Micro-NAS (µNAS): The World’s Smallest Full Featured Home NAS Appliance

Powerful, fully SSD to 32TB with external expansion up to 128TB, with a simple web browser based UI, it can be accessed from anywhere by PC, Mac, or Smartphone. Expandable, affordable, robust, compact, and simplified operation for the home user.

Small size, big features

View the Spec Sheet

µNAS is just 4 inches square and 2.5 inches tall, it’s small enough to fit any desktop. It will fit in a purse, briefcase, or a backpack. Plus, if fires, floods, storms, or other catastrophes threaten, you can grab and go – keeping your important files safe with you!

EASY TO USE

From the start, it features a guided setup and deployment without the need to be an IT expert. Using a simple web UI ( Browser Based User Interface) is the key to the Micro-NAS.

Pre-installed with Enterprise grade TRUENAS™ or, pre-installed with OpenMediaVault. Drag and drop access. HexOS™ is also available pre-installed.

Remote management on browsers or smartphones from anywhere. Windows, iOS, and Linux support.

COMPACT

Just 4×4” square, 2.5” high. It features a robust, solid machined aluminum case. Just 1.4 pounds (0.64Kg). Built in silent cooling fan and aluminum fin radiators. Easy to take anywhere.

Comes ready to run, simply install the SSD drives you want, and then power up/boot it up, follow the easy on-screen instructions to configure the system for your network environment. The WebUI will allow Easy mapping of drives to multiple PC’s, Macs, or Linux machines.

ROBUST

Low power, quiet, and built like a tank, it runs “headless” without Monitor Keyboard or Mouse (thought they can bee connected if desired) and only requires only a web browser to operate. A multitude of ports ensures connectivity with many devices.

Quiet, low power operation utilizes Intel Quad-Core Alder Lake-N architecture with LP- DDR5 RAM at 4800 MHz and CPU speed up to 3.8GHz. Upgradeable and scalable, storage configurations up to 128 Terabytes using internal SSD’s + external drives connected by high speed USB combined.

Expansion and Ports

View the Spec Sheet

FOUR INTERNAL SSD’s

Four internal slots for M.2 2280 NVME solid state drives up to 32TB of storage.
You can add any size NVME drives up to 8 Terabytes (TB).

HIGH SPEED USB3.2Gen2

Dual USB 3.2 Gen2 expansion ports allow up to 96TB of additional storage with external drives at 10Gbps transfer speed!

ULTRAFAST NETWORK

Micro-NAS includes two 2.5 Gigabits/second Ethernet ports. Supports all standard LAN/WAN protocols. LAN connection and activity LEDs.

Need More Space?
Easy External Add-ons

Micro-NAS can be easily expanded using external USB hard drives or solid-state drives using it’s superfast USB 3.2 Gen2 USB ports for up to 10 GB/sec transfer rate!

A truly plug and play operation, new drives will automatically be recognized by the operating system and added in the UI and made available to create a new drive pool.

For HexOS™ and TrueNAS™, the new ZFS AnyRaid file system will give users the ability to mix different sized drives in a pool., meaning you are no longer limited by the size of the smallest drive.

Internal OS Drive

Robust Operation

A fast and robust internal
64GB SSD runs the TrueNAS™ Open Media Vault™, or HexOS™
operating system, leaving
all four M.2 2280 slots
available for storage.

Configurable

Use Any NVME SSD’s

Install any widely available
Solid State Drives (SSD) in M.2 2280 NVME form factor: 256GB to 8TB for RAID use.

Ultrafast Networking

Dual Intel 2.5Gb/s Ports

Supports all standard LAN/WAN protocols. LAN connection and activity LEDs. Works with Gigabit and 10/100 Mb networks too.

Powerful & Flexible with Apps, Users, Folders, Streaming & Alerts

Over 150 Apps Available in TrueNas and HexOS

You can install any of the over 150 apps that are available to in categories of media, management, home automation, networking, productivity, storage and even games!.

Full Control of Content & Data

Storage, streaming, virtual machines and more.
Create a secure, private server you can manage from anywhere. Use any web browser, including phone browsers. Get alerts on access, content, system health and more!

Mac & PC Compatible Folders

Need to share your content with others? Simply provide access to specific folders you choose. Or use folder replication to give someone else real-time access to content simultaneously as it uploads.

Screenshots

Main Dashboard

Folders and Users

Network Settings

General Settings

Dashboard on Cellphone

Global Network Settings

Map Drive for PC

Map Drive for MacOS

System Health

Storage Status

Memory Status

Network Status

Processor Status

Alerts History

Notifications History

Mapped Drives on Windows PC

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don’t you have a more powerful processor in the Micro-NAS?

