Synology DS920+ Storage: 4x 12TB IronWolf (SHR/RAID 5) Role: The Reliable Core
Synology is the boring, reliable accountant of the homelab. It just works. I use it for:
- Critical Backups: Time Machine, VM snapshots from Proxmox
- Photo Archive: Synology Photos (it’s surprisingly good)
- NFS Exports: Serves binary packages for my Gentoo build cluster
The DSM interface means anyone in the family can use it. No terminal required.
NAS 2: Unraid Server
Hardware: Custom build (i5-12400, 32GB RAM) Storage: Unraid Array (3x 18TB Exos) + 1TB NVMe cache Role: The Heavy Lifter
Unraid is the chaotic creative. It allows mixing drive sizes, adding drives one by one, and running Docker containers with real horsepower. I use it for:
- Media Storage: Plex media library (54TB capacity)
- Docker Host: Runs build containers, arr stack, misc services
- Archive: Long-term storage of ISOs, backups, “Linux ISOs”
Unraid’s flexibility is its strength. Need another 18TB? Just plug it in.
Syncing Between NAS Systems
Having two NAS boxes is great until you need files from one on the other. Or until you realize your “backup” is just a copy on the same shelf.
I use Rclone to sync between systems.
Encrypted Cloud Backup
Google Drive Enterprise as off-site backup. But I trust no one with raw data.
[gdrive]
type = drive
scope = drive
[cloud_crypt]
type = crypt
remote = gdrive:backups/homelab
password = ********
Every filename, directory, and byte of data is encrypted before it leaves my network. To Google, it looks like random noise.
Cross-NAS Sync
A nightly cron job orchestrates the sync:
#!/bin/bash
# Sync critical docs from Synology to Unraid (redundancy)
rclone sync synology:/docs unraid:/mnt/user/docs_mirror
# Sync everything to cloud (disaster recovery)
rclone sync synology:/docs cloud_crypt:/docs --fast-list --transfers 16
Three copies: Synology (primary), Unraid (local mirror), Cloud (off-site, encrypted).
Why Not Just Pick One?
People always ask why I don’t consolidate.
Synology is my “Recovery Key”. If I get hit by a bus, my family can use the Synology apps. The interface is intuitive. They can find the photo backups, restore files, and keep things running.
Unraid is my “Playground”. I can throw random hard drives in it, spin up VMs, pass through GPUs for transcoding, and break things without risking the family photo album.
The Comparison
| Feature | Synology | Unraid |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Polished GUI | Functional web UI |
| RAID | SHR (proprietary) | Parity-based, mix drive sizes |
| Docker | Yes (limited) | Yes (excellent) |
| VMs | Yes (basic) | Yes (full KVM) |
| Expandability | Add matching drives | Add any drive anytime |
| Family-friendly | Very | Not really |
| Power consumption | ~30W | ~80W |
| Use case | Backups, photos, NFS | Media, VMs, experiments |
The Architecture
┌─────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Synology │ │ Unraid │
│ DS920+ │ │ Custom │
│ (48TB raw) │ │ (54TB raw) │
└────────┬────────┘ └────────┬────────┘
│ │
└───────────┬───────────┘
│
┌──────▼──────┐
│ Rclone │
│ (Sync) │
└──────┬──────┘
│
┌──────▼──────┐
│ Google Drive │
│ (Encrypted) │
└──────────────┘
Together, linked by Rclone and my mesh network, they form a resilient storage fabric that survives drive failures, network outages, and even accidental rm -rf.
Different tools for different jobs. Synology for reliability, Unraid for flexibility, Rclone to tie them together.