Build a Minimal ZFS NAS Without Synology, QNAP, or TrueNAS

How to Build a Minimal ZFS NAS Without Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS (2024)

I show how to set up a lean ZFS NAS on Debian 12 using OpenZFS and Samba, skipping the bloat of TrueNAS, Synology, or QNAP. By creating a RAIDZ1 pool with NVMe drives and configuring simple datasets, you get a powerful, self-contained storage solution. The best part is that all configuration lives on the disks, so if your OS fails, you can simply move the drives to another machine and import your data instantly.

"ZFS filesystem is self contained. If your OS is nuked suddenly, simply take all disks to another machine or install a new OS, install zfs, run zfs import and get back your data."