[vreihen16]

I have a cheesy/cheap Synology NAS at home, mostly for holding backups. Something hosed one of the config files under the hood a few years ago, and major UI features have not worked since. I never wasted my time calling their tech support, since they would just waste my time with dumb scripted questions and then tell me to format it over and start from scratch.

With the new reality of WFH for the first time, I am giving serious thought to spinning up a VPN client on a device at home rather than being limited to just one computer. The [wonked] NAS could do the task. Doing research, spending up for a newer and higher-grade Synology NAS gets features like being able to run Intel-based Docker images and a few other things that the current one couldn't do even before it was broken.

A second idea that I had was to just build my own Linux-based NAS on a Raspberry Pi or something. I really don't need the Linux hand-holding that the Synology provides, but it is a convenient system/UI and add-on packages...when it works.

The third option is to spin up the VPN on a spare Pi, and "rent" storage on Amazon to build my own NAS.

As much as I'd like to spin up a full VMware ESXi host, I really don't need that horsepower or load on the electric meter.

Lots to think about while I am at home for COVID-geddon (my invented term).....