Building your network-attached storage (NAS) device from scratch is an excellent way to tailor the system to your precise requirements. It's also enjoyable and provides a strong sense of accomplishment when everything is up and running. Still, there are some mistakes you should bear in mind to not repeat with your NAS build. From picking the wrong CPU to not using enough active cooling, I'll go through some beginner mistakes to show what to look out for.

1 Choosing the wrong CPU for the job

Choosing the CPU is one of the most vital parts of any NAS. Just like a PC, it will determine what you can do with the server, including running any services on top of simple file storage. Even the most affordable desktop-class chips are overkill for network-connected storage. A modern-day Intel Core i3 processor will have more cores than you need, but this opens up other possibilities with the NAS. Think web servers, media servers, game servers, home surveillance, and much more. You will need to make sure the processor you plan to buy has enough PCIe lanes for your storage.

It's generally better to go with a powerful chip that won't be fully utilized than one that will be struggling at near capacity.

2 Not installing enough active cooling

Just like any electronic device, your NAS will need cooling. Passive cooling can only handle so much heat and when using a CPU with a TDP of 30 or more, you'll want to consider some active cooling, especially if you plan on using multiple storage drives. It's always worth bearing in mind that just about everything inside your DIY NAS will produce heat, including components soldered to the motherboard. PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 SSDs are noteworthy for pumping out considerable heat under load so planning out cooling channels becomes important to ensure no thermal throttling is experienced.

When using a PC case with multiple fan motors, it's generally a good idea to populate them all and run them at lower speeds.

3 Not having enough SATA and NVMe connections

You're going to need a few storage connections. With consumer-grade equipment, you'll be playing with SATA ports and M.2 slots. The former is great for hooking up value 2.5-inch SSDs and the M.2 slots are reserved for faster NVMe drives. So long as your CPU has ample PCIe lanes to cover each NVMe slot, you can take advantage of rapid storage and caching. There's never a case of "too many" ports, so it's always good to overboard with the ability to expand your NAS further down the line. And remember: each PCI slot can be used for SATA expansion cards, adding yet more ports to your motherboard.

4 Not backing up your data

Once everything is up and running, you'll need to start making regular backups of everything stored on the NAS. Using a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) isn't considered backing up your data. Even the most resilient RAID configuration could fail, leaving you without access to data stored on the NAS. That's where a reliable backup strategy comes into play. Most NAS enclosures and operating systems will have some way of automating the process without much work. All you need is to follow the 3-2-1 backup rule to ensure you will always have a copy of your data ready to be used in rebuilding the storage array.