TrueNAS Server Build
Project Overview
This is the complete hardware build and infrastructure setup for my TrueNAS server. Built from the ground up with carefully selected components. Overcame initial hardware challenges (defective motherboard RMA) to create a solid foundation for media automation, Bitcoin operations, photo storage, and home automation backup infrastructure.
Hardware Specifications
Build Challenge: First motherboard was DOA (wouldn't POST). Successfully RMA'd and replaced, then completed installation without further issues.
Remote Access
Tailscale (Primary)
Zero-trust VPN with subnet routing enabled for entire network access. Allows remote BitAxe access via secure mesh networking.
Cloudflare Tunnel
Backup access method with host network mode. Routes configured for Overseerr, Radarr, Sonarr, Transmission, Plex, and Immich.
Plex Direct Access
Port forwarded on router for direct connections, eliminating relay lag during streaming.
Media Automation Stack
Complete automation pipeline installed as TrueNAS apps with proper storage mounts.
| Service | Purpose | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Overseerr | Request Management | Integrated with Plex, Sonarr, Radarr. Auto-approval enabled, family-friendly interface |
| Plex Media Server | Media Streaming | Libraries: TV & Movies from complete folders, remote access enabled, transcoding enabled |
| Prowlarr | Indexer Manager | Auto-syncs to Sonarr and Radarr. Multiple indexers configured |
| Radarr | Movie Automation | Root: /downloads/complete/movies, hardlinks to library, Trakt integration, Transmission category: radarr |
| Sonarr | TV Automation | Root: /downloads/complete/tv, hardlinks to library, Trakt integration, Transmission category: sonarr |
| Tautulli | Plex Monitoring | Integrated with Plex to monitor, view analytics, and receive notifications about server |
| Trakt | List Imports | Radarr and Sonarr automatically import watch list and monitor for releases to grab |
| Transmission | Download Client | Authentication required, preserved seeding sessions from Synology migration |
Bitcoin Full Node & Mining
BitAxe Gamma: 1,366 GH/s solo miner connected to CK Solo Pool. Accessible remotely via Tailscale subnet routing. Attempted local node mining via stratum proxy but ultimately using CK Pool directly while maintaining full node for validation.
Stratum Experiments: Tested public-pool, ckpool, and various Docker stratum proxies for local mining. Challenge was finding compatible proxy for Bitcoin Core RPC interface.
Utility Applications
| Application | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| File Browser | Web-based file management | HTTPS enabled, not exposed via Cloudflare |
| MySpeed | Automated internet speed testing | Custom container, runs hourly, Prometheus scraped for Home Assistant |
| Portainer | Container management | Used for custom containers like Actual Budget and Honeygain |
| Honeygain | Passive income | Version 1.2.14 |
| Uptime Kuma | Self-hosted monitoring tool | Monitoring all containers and apps uptime status |
Synology to TrueNAS Migration
Migration Data Breakdown
TV Shows: 2TB, Movies: 75GB
Auto-Retry Solution: Used while loop with rsync to automatically resume transfers after connection suspensions. Preserved Transmission seeding sessions throughout migration.
Network Security
- Authentication:All exposed services password-protected or using Plex SSO
- Cloudflare Tunnel:Encrypted tunnel without port forwarding (except Plex)
- Tailscale:Zero-trust mesh VPN for all remote access
- TrueNAS Firewall:Default restrictive configuration
Data Protection & Backup Strategy
ZFS Snapshots
Automated ZFS snapshot strategy provides multiple recovery points with varying retention periods:
| Frequency | Schedule | Retention | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Every hour | 24 hours | Short-term recovery from accidental changes |
| Daily (Short) | 1:00 AM | 1 week | Recent daily restore points |
| Daily (Long) | 2:00 AM | 4 weeks | Monthly recovery window |
Cloud Backup
Off-Site Redundancy: Backblaze B2 provides geographic redundancy for critical data. Torrent downloads excluded as they can be re-acquired if needed, optimizing backup costs.
UPS Power Protection & Monitoring
Monitoring & Integration
- Automated Alerts: Notifications for power events, low battery, and overload conditions
- Home Assistant: Real-time UPS status visualization in custom dashboards
- Metrics Tracked: Battery level, load percentage, input/output voltage, runtime estimates
- Prometheus: UPS metrics collection for performance monitoring and alerting
Power Continuity: Provides clean, regulated power to server during outages and voltage fluctuations. Pure sine wave output ensures compatibility with server PSU and prevents hardware stress.