Posts Tagged ‘unboxing’

Part 1: Building a DIY NVMe NAS with the Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon)

Saturday, November 15th, 2025

 

Part 1: The Hardware Build

Welcome to AndysWorld.org.uk! Today, we’re diving into a project that’s perfect for anyone looking to build a powerful, yet compact, DIY Network-Attached Storage (NAS) solution. In this post, I’ll walk you through the first part of building a ‘MEGA’ NVMe NAS using the Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon). This mini-PC packs a punch with its powerful hardware, making it a great choice for a NAS build, especially when combined with UnRAID to handle storage and virtualization.

Why Choose the Intel NUC 11 Extreme for a NAS?

If you’ve been looking into NAS setups, you know the balance between power, size, and expandability is crucial. The Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon) checks all the right boxes, offering:

  • Compact Form Factor: It’s a small but powerful solution that doesn’t take up much space.

  • High-Performance NVMe Support: NVMe drives provide incredibly fast data transfer speeds—perfect for a NAS that needs to handle heavy workloads.

  • Flexibility for Virtualization: With UnRAID, you can set up multiple virtual machines, containers, and storage arrays, making it a versatile solution for any home or small office.

For this build, we’re focusing on using NVMe storage for high-speed access to files and a 64GB Kingston Fury DDR4 RAM kit to ensure smooth performance under load.

What You’ll Need for This Build:

  • Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon)

  • 64GB Kingston Fury DDR4 RAM

  • 2 x 512GB XPG GAMMIX NVMe SSDs

  • UnRAID Operating System

  • A few basic tools for assembly (screwdriver, anti-static mat, etc.)

If you’ve never worked with the Intel NUC before, don’t worry! I’ll guide you through every step of the assembly process. Let’s get into it!

Step-by-Step Build Process:

1. Unboxing the Intel NUC 11 Extreme

First things first, let’s unbox the Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon). When you open the box, you’ll find the compact, sleek chassis, which packs quite a punch for such a small form factor. This NUC is equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and can support a variety of high-speed storage options, including NVMe SSDs.

2. Installing the RAM and NVMe Drives

With the NUC unboxed, the next step is to install the Kingston Fury RAM and XPG GAMMIX NVMe SSDs. Be careful during installation—especially with the tiny NVMe screws! The NUC has an easy-to-access compute board where both the RAM and NVMe drives will fit.

  • Installing the RAM: Simply slot the 64GB Kingston Fury DDR4 RAM sticks into the dedicated slots, making sure they’re fully seated.

  • Installing the NVMe SSDs: These go directly onto the motherboard and can be secured using small screws. Be sure to handle them gently as the connectors are quite delicate.

3. Reassembling the NUC

Once the RAM and NVMe drives are installed, it’s time to reassemble the NUC. This involves:

  • Reattaching the fan tray and shroud

  • Reinstalling the side and back panels

At this stage, everything should feel secure and ready for the next steps.

Why NVMe Storage for a NAS?

NVMe drives are game-changers when it comes to NAS storage. Here’s why:

  • Speed: NVMe offers lightning-fast read/write speeds compared to SATA SSDs or traditional HDDs. For anyone who works with large files or needs to serve data quickly, NVMe is a must.

  • Future-Proofing: With more applications and data being handled in the cloud, having NVMe in your NAS ensures your storage solution is ready for the future.

  • Reliability: NVMe drives are more reliable than traditional spinning hard drives, with less moving parts and faster data recovery times.

What’s Next?

Now that we’ve completed the hardware installation, in the next post, we’ll dive into setting up UnRAID on the NUC. UnRAID will allow us to easily configure our storage arrays, virtual machines, and containers—all from a user-friendly interface. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll cover configuring the software, optimizing the NAS, and making sure everything runs smoothly.

Helpful Resources:

To help you along the way, I recommend checking out the blog posts from two experts in the field:

Wrapping Up

This build was just the beginning! The Intel NUC 11 Extreme provides an excellent foundation for a fast, reliable NAS. With NVMe storage and the flexibility of UnRAID, you can build a high-performance system that’s both versatile and compact.

What do you think of this build? Have you used the Intel NUC for similar projects? Drop a comment below or connect with me on social media—I’d love to hear about your experiences!

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Don’t forget to check out the latest posts and tutorials on AndysWorld.org.uk to keep up with all things tech and DIY. Happy building!

 

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Posted in All, ExpertsExchange, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, homelab, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on Part 1: Building a DIY NVMe NAS with the Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon)

Minisforum MS-A2 – The Ultimate #Homelab Server for VMware vSphere, VVF, and VCF?

Monday, June 30th, 2025

Lately, it feels like every VMware vExpert has been posting photos of their compact lab servers — and I’ll be honest, I was starting to feel left out.

So, I joined the club.

