I replaced a $20,000 server with this

Summary

In this video, the creators discuss their journey in building a portable NAS system for CES, highlighting the challenges of handling vast amounts of footage with limited internet speeds. They detail the design of their custom machine, the components involved like the Intel-powered networking and SSD storage, and the importance of efficiency at a major tech event. The video also touches on their unique setup for video editing, remote rendering, and network management, while providing insights into their backup plans with systems like Mac Mini and Windows VM. It's an exciting look into the tech behind their CES operation and the gear they use to ensure smooth workflows.

Takeaways

• 😀 The CES event in Las Vegas has slow internet speeds, so footage needs to be edited on location rather than sent back to the studio.
• 😀 The initial portable NAS system, built a couple of years ago, had 60TB of NVMe storage, but was too heavy to travel with easily.
• 😀 The mini Forum MS01 Mini PC, chosen as the new portable NAS solution, is significantly smaller, lighter, and offers high performance for editing needs.
• 😀 The MS01 Mini PC features dual 10-gig SFP+ ports, dual 2.2-gig, and dual 40-gig USB 4 ports for fast networking, making it highly capable for video editing tasks.
• 😀 The MS01 Mini PC has a PCIe 16x slot that can be used for adding extra storage or a GPU, but only 8 lanes are active.
• 😀 The Nvidia Quadro P1000, a half-height single-slot GPU, is installed to meet the system's graphics needs for video rendering during the event.
• 😀 The Mac Mini M4 is introduced as an alternative for video editing, with Adobe apps running better on Mac OS, particularly for Premiere Pro.
• 😀 The MS01 Mini PC is assembled with DDR5 RAM (48GB, 5600MHz) for optimal performance, despite some compromises in memory capacity.
• 😀 The importance of thermal management is highlighted with a focus on improving cooling using PTM 7950 thermal paste, especially for laptop chips.
• 😀 The system features multiple storage options with three m.2 storage slots, and two 8TB Sabrent drives are installed as a cost-effective yet high-performance solution.
• 😀 The NAS setup is run using TrueNAS Scale and ZFS, ensuring data redundancy through a mirrored storage array, providing reliability during the event.
• 😀 The team plans to use proxies for editing remote footage, ensuring they can work with high-speed internet at their office while traveling with the edited footage.

Q & A

What was the main issue with the original portable NAS system?

The original portable NAS system was too heavy, making it difficult to transport, and it caused the creator to almost miss their flight at CES.

What is the solution proposed for making the NAS system more portable?

The solution is to use the Mini Forum MS01 Mini PC, which is smaller, lighter, and more capable, providing similar performance to the original system.

What special feature does the Mini Forum MS01 offer regarding networking?

The Mini Forum MS01 has dual 10-gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports, dual 2.5Gbps Ethernet, and dual 40Gbps USB 4 ports, enabling fast network connectivity suitable for editing tasks.

Why is a GPU needed in the new portable NAS setup?

A GPU is needed for tasks like running virtual machines (VMs) to render videos remotely when internet access is available, especially at venues like the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas.

What GPU was selected for the portable NAS system, and why?

An NVIDIA Quadro P1000 was chosen, as it's a compact, single-slot workstation GPU that offers sufficient power for the system's video rendering needs.

How does the MS01 handle storage needs?

The MS01 has three M.2 storage slots, providing flexibility to install high-capacity, fast SSDs for storage, such as the 8TB Sabrent Rocket 4 Plus drives.

What storage configuration is being used for the NAS?

The storage system is set up as a mirror with two 8TB drives, which ensures data redundancy and protection against potential drive failures during CES.

What is the purpose of using proxies for editing at CES?

Proxies are used to make the video files smaller and easier to transfer over slower internet connections, enabling remote editing without needing to send large raw footage files.

What makes the new portable NAS system's size and weight more manageable compared to the old system?

The new system is significantly smaller and lighter, weighing 8.26 lbs, which is much easier to carry compared to the previous 10.68 lbs setup. This makes it more portable and convenient for travel.

How does the team plan to manage remote video editing if the Mac Mini is unavailable?

If the Mac Mini becomes unavailable, the system is set up with a virtual machine (VM) to handle video rendering tasks. This provides a backup option to ensure uninterrupted editing capabilities.