When I first started using my NAS, it was for the traditional use case — storage that I could access on my home network. However, with multiple drives on my desktop PC, as well as cloud backups of important files, the NAS ended up feeling mostly redundant.

That's until I started using Docker on my NAS, which allowed me to deploy a variety of self-hosted services in containers. As a result, I use my NAS the most for these Docker containers, rather than its ability to host backups of files.

When using my NAS for storage, it was neglected

My existing drives and cloud storage worked well already

I got my NAS as part of work I was completing for a site I wrote for, rather than actively seeking it out. Before that, I had created manual backups of my desktop PC on the additional drives I have. But I also had my most important files backed up to the cloud.

For a while after getting the NAS, I used Synology's apps and built-in tools to back up my PC and photos. But I eventually reverted to old habits. This was partly due to the slow speeds of my NAS's HDDs, but also the convenience that cloud tools like Google Photos provide.

I also have a lot of digital clutter on my PC, so this sometimes makes me hesitant to create additional copies of my many files. There are plenty I don't need in the first place, and I definitely don't need backups of them. For things I do need copies of, I usually save a copy to the cloud, anyway.

Eventually, the fact that I was using my NAS so little, as well as the frequent power cuts my country was experiencing, meant that it was better to simply pack it away.

Docker unlocked new functionality for my NAS

I finally brought it out of the cupboard

For years, my NAS sat in a cupboard. I considered bringing it back out when the power cuts ended, but the effort didn't feel worth it considering how little I had used it. But last year, when I started self-hosting, I realized that I could use Docker on my NAS as well.

On a Synology NAS, Docker is available as Container Manager. As much as I hate how outdated Synology's version of Docker is, it also allows me to host services 24/7 without a huge drain on my electricity supply.

One of the best tips for self-hosting beginners is to start with the hardware you have, rather than investing in a bunch of devices that may not suit your needs. I started with my desktop PC, but wanted something that could host the daemon I needed for a Cloudflare Tunnel, as well as other always-on containers. My NAS was the hardware I had.

Since I learned how to host containers using Docker Desktop, Container Manager took some getting used to. But the effort proved to be worth it, as I finally got more use out of my favorite self-hosted services.

Self-hosting is my favorite NAS use case

It has helped me break away from Big Tech services

My NAS only has 2GB of RAM, which limits what containers it can host. However, I have a range of efficient services I run, including Donetick, Jotty Page, and Home Assistant. I also have the Cloudflared daemon hosted in a container, which allows me to access certain services from outside my home network.

Being able to reliably host these services means that I've been able to break away from certain Big Tech services. Jotty Page, in particular, has replaced Google Keep for me. I also use Donetick instead of apps like Google Tasks.

I can also experiment with other self-hosted services, including dashboards like Glance and Homarr. These don't take many resources, so I can run them on my NAS without overwhelming the system.

I do want to upgrade my NAS's RAM, since it currently limits how much I can host. I would like to eventually host Immich and Paperless-ngx, since my limited RAM meant these containers were too unstable when I previously deployed them. However, I have to wait until the compatible RAM kit is in stock locally. It would arguably be better to self-host on a mini PC, but the devices aren't widely available at competitive prices in my market.

Docker made my NAS useful again

My NAS isn't really powerful enough to act as a media server, and when it came to using it for storage, I barely used it. So Docker gave it a second life thanks to my new hobby of self-hosting services. Some might argue that this isn't the best use case for a NAS, but for me, it's actually the most useful feature and ensures that I actually get use out of the device.