How a Companion Cube Inspired My Home Server Setup
If you’ve ever wanted a unique and personal touch to your home server setup, building a Companion Cube NAS could be the perfect project for you. The idea of incorporating a beloved gaming icon into a functional network-attached storage (NAS) or home server setup is both creative and practical. Today, I’ll walk you through what makes a Companion Cube NAS a cool project and why you might want to consider building one yourself.
What’s a Companion Cube NAS?
The Companion Cube NAS is a customized home server that uses the design motif of the Companion Cube from the game Portal. This isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about having a system that organizes your files, streams media, and serves backups all in one adorable box. What started as a fun idea can quickly become an essential hub for your digital life.
Why Build a Companion Cube NAS?
A lot of us are moving towards having our own server systems to manage personal data safely at home. Commercial NAS devices are great but can be a bit boring and lack personality. By building a Companion Cube NAS, you get something that looks cool and fits your style, plus you learn a lot about server hardware and software along the way.
How I Made My Own Companion Cube NAS
Building this server was fairly straightforward. I started with a basic mini PC case that could fit multiple hard drives. Then, I customized the exterior with the Companion Cube design — this meant painting the iconic heart symbol and the distinctive panel patterns on the casing.
Inside, I installed a power-efficient motherboard with enough SATA ports to connect several drives. For the operating system, I chose a popular NAS software like TrueNAS, which is free and widely recommended for home servers. Setting up the drives in RAID configuration helped me balance speed and redundancy, ensuring my data stays safe.
Benefits of Your Own Companion Cube NAS
- Personalization: Nobody else will have a setup like yours. It stands out, and it’s a conversation starter.
- Centralized Storage: Keep all your photos, videos, and documents in one place.
- Media Streaming: Serve movies and music to all your devices without relying on the cloud.
- Learning Experience: Gain hands-on knowledge about networking, storage, and system administration.
Getting Started on Your Own
If you’re interested in building a Companion Cube NAS, here are a few resources to check out:
– TrueNAS for NAS software and setup guides.
– Western Digital for reliable hard drives suited for NAS use.
– Intel NUC as a compact hardware option.
Building a Companion Cube NAS combines geeky fun with practical tech. It’s definitely a project that feels rewarding both in the process and the result. Plus, it brings a little bit of Portal-inspired charm to your tech setup. Maybe give it a try and see where your creativity and technical skills take you!