I also got everything configured in the terminal so I can access the encrypted Google Drive backup from my ThinkPad in Dolphin and from mobile through Termux.
Then I set up an unattended scheduled task on the Synology so the transfer keeps running without me babysitting it.
At the current pace, it’ll take about two weeks. When it’s finished, all of my files will be backed up directly from the Synology to Google Drive, encrypted through rclone crypt.
quotingI’m rebuilding my homelab for life on the road.
nevent1q…pv4n
Thinking about selling my Synology DS923+ 4-bay NAS and keeping the 22 TB Seagate IronWolf Pro drive.
At this point, every dollar I can free up goes straight back into the rolling command center.
The Synology is great for storage, but its Ryzen R1600 has no integrated GPU or Intel Quick Sync.
Meanwhile, the Protectli VP2420 I’ve been using as a hardware firewall is actually a pretty competent little machine.
Obviously, keeping the firewall and server on separate hardware would be cleaner, but I have to economize space.
VP2420 = 4-core Intel / 32 GB RAM / 120 GB M.2 SATA SSD / Intel UHD GPU + Quick Sync / 4×2.5GbE / fanless / virtualization support
I also have a Lifetime Plex Pass, so hardware-accelerated transcoding is already unlocked. Moving Plex over to the Protectli would let it use Intel Quick Sync.
The plan:
Export OPNsense → install Proxmox → OPNsense VM → restore config → add Plex/rclone containers.
Firewall + server + Plex + storage on one little fanless box.
I’m trimming the digital fat along with everything else. The goal is to get everything I actually want to keep—media, photo backups, all of it—under 10 TB.
Just upgraded Google Drive to 10 TB. I’ll encrypt the backup client-side with rclone crypt and keep the 22 TB drive as my local copy.
Initially, I’ll just put the drive in a powered USB enclosure:
22 TB HDD → powered USB enclosure → Protectli
Then later:
4-bay DAS → 22 TB HDD + future drives → Protectli
The DS923+ was recently discontinued, but it’s still fully supported and selling really well used right now.
Looks like I can get $400–$500 for it used.
If I can put a couple hundred into a good DAS later, carry less hardware, and still come out ahead, it’s hard to see the downside here.
#IKITAO #AvaUnbound