Hi everyone!
I’d like to share PaNasMs — Pavlo’s NAS Management System, a browser-based management panel for DIY NAS builds. My own NAS uses a Raspberry Pi 5, Radxa Penta SATA HAT and four SATA hard drives, currently configured as RAID 6.
Update, October 11, 2026: stable 0.2.17 is available. The project has grown considerably since I first submitted this post! It installs on an existing Linux system as Debian packages; it is not a separate bootable OS image.
Storage, encryption and cooling
- Manage disks, partitions, filesystems, mount points and software RAID, with maintenance progress and supported pause/resume operations.
- Create LUKS-encrypted volumes, unlock them manually or configure automatic unlocking at boot using a key on the system microSD. Encrypted storage can hold home folders and Docker data. Keeping the key with the NAS protects a separately removed data disk, not a NAS stolen together with its key.
- Configure an idle timeout for HDD sleep, with automatic wake-up when files are accessed. Recent work improves software-controlled standby for disks whose built-in timer does not behave as expected, and avoids waking sleeping disks unnecessarily for monitoring. SMART access during standby depends on drive/controller capabilities.
- Schedule SMART checks and inspect their results, health information and temperatures.
- Configure disk cooling on supported hardware, including an external PWM circuit for a two-wire fan or the built-in PWM input of a four-wire fan. The disk fan can stop when all disks are asleep.
Files, sharing and cloud accounts
- SMB/NFS shares, Linux users and groups, permissions, SSH keys and session management.
- A Files module with local storage, network mounts, Google Drive and Dropbox in the same folder tree. Multiple cloud accounts are supported, with copy/move operations between local folders and cloud accounts, including between providers.
- Drag-and-drop, bulk operations, conflict handling, pinned folders, thumbnails and trash. Uploads and file operations run as background tasks, so switching sections does not interrupt them.
- A separate Cloud Sync module for ongoing synchronization: choose a NAS folder and a Google Drive or Dropbox folder, then select upload, download or two-way sync. Tasks have pause/retry controls and history.
- Shared external-account connections, plus sign-in through Google or GitHub. Cloud access requires OAuth-client setup and the appropriate permissions; setup guides are linked from the interface.
Networking — including a portable NAS
Manage Ethernet and Wi-Fi, share a connection through other wired adapters or supported Wi-Fi access points, and confirm network changes with rollback if needed.
One feature I particularly like for a small NAS: the fallback Wi-Fi hotspot. If the NAS cannot connect to a network, it can start its own password-protected access point. Take it in a backpack, connect power, join its Wi-Fi from a phone or laptop and access local files without a router or internet connection. It is configurable, can be disabled, and requires an adapter supporting AP mode.
Modules, containers and everyday use
- Install independently versioned modules from signed catalog packages or package archives, with architecture and dependency checks.
- A tabbed Terminal that keeps sessions running when you navigate elsewhere in the panel.
- An optional Containers and applications module: search Docker Hub or specify a registry, select tags, check architecture, and configure containers through forms for ports, environment variables, networks and storage. Logs and resource usage are available, along with desktop shortcuts and optional web-UI proxying. This administrator-only module is still a preview; an application catalog and new multi-service Compose deployments are not exposed in this revision.
- Desktop widgets and resource history; notification routing by severity to email, Telegram and browser push, with per-user language. Delivery needs channel setup; browser push also needs HTTPS and permission.
- Signed system updates with backups, health checks and recovery for interrupted installations.
- A responsive interface for desktop and phone, with light/dark themes and English, Ukrainian and Russian translations.
Current platform coverage
- Raspberry Pi OS 13, ARM64: tested on Raspberry Pi 5 + Penta SATA HAT.
- Armbian 26.8 based on Debian 13, ARM64: tested on the same hardware.
- Debian 13, AMD64 and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, AMD64: installation and core workflows tested in virtual machines. Debian 13 ARM64 packages are also available.
These checks do not certify every x64 computer or every Armbian image/board. Ubuntu ARM64 and the Red Hat family are not supported by the current installer. Hardware-specific features are offered where the hardware supports them.
Links
Feature overview, desktop/mobile screenshots and installation information:
Our Raspberry Pi 5 + Penta SATA HAT build: photos, components and cooling wiring diagrams:
Source code and releases are linked from the project website.
Thank you to the Radxa documentation maintainers for merging our community-project link! PaNasMs is now listed under Community NAS software in the official Penta HAT guide.
This remains an independently maintained community project, not an official Radxa distribution. I’d welcome feedback from other Penta SATA HAT users, especially on disk standby, cooling and different hardware configurations.