Pre-purchase Questions

[InSearchOfNAS]

Hi all,

Have been looking into getting a NAS and reading up about various options. Synologys aren't cheap.
I run a 2009 MacMini as a Plex server almost exclusively for music - and it's had a few issues lately.
I have some 2.5 inch drives that I could re-purpose so I was looking at a 'slim' version of the Synology NAS. It could run Plex without any transcoding - so it could be a backup Plex solution for my ageing MacMini if that died.
Then I happened upon a cheap 2011 MacMini on the local classifieds so I thought I could use the new MacMini as a home file-server and save the bucks from not buying a Synology.
Then I learnt that only 6 months ago Apple hobbled their MacOS Server software for reasons unknown.
Then, I bought my daughter a RasPi for her birthday and was doing some reading when I came across the idea of using SBCs for a NAS, and that's how I came to be here via some Youtube comparison videos. 

What I want to do with it:
Back up one Windows computer
Possibly backup one Mac Laptop
Central file storage shared incl external file access
Central file storage private "   "   "      "         "
Maybe run Plex or other media server if the MacMinis go south

So, my questions;
1) I have a Raidon Runner 2.5inch RAID enclosure (USB 3). Could I plug this into the Rock64/Rock64 Pro?
2) Is the Rock64 Pro necessarily a better choice for a NAS build than the Rock64 due to the increased RAM? 
3) Is the Rock64 stable enough? I have done some reading through these forums and there are obviously people having issues. I'm not formally trained with computers but consider myself above average. I would likely not be in a position to trouble-shoot if it didn't go to plan.
4) Will I be able to go from the 2 bay RAID above to something larger or 4 bay in the future?
5) Should I consider another SBC platform? Odroid/whatever

Thanks,

J

[evilbunny]

1) I have a Raidon Runner 2.5inch RAID enclosure (USB 3). Could I plug this into the Rock64/Rock64 Pro?

if it's usb it can. Although you probably can't use the drives directly and have raid work, hardware raid is a double edged sword.

2) Is the Rock64 Pro necessarily a better choice for a NAS build than the Rock64 due to the increased RAM?

They both can have 4GB of ram, but the rp64 is 3x faster cpu.

4) Will I be able to go from the 2 bay RAID above to something larger or 4 bay in the future?

The nas case has room for 2x2.5" and 2x3.5" drives

[InSearchOfNAS]

Thanks for such a prompt reply.
1) I don't understand what you mean by "you probably can't use the drives directly and have raid work, hardware raid is a double edged sword."
I expect I would have to re-format. Is that what you mean?
2) "but the rp64 is 3x faster cpu" - did you mean to type rp64pro is 3x faster cpu?
4) "The nas case has room for 2x2.5" and 2x3.5" drives" - could any 4 bay USB enclosure work?

[evilbunny]

1) I don't understand what you mean by "you probably can't use the drives directly and have raid work, hardware raid is a double edged sword."
I expect I would have to re-format. Is that what you mean?

Hardware raid is usually propriety and not standardised. Reformatting would work.

2) "but the rp64 is 3x faster cpu" - did you mean to type rp64pro is 3x faster cpu?

I test hardware using ffmpeg and my test usually takes 15minutes on a r64 but on the rp64 it only takes 5 minutes.

4) "The nas case has room for 2x2.5" and 2x3.5" drives" - could any 4 bay USB enclosure work?

Sure but you'd still need a case for which ever board you end up choosing, the nas case for the rp64 is a neat solution to house the drives and board.

[InSearchOfNAS]

Thanks for those clarifications