What server operating system should i switch to?

Hello guys i have been running my servers for the past year i started with a pi then migrated to a nuc with debian 13 then to ZimaOS and i also have a secondary server that is deticated to run pihole and unbound. but im mainly talking about my intel nuc. I mainly use docker on it and i run crafty so my lil sis and me can play mc together, jellyfin to watch movies, navidrome for music and tailscale so i can use my server ANYWHERE. Im just looking for a good nas os that supports all the stuff I use.

3 Likes

Did you run into issues with Debian that caused you to switch? Generally Debian is a good choice for a server as it’s a stable distribution.

5 Likes

My subjective opinion:

The most used dedicated NAS OS (like, for instance, what runs on SYNOLOGY® devices) is Debian.

Ofcourse you don’t use a graphical frontend on it.
A graphical frontend on a server is completely useless, eats RAM without returning anything useful and is deadly for performance, stability and uptime. Just don’t.

If you really need GUI assistance, setup a small (lighttpd) webinterface instead but don’t overdo it.

If you can permit yourself to forgo the containerization, do it.
Keep it rock solid by keeping it simple (KISS principle).

6 Likes

Welcome to our community @Koylerlowtier, nice to meet you! :handshake:

2 Likes

What server operating system should i switch to?

I am convinced, that in Linux world you choose according to your personal experience, educated advices, etc. Neither obligations nor enforcement.

My personal preference is Ubuntu server as OS and NFS as NAS.

2 Likes

Personally for home lab / personal projects I like Ubuntu LTS + free Pro registration of system for the ESM (Expanded Security Maintenance).

I like the set-it-and-forget-it systems for projects. So for example, I have 2 servers with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS installed ~ 2020, still rock solid and supported until 2028 for free. I won’t upgrade until then. :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

5 Likes

Hi @Koylerlowtier and welcome to the community!

I love your setup! I also run a Minecraft server for my family, Navidrome for music, and Jellyfin for movies and TV shows! I don’t use Tailscale at the moment. I have considered it but just don’t have a good use case for it right now.

I have two older Intel NUCs as well, both running the i5-3427U CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3427U CPU @ 1.80GHz. On both of them I use Debian 12 (will be upgrading to Debian 13 shortly).

I absolutely love Debian as a server OS, it’s minimal and stable, both of which are my top priorities when doing self-hosting. I use docker for (almost) all of my self-hosted services and Debian supports this just fine.

I’m curious if you ran into any issues/problems with Debian that would cause you to look for an alternative? If you are dead-set on a “NAS OS”, then I’d say TrueNAS OS would be my recommendation, albeit based on very limited experience.

4 Likes

Another user running Debian on my servers because of it’s stability. They’re headless (no DE). I use ssh to manage from my desktop system and, when needed, an ipkvm. Running Nextcloud, Home Assistant, Immitch, Plex (planning a move to jellyfin), caddy, pihole. Zero issues, rock solid.

4 Likes