Review on TERRAMASTER F4-421 NAS: Powerful 4-Bay Cloud Storage with Apollo Quad Core 1.5GHz for Plex Media Server & Network Storage (Diskless) by Thomas Chalecki

2021-03 Edit: Shortly before the 2-year warranty expired, the system was "walled up". Luckily I had a fresh backup of my data so nothing was lost. Terra-Master support was unable to get the system working remotely and quickly replaced the device. I was unable to remount the disk volumes on the new server and had to reformat the disks and restore from backup. The new drive trays use three screws instead of four as noted below. The HDMI port on the new device is covered, but it looks like the cover can be removed and the HDMI port is behind it. FYI, an HDMI port and a USB keyboard can be connected to download the firmware if you ever need to change the default settings. The first review starts here: This is my first Linux-based NAS. I've been using Windows Home Server for over 10 years, so I need to learn more about Linux. My main use is Windows 10 PC backup and file sharing. I've also cast photos and videos to a 4k smart TV but haven't tried real-time 4k transcoding yet. The device makes a good and solid impression. The drive trays require 4 screws to attach each drive, but they come with a screwdriver and it only takes a few seconds. The trays snap securely into the trays and are hot-swappable. The trays don't lock (only mentioned because my WHS locked the trays with a key, nice feature). A large rear fan is very quiet at smart and medium speeds. I have not tested high speed. I've mostly used an environment that keeps the CPU and hard drives in the 32-35 degree Celsius range. The smart speed increases the temperature to 40, which is higher than I prefer. The operating system, TOS are installed quite quickly and without problems. The BTRFS raid setup was automatic, but it took several hours to complete the drive tests and set up a raid 1 system (2 x 4TB WD Red drives). The TOS home page is best viewed in Chrome on PCs and Android devices. I had some minor hiccups when using Firefox. The homepage features a Windows-style desktop with shortcuts to key functions such as file system, control panel, applications, etc. One of the main differences between this NAS and WHS is PC backup. WHS is highly automated on a server that schedules and retrieves backups from any computer on the network. This NAS requires each PC to be configured to use the server as its associated destination for PC-broadcast backups. It works well but requires configuration on each PC. I don't use Apple devices, but I believe the included TimeMachine app will handle automatic backups for Apple. I have required technical support a few times and have received email and phone responses within a reasonable time. Support calls should be scheduled. I was looking for a replacement for my dying WHS at a cheaper price than Synology or QNAP. The Terramaster F2-221 saved me some money compared to these products and fits my current needs well.