Build the right NAS for your data
Tell us what you need to store, how quickly it is growing and what you want the NAS to run. We will calculate the capacity, protection and hardware you need, then build a live-priced Canadian shopping list.
How the NAS Builder works
The tool starts with your current data, estimates growth over the planning period and adds a working reserve. It then generates valid enclosure, drive-count, drive-capacity and RAID combinations, removes combinations that fail the capacity or workload requirement, and ranks the remaining builds with Canadian pricing first.
Why we calculate in TiB
Drive makers sell decimal terabytes. NAS operating systems report binary tebibytes. That is why four 8 TB drives in SHR give 24 TB in drive-maker terms but about 21.8 TiB on the NAS. The builder shows both numbers and leads with the one you will actually see.
Why RAID is not a backup
RAID protects against a drive failing. It does not protect against accidental deletion, ransomware, theft, fire, filesystem damage or the enclosure itself failing. Treat the builder’s RAID result as availability planning, then keep a second copy elsewhere.
Amazon.ca and Amazon.com listings
Canadian listings are preferred. Amazon.com appears only as a fallback and is marked US with the price shown in US dollars. CAD and USD are never merged into one misleading total.
Frequently asked questions
How much NAS storage do I need?
Start with the data you have today, add realistic growth for three to ten years, then leave working reserve. The builder does that arithmetic and recommends protected usable capacity, not raw drive capacity.
Should I buy a two-bay or four-bay NAS?
A two-bay NAS is fine for smaller home backups. A four-bay NAS is usually better once you want Plex, room to grow or more than about 16 TB usable with protection.
Is SHR better than RAID 5?
With equal drives, SHR and RAID 5 give the same capacity. SHR is better when you expect to mix or replace drive sizes over time because it can use capacity that rigid RAID 5 wastes.
How much free space should I leave on a NAS?
At least 20 percent. Business, surveillance, creative work, snapshots and long planning periods deserve a larger reserve so the pool is not running full.
Do I need Intel Quick Sync for Plex?
For direct play, no. For regular 4K transcoding, yes: choose an Intel NAS with a supported integrated GPU and budget for Plex Pass if you use Plex hardware transcoding.
Can I add larger drives later?
Yes, but the RAID type matters. SHR and TRAID expand more gracefully. Classic RAID 5 or RAID 6 usually needs every drive replaced before the extra capacity appears.
Why is an Amazon.com product marked US?
It means the exact product is not currently stocked on Amazon.ca but has a live Amazon.com listing. The price is shown in US dollars and is not mixed into a Canadian total.
Does the estimated price include drives?
Yes when the budget setting includes drives. The result separates enclosure, drives, UPS, optional RAM or NVMe and electricity so the total is clear.
Is a UPS necessary for a NAS?
It is strongly recommended. A UPS gives the NAS enough time for a clean shutdown during a power cut, but it does not replace an off-site backup.
Is RAID the same as backup?
No. RAID handles a drive failure. It does not protect against deletion, ransomware, theft, fire, filesystem problems or enclosure failure.