When building a home server, choosing the right operating system can be overwhelming. Many options are either too complex to set up and manage, or too limited to tweak according to your needs. After years of experimentation—from setting up a basic, headless Ubuntu server from scratch, to trying user-friendly options like CasaOS, and even dabbling in Windows Server (what was I thinking?)—I finally found the perfect Swiss Army knife to tackle this impossible question. Enter: Unraid.
What is Unraid?
Unraid is an elegant solution to the home server dilemma. It simplifies complex tasks like setting up Docker containers and virtual machines, with most setups taking just minutes. Unraid also excels at creating and managing large storage arrays, ensuring your data remains safe even during hard drive failures. Despite its simplicity, Unraid offers a wide range of tweaking options for advanced users to accommodate any home server scenario—from running a personal media server to supporting high-performance gaming virtual machines.
What do I need to get started?
You don’t need much to start with Unraid. You can always begin with a basic setup and upgrade your server over time. As long as you follow the detailed instructions in the Unraid documentation, the operating system adapts well to changing hardware. My own Unraid server started from an old (like, very old) computer and some second-hand hard drives I had lying around.
If you have a computer and some storage space, the next thing you need is a USB drive with a GUID (Globally Unique Identifier). This GUID allows your Unraid license to be uniquely tied to the USB drive. The speed of the drive doesn’t matter—use an older USB drive as they tend to last longer. To save you some searching time, this 32 GB SanDisk Cruzer will run perfectly.
The cost of an Unraid license is about $50, with a free 30-day trial available. Once you have your hardware ready, follow the steps on the Unraid getting started page.
Docker Applications at Your Fingertips?
Unraid simplifies the process of setting up media or game servers through its Community Apps directory with pre-configured Docker templates. To access this directory, you need to install the Community Applications plugin. Community Applications allow you to:
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Host your own movie, show, and music streaming platform via Plex or Jellyfin
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Make your smart home smarter with Home Assistant
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Impress your friends with a self-hosted game server using Pterodactyl
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Set up network-wide ad blocking with Pi-Hole
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Create your own DevOps platform (like GitHub) with GitTea
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Run any Docker container, including your own!
Access Unraid Anytime, Anywhere.
When it comes to home servers, remote access is always a concern. My two favorite secure and convenient access options are Cloudflared and Tailscale.Cloudflare helps you provide fine-grained, secure access to specific containers, whether to friends or the public.Tailscale allows private, secure access to your Unraid dashboard and applications, and can turn your Unraid server into an exit node, securely routing traffic from your personal devices.
What are you waiting for?
Unraid is a Swiss Army knife home server operating system—except you won’t stab yourself while trying to figure it out! Whether you want to run a media server, host a game server, or run your own Docker containers, Unraid makes it easy. You don’t need fancy hardware to get started, just that dusty old computer and the old hard drive your family begged you to throw away.