Here at Hardware.Info, we regularly discuss the choice between a NAS and a custom built home server. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. But what if you could have the best of both worlds? The hobbyists behind XPEnology, that allows Synology's Disk Station Manager software to operate on a standard x86 system, have exactly that in mind. We got started with XPEnology and will explain how you can do so yourself.

With regard to software, those who are going to build their own home server or NAS system can of course choose between multiple operating systems. While you can install a standard desktop or server version of Windows or Linux, there also exist various specialized operating systems for this for this purpose. Examples include FreeNAS, OpenMediaVault, and Amahi Home Server. There's no accounting for tastes, but the functionality, interfaces, and particularly the usability of these solutions certainly won't be liked by everyone. Installing them can be a bit cumbersome, especially if you want more than just the standard functionality.

A NAS, on the other hand, has a number of clear advantages. They're typically a lot more energy efficient than PCs and are also compact, allowing you to put them in the meter cupboard, for instance. More importantly, you can start using them right ouf of the box, and installing applications is as easy as putting an app on your smartphone. Naturally, this does mean that the desired application has to be available. For brands such as Asustor, Thecus, Qnap, and Synology, the selection is larger in this regard than it is for manufacturers with a stronger focus on the basic tasks of network storage and backups.