I picked up the new Minisforum MS-A2, and I’ve not looked back. This isn’t just another NUC alternative — it’s a serious powerhouse in a tiny chassis, perfect for VMware enthusiasts building or upgrading their vSphere, VVF, or VCF test environments.

Let’s dig into what makes this little beast a perfect addition to any #homelab setup in 2025.

Hardware Highlights – Not Your Average Mini PC
The MS-A2 isn’t just punching above its weight — it’s redefining what’s possible in a compact lab node.

Key Specs:
CPU: AMD Ryzen™ 9 9955HX – 16 cores / 32 threads of Zen 5 power

Memory: Dual DDR5-5600MHz SODIMM slots – up to 96GB officially, but…

Storage:

3× M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots (22110 supported)

Supports U.2 NVMe – great for enterprise-grade flash

Networking:

Dual 10Gbps SFP+ LAN

Dual 2.5GbE RJ45 ports

Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth 5.3 (going to replace this with more NVMe storage!)

Expansion:

Built-in PCIe x16 slot (supports split mode – ideal for GPUs, HBAs, or NICs)

This is homelab gold. It gives you the raw compute of a full rack server, the storage flexibility of a SAN box, and the network fabric of a modern datacenter — all under 2L in size.

How I Configured Mine – still sealed in box as I write – video incoming!
I purchased mine barebones from Amazon, and — as of writing — it’s still sealed in the box. Why? I’m waiting for all the parts to arrive.

Most importantly, I’ll be upgrading it with:
128GB of Crucial DDR5-5600 SODIMMs (2×64GB) — pushing beyond the official spec to see just how much performance this little box can handle.

Once everything’s here, I’ll be unboxing and assembling it live on a future episode of Hancock’s VMware Half Hour. Stay tuned if you want a front-row seat to the full setup, testing, and VMware lab deployment.

Perfect for VMware Labs: vSphere 8/9, VVF, and VCF
Whether you’re testing ESXi on bare metal or running full nested labs, this spec ticks every box.

ESXi Bare Metal Capable
The Ryzen 9 9955HX and AMD chipset boot vSphere 8.0U2 and 9.0 Tech Preview cleanly with minimal tweaks. Use community networking drivers or USB NIC injectors if needed.

VVF / VCF in a Box
If you’re exploring VMware Validated Foundation (VVF) or want a self-contained VCF lab for learning:

16C/32T lets you run nested 3-node ESXi clusters + vCenter + NSX-T comfortably

128GB RAM gives breathing room for resource-heavy components like SDDC Manager

PCIe 4.0 + U.2 = blazing fast vSAN storage

Dual 10Gb SFP+ = NSX-T overlay performance lab-ready

Community Validation – I Was Late to the Party
Fellow vExpert Daniel Krieger was ahead of the curve — writing about the MS-A2 months ago in his excellent blog post here:
sdn-warrior.org/posts/ms-a2

Then vExpert William Lam added his voice to the conversation with a guide to running VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) on the MS-A2:
williamlam.com/2025/06/vmware-cloud-foundation-vcf-on-minisforum-ms-a2.html

Seeing both of them validate the MS-A2 pushed me over the edge — and I’m glad I jumped in.

Setup Tips (Soon!)
Once the unboxing is done, I’ll share:

BIOS tweaks: SVM, IOMMU, PCIe bifurcation

NIC setup for ESXi USB fling and 10GbE DAC

Storage layout for vSAN and U.2/NVMe configs

Full nested VCF/VVF deployment guide

Considerations
Still not officially VMware HCL — but community-tested

Ryzen platform lacks ECC memory — standard for most mini-PC builds

PCI passthrough needs thoughtful planning for IOMMU groupings

Ideal Use Cases
Nested ESXi, vSAN, vCenter, NSX labs

VVF deployment simulations

VCF lifecycle manager testing

Tanzu Kubernetes Grid

NSX-T Edge simulations on 10GbE

GPU or high-speed NIC via PCIe slot for advanced lab scenarios

Final Thoughts
The Minisforum MS-A2 with Ryzen 9 9955HX is a serious contender for the best compact homelab system of 2025. Whether you’re diving into vSphere 9, experimenting with VVF, or simulating a full VCF environment, this mini server brings serious firepower.

It may still be in the box for now —
—but soon, it’ll be front and center on Hancock’s VMware Half Hour, ready to power the next chapter of my lab.

Join the Conversation
Got an MS-A2 or similar mini-monster? Share your specs, test results, or VMware experience — and tag it:

#VMware #vSphere #VCF #VVF #homelab #MinisforumMSA2 #10GbE #vExpert

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Posted in All, ExpertsExchange, Hancock's VMware Half Hour, vExpert, Virtualisation, Virtualization, VMware | Comments Off on Minisforum MS-A2 – The Ultimate #Homelab Server for VMware vSphere, VVF, and VCF?