I just did some work on my main server, and my take is a bit different.
I upgraded my desktop and built a server from a Ryzen 1700, put 64GB of RAM in it, and now this one device acts as DNS filter/cache(Pi-Hole), VPN server (Pi-VPN Wireguard), and a 10TB ZFS NAS. This is just the base, I also use it for gaming and labs.
The main recommendations:
Fractal Design Define R5 - this is a large case, and is pretty wide - but it is a dream to work in. The extra width gives plenty of room behind the motherboard for hiding cables. It has quiet fans, it is built to minimize noise, and it can hold 8+ hard drives.
OS: Proxmox. I use this as the host OS, and configure my ZFS on the host. I then expose the ZFS as a NAS via a privileged container running Turnkey Linux.
If you get some multi-port NICs on it, you can put an OPNSense firewall as a VM, and use the machine as your router as well. In the end, you would only need UPS, modem, small switch, and the host.
I upgraded my desktop and built a server from a Ryzen 1700, put 64GB of RAM in it, and now this one device acts as DNS filter/cache(Pi-Hole), VPN server (Pi-VPN Wireguard), and a 10TB ZFS NAS. This is just the base, I also use it for gaming and labs.
The main recommendations:
Fractal Design Define R5 - this is a large case, and is pretty wide - but it is a dream to work in. The extra width gives plenty of room behind the motherboard for hiding cables. It has quiet fans, it is built to minimize noise, and it can hold 8+ hard drives.
OS: Proxmox. I use this as the host OS, and configure my ZFS on the host. I then expose the ZFS as a NAS via a privileged container running Turnkey Linux.
If you get some multi-port NICs on it, you can put an OPNSense firewall as a VM, and use the machine as your router as well. In the end, you would only need UPS, modem, small switch, and the host.