Running apps and services on top of your local hardware is a great way to retain complete control and privacy over your data. Plus, it can also help you save some extra bucks that you’d otherwise spend on not-so-cheap third-party solutions. With most modern NAS setups packing solid specifications under the hood, it’s possible to host a myriad of services without purchasing complex server PCs.

On the flip side, there are a handful of applications that result in certain issues when you attempt to self-host them, and here are three services that I refuse to host on my precious NAS.

3 Complex LLMs and image-generation tools

NAS devices lack the firepower to run behemoth AI models

If you’re a fan of hosting AI models on your hardware, you may already be aware that LLMs with high parameters can hog a lot of memory and processing resources. Sure, smaller language models can work on modest NAS devices. But once you attempt to host anything past 13B, the generative AI model will start crawling at a snail’s pace on mainstream NAS devices. That’s before you include the sheer GPU horsepower required by image generators to produce quality images at decent resolutions.

With most pre-built NAS enclosures lacking spare slots for PCIe cards, it’s impossible to interface a GPU with your storage server. Plus, NAS devices are designed to be as power-efficient as possible, meaning it’s better to configure a dedicated PC or a server PC into an AI-hosting machine instead of your NAS.

2 Honeypot tools

Attempting to hack a hacker can result in major security issues on your end

While it’s not something many users attempt to run on their NAS, I’d never host a honeypot tool on any network that’s connected to my storage server. For the uninitiated, configuring honeypot tools inside virtual machines allows you to ensnare hackers into targeting said decoy instance. This way, you can gain more intel on the malicious actors attempting to breach your home network’s defenses… or so you’d like to believe.

Dangling a honeypot as bait can result in multiple bots and hackers trying to break into your system, and unless you’re a cybersecurity maestro, it’s very easy for this trap to blow up in your face. While you can harden the security measures using virtualization and firewalls, it’s still possible for a skilled technocrat to escape the VM and pivot into your home network.

1 Email server

Too much trouble for minor rewards

When you’re new to self-hosting, you might attempt to run your very own email server to break free from the confines of Gmail, Protonmail, and other third-party clients. If you’re a challenge-seeker, you might even find yourself having fun while configuring the DNS records, authentication settings, reverse DNS entries, and security options for your mail server.

For fast learners and networking experts, building a barebones email server might not even take too much effort.

However, maintaining this server and ensuring your emails reach your senders without getting routed into their spam folders is an entirely different type of uphill battle. For those who're in it for the learning experience, an email server is undeniably one of the best projects you can host on your NAS. That said, deploying a fully-operational email server and using it to replace the tried-and-tested email clients is something I’d never subject myself or my sanity to.

So, which apps should you run on a NAS?

Quite a lot, actually. By setting up Emby/Jellyfin/Plex, you can turn your boring old NAS into a media streaming server. For those into gaming, you can use Pterodactyl to establish private lobbies and servers for your favorite multiplayer titles. If you’re anxious about the security of your devices, a pfSense/OPNsense instance can help you configure hardened firewall rules for your home network. That’s before you include password managers, dashboards, ad-blockers, personal clouds, and hundreds of other services that pair well with most NAS setups.