Hmm… As long as I can throw my own OS of choice to it, I would consider it “my” hardware. Maybe I didn’t say it too clearly, I just don’t want to get “locked” into some ecosystem that doesn’t allow me to do whatever I want with it. I wouldn’t discard a ready made hardware.

Raid 1 is definitely enough for now if I go with one very large drive and the same as a copy, but then how tough would it be to expand? What if I want to keep using my external drive as ling as it lasts? Am I over thinking it? I’ll need to see what I can find on drives around and check the second hand market too to see if I can just go with whatever for now… Is qnap like asustor? Can I change the os?