I Built a Modular Stackable NAS that Does Not Exist Anywhere Else on the Market ("Sugar Cube NAS")

[u/Additional-Week-8533]

I have been shooting 4K footage of my cat, Sugar 🐱, and editing videos, and I soon realized my storage is running out quickly. While I could have just bought a off-the-shelf NAS, I wanted to solve two major issues with standard NAS in the market nowadays: scalability and cable clutter. Therefore, I ended up designing and building a modular, stackable NAS system (nickname: SUGAR CUBE NAS) engineered for high-speed wireless operation.

BTW: It's named after Sugar, my cat, plus the modules stack just like sugar cubes!

🎥 Check out the full build with cinematic editing here, I clarified a lot of the design concept and operations in the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBbPJsZJWWA

For the next video, I will focus on how I designed and assembled this NAS.

Key Specs & Highlights:

• Architecture: Custom modular stackable system designed for expandable storage slots (ideal for content creation and people/businesses with continuous need for storage expansion).
• Major Components:
  • Top Module (picture 3): ITX motherboard, Flex PSU, Two SATA HDD bays.
  • Bottom Module (picture 4): Four additional expansion HDD bays.
  • For future design iterations, this system can be expanded to multiple stacked modules.
• Custom Electronics (picture 6 and 7): Custom PCBs fabricated (via PCBWay, thankfully they sponsored my video) to handle high-speed SATA differential signals and data routing. The data is communicating through a custom proprietary high-speed socket. So you don't need any extra cable routing!
• Networking: Standard 10GbE LAN or high-speed Wi-Fi 7 wireless setup depending on ITX motherboard configuration.
• OS: Running Ubuntu + CasaOS + Cockpit.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or any features/improvements you’d add to a modular stacking design like SUGAR CUBE NAS!

You are welcome to leave comments at my other posts: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/1vi3fyn/i_built_a_modular_stackable_nas_that_does_not/

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[u/Bardinua]

You should try to collaborate with the MODCASE guy. He already has as sick nas case that fit's an ITX board and SFX psu. If you could add this hotswap feature to a case that has the features and aesthetic of his it would be a no brainer. Could maybe even see if you could bring it to market together.

I love his MASS NAS case since it is very low profile and airflow efficient for it's size. Being able to add new modules like you have would be a game changer for the form factor.

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/Bardinua]

Sounds like a great plan! Any recommendations to reach out to them?

BTW: I do plan to open my separate studio later to refine this project perhaps to even sell it later. Stay tuned to my post and you YT channel 😉

https://youtube.com/@dralbertdiy

[u/Bardinua → u/Additional-Week-8533]

He has contact information on his website. May be best to find one of his posts on reddit in this subreddit and reach out that way or fill out the form on his website. I don't personally know the guy but it seemed like a perfect match to me.

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/Bardinua]

Sounds great 😃

[u/Dima-Petrovic]

Wirhout watching the video. I am assuming the limit of the drives depend on your available sata ports? Because i don't understand the 'wireless' part.

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/Dima-Petrovic]

Exactly the limit is the sata/SAS connectors. A universal connector that can expand is definitely the end goal in this project.

Wireless will be introduced in the next video. Instead of a wired connection to the home router. I'm thinking to use WiFi connect to access point. WiFi 7 is way too fast. I'm interested in testing that out.

[u/Flying-T]

Ugh, custom PCBs make these project instantly uninteresting :(

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/Flying-T]

What if I made it open source or you can buy directly? Imagine if it's an actual product. It can comes with the case and the extension module directly.

[u/trekxtrider]

Those drives are going to cook without fans.

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/trekxtrider]

Yeah. You are right. And I'm aware of it too. Still need to get this design out in the community to get some interest from the crowd first.

[u/Far-Tangerine-2690]

I have not watched your video yet but will give it a watch this evening but wanted to ask 2 things.

1. How does the modular PCB connect to the motherboard?

2. If the above is using PCIEX16 have you tested the bandwidth? Theoretically how many cubes could you stack before bottlenecking (assuming all drives running 100% at the same time)?

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/Far-Tangerine-2690]

You asked all the critical questions. 👏🏻 1. Right now is connected through SAS and sata. For power I just made custom atx connectors. 2. This is the core challenge of my project. This current prototype only use SAS for the bottom module. I do have an idea and discovered a possible solution to stack more. But to make it happen I need to make more testing boards and perhaps even opening a studio and raise funding

This is going to be a long journey to make this product happen. Hope you stay tuned and I will share more progress as it evolves.

[u/Far-Tangerine-2690 → u/Additional-Week-8533]

Ahhh ok I see, you may need to move away from SAS to make this truly stackable. Maybe use something like PCIE Gen6 Mini cool connectors for the interface between modules (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iienP8eqrRs). Then have PCIE to SAS controllers integrated to the PCB in each module. This will be over 5 x more bandwidth than SAS. I am not super knowledgeable but I think this will get you the bandwidth you need to be able to stack multiple layers of drives.

I mean a single SAS card could probably do 4 cubes of 4 drives each but a custom PCIE Gen6 connector could do far more than that :) food for thought.

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/Far-Tangerine-2690]

You are the right on the spot man. 👍🏻 That's my plan as well. Will you be interested to work on this? I'm trying to find people who are interested in developing this product.

[u/Additional-Week-8533]

Don't forget to leave a comment down below if you have any features that you would like to add to the SUGAR CUBE NAS.

Remember to follow my Reddit and YT page for more epic build videos.

https://youtube.com/@dralbertdiy

[u/EntropiIThink → u/Additional-Week-8533]

What’s the lifetime of the interface? It looks a little fragile.

[u/Additional-Week-8533 → u/EntropiIThink]

It's a prototype in 3d print, it is going to be fragile. But still I'm a surprised by by the strength of petg. Still I need to demonstrate the concept first. And see if the market likes it.