I started thinking about data management. I must be getting old. All this time, my “back-up” solution was to keep the stuff on an external HDD, probably like 90% of regular folks. That is sacrilege for anyone who frequents r/datahoarder.
Once I started looking into NAS options, my appetite for features quickly grew. Unfortunately the prices were atrocious for what was being offered. Sure, you get ease of use, but also a weak computer for the money spent that will never be more than it’s creators allow it to be. That does not sit well with me.
Case build
Luckily, there were plenty of others before me that had the same thought pattern. Enter the mini PC, usually a common sight in office biomes, pretty decent ones can be had for a couple hundred or so euro.
I found some very nice examples on 3d print file repositories, but I couldn’t help myself, I had to design my own. I wanted a compact machine, one that would make a more efficient use of volume. What can I say, I like small computers.
Hardware Overview
Below is a list of all the stuff crammed into this case.
| PC | Lenovo ThinkCentre i3 8th gen |
| RAM | 24 Gb DDR3 |
| Storage | WD Ultrastar HC550 16TB x4 and a 500GB SSD for the OS |
| Network | 2.5G switch, USB to 2.5G dongle and a WiFi router |
| Case | 3D printed ASA because I couldn’t find matte PETG |
| PSU | 20V brick for the Lenovo, 12V brick and a 5V brick for HDD’s, Arduino and Cooling fan |
| Cooling | Arduino Nano controlling a 140mm fan via NTC thermistor readings |
I also printed the caddies to act as flexures in order to somewhat decouple the HDD’s from the frame. The SATA connectors inside the case are also mounted in compliant holders. I should test if this actually does anything.