– Micro-NAS comes in two CPU configurations – Intel Quad Core Alder Lake 12th generation CPU’s N100 or N355 up to 3.9GHz. Remember, this is a home NAS, not an IT or industrial NAS. For home NAS and small office use, these two CPU’s do just fine for the the job. By using these low cost and lower power CPU’s, the cost to you is lower, the cooling requirements are less, and the footprint is smaller. RAM is generally considered more important than CPU, especially for ZFS file system workloads. So, more RAM means a more responsive system.

What if I want to install my own SSD’s and my own DDR5 Memory?

– No problem, a barebones offering is the basic level – ready to add your own components. HexNAS will support a DDR5 4800 MHz SODIMM RAM up to 512GB in size. More RAM equals better performance, especially with large file transfers. Adding SSD’s is as easy as removing the top cover and dropping them in to their slots.

What is the minimum number of NVME SSD drives you can use in Micro-NAS?

– Two. For example, two 4TB NVME drives will work as a 4TB RAID0 array, and give you backup if one fails. If you use four 4TB drives, you will get 12TB of storage, with the ability for one drive to fail.

Should I buy NVME SSD’s with a heatsink?

– NO! They won’t fit in the case. The lid of the Micro-NAS case acts as a heatsink.

What NVME Solid State Drives do you recommend?

– Since you want your NAS to be as robust as possible, we recommend the Western Digital RED NVME series, which are designed for extreme workloads in high-intensity NAS environments. Samsung also offers robust high-performance drives. For maximum storage the 8TB Western Digital Black SN850X is the best choice.

Can I operate Micro-NAS without SSD’s installed and just use external USB Hard Disk Drives?

– YES. Micro-NAS will boot using the internal 64GB SSD, and it will recognize any external HDD’s plugged in via the USB port(s). A minimum of two HDD’s is required to create a drive pool. When choosing a USB HDD enclosure, be sure it has it’s own external power source (Micro-NAS isn’t designed to power multiple hard drives via the USB port) and ensure that the drive case does not try to create it’s own RAID array.

What kind of external hard drives should I use?

– Since you want your NAS to be as robust as possible, we recommend the Western Digital RED PLUS drive series, which are designed for extreme workloads in high-intensity NAS environments. Seagate also makes an IRONWOLF NAS drive series which is also good.

What is the maximum amount of DDR5 memory supported?

– You can install up to 512GB of DDR5 4800 memory. RAM is generally considered more important than CPU, especially for ZFS file system workloads. While a powerful CPU can be beneficial for certain tasks like encryption and virtualization, the performance, particularly with ZFS, is heavily reliant on sufficient RAM to maintain a large ARC cache and handle data operations efficiently. For most home use cases 16 to 32GB is sufficient.

Is there any WiFi Support? I only see Ethernet connections.

– Not as shipped. For example, TrueNAS SCALE, based on the Debian Linux operating system, does not natively support WiFi connectivity. This is done primarily for security reasons, since WiFi signals can be intercepted outside the home. It also has to do with the hundreds of possible WiFi adapters out there, and supporting all of these is difficult. If you MUST use WiFi, there is a solution, such as Ethernet to WiFi Adapters. This one from I/O Gear has been tested. These adapters allow you to connect your Micro-NAS server to a WiFi network via Ethernet using one of the Ethernet ports on the rear of the unit. See the next question.

What if I don’t have a wired LAN at my home?

You most likely do, but aren’t using it. Most Internet modems/routers have Ethernet ports on the rear. You could plug the Micro-NAS into it, and depending on the type of router you have, you may be able to reach if from your WiFi network if the router bridges the two networks. Check your owners manual.

Do you support power plugs other than the USA?

– Yes, Micro-NAS offers power plugs for Australia, UK, and the EU.

Do I need to connect a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the Micro-NAS unit?

– No, it is not required. Micro-NAS will boot up and run without these in a “headless” mode. However, it you want to get access to the command line and text menu console, you can connect a monitor and keyboard – no mouse needed.

Can I install my own NAS software instead?

– Yes, you can install TrueNAS or any other NAS software on the barebones system. Just specify “No OS” when ordering. NOTE: we do not offer any support for this configuration using your own NAS installation.

Help Fund Micro-NAS: the world’s smallest home cloud enabled NAS server that packs a serious punch.

A sleek, silent, 4-inch marvel that’s ready to run, scale, and secure everything from your media to your smart home. Whether you’re streaming 4K video, locking down sensitive files, keeping family photos safe, or running powerful apps like Home Assistant, this compact beast is ready out of the box. No IT jargon, no bloat — just blazing-fast storage (up to 128TB!), a gorgeous browser-based interface, and enterprise-grade security.

Get it on Kickstarter!