A Quick Overview of Unraid

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What is it?
  * https://unraid.net/product
  * Hardware-agnostic Slackware-based OS
  * Creates a flexible disk array that can change over time and be built from mix and matched drives
  * Allows up to 2 parity drives to prevent data loss in case of a disk failure
  
 What problems does it solve?
  * Lots of files on separate machines, never know where anything is
  * Drives fill up and files get separated
  * Virtual machines, applications, media etc... all must be duplicated to be available everywhere
  
Cool use cases
  * Media server using Plex or Emby that can play on all devices in the house (laptops, tablets, phones, Roku, other streaming devices)
  * Centralized backup server for all computers
  * Centralized dev environment with VS Code Server
  * Automatic cloud backups of photos/videos taken from phone
  * Run a self-hosted dedicated gaming server
  * CCTV Hub that can record video feeds from mix and matched cameras
  * Network-wide adblocking
  * Easy security scanning of devices on network
  * Personal Ebook library hosting
  * Heimdall allows easy access to all running services without needing to sign in or memorize port numbers
  * Tons more ideas can be found from SpaceInvaderOne on YouTube
  
 How much does it cost
  * Free to download and use for $30 days
  * Pricing varies from $59 to $129 (one-time fee) based on number of storage devices you'll be using (I currently have Plus, which allows for 12 devices)