The NUS (Next-Unit of Storage) - NUC based NAS

NUS: Next Unit of Storage (NUC-Based NAS Tower)

The NUS is a high-density, 3D-printed NAS enclosure designed to transform an Intel NUC into a powerful 4-bay storage server. This project was born from a desire to combine the compact performance of NUC hardware with the sleek, vertical aesthetic of the iconic (and now deprecated) Apple AirPort Extreme.

The Design Philosophy

NUC devices occupy a unique sweet spot for home lab enthusiasts. They offer incredible performance-to-size ratios and expandability via M.2 slots that many users overlook. By utilizing an M.2 to 5-port SATA adapter, this build bypasses the bottlenecks of USB-based storage, providing native PCIe-to-SATA speeds for a reliable, "pro-grade" internal array.

The enclosure is a tall, rectangular tower that prioritizes vertical airflow and a minimal desk footprint. It serves as both a functional server and a piece of desk art.

Key Features

• 4-Bay Internal Capacity: Designed to securely house four 3.5-inch drives alongside the NUC motherboard.

• Integrated AX206 Display: The front panel features a cutout for the affordable AX206 digital photo frame. When paired with a modified version of lcd4linux, it provides real-time system stats, temperatures, and disk health at a glance.

• M.2 Expansion: The heart of the system uses an M.2 to SATA breakout. Which has support for eSATA expansion via a port multiplier, allowing the NUS to scale as your data needs grow.

• Optimized Cooling: Taking inspiration from the AirPort Extreme, the vertical chimney design encourages heat to rise out of the top, kept in check by a dedicated cooling fan at the bottom for the SATA controller and drives.

• Easy Wi-Fi Setup: Take NUS to go! With InfraFi you can connect to any Wi-Fi with no KVM required! (Flipper Zero required though) 

• Optimized for Prusa: The parts are meant to fit Prusa's MK3 (or newer) build volumes! 

Build & Assembly Notes

• Printing: This is a multi-part print designed for easy assembly. I recommend PETG or ASA for better heat resistance.

• Hardware Required:

  • Intel NUC (Designed for NUC8BEK NUC8BEH but could fit others, lmk!)

  • 1 Noctua NF-A9 PWM 92mm PC Fan

    • 4 pin fan extension ~300mm (comes with fan)

  • M.2 to 5-Port SATA Adapter (with Port Multiplier support)

  • AX206 Screen (for the front-panel HUD)

  • Custom power distribution (to power both the NUC and the 4-drive array)

    • Mini-Box picoPSU-80

    • External 12v 120w power supply

  • 4 Bay Backplane 

  • 4 SATA 10mm cables (blue for easy bending)

  • 1 SATA to eSATA cable

  • 4 3.5" Hard Drives

  • 4 M2.5 6mm and 4 M2.5 6mm standoffs

    • Alternative 4 M2.5 20mm

  • 4 M2.5 nuts

  • 16 M3 Heat Inserts

  • 10 M3 6mm screws 

  • 2 MX1.25 Pico-Blade connectors with cables (for USB Screen)

• Software:

  • Any NAS software that's supported by your NUC specs.

    • Common: TrueNAS, Unraid, OpenMediaVault, XPenology, you name it. 

  • lcd4linux-ax206 for controlling the USB Screen

  • InfraFi for adding WiFi credentials on the go.

Why "NUS"?

Whether you are running ZFS, Unraid, or a standard Linux stack, the NUS provides the physical infrastructure to make a NUC-based NAS feel like a professional enterprise appliance™.

(It takes the "Next Unit of Computing" and "Network Attached Storage" and smashes them together, if it wasn't clear yet)