betterNAS Part 1: NAS Node

This document describes the software that runs on the actual NAS machine, VM, or workstation that owns the files.

What it is

The NAS node is the machine that actually has the storage.

It should run:

a WebDAV server
a small betterNAS node agent
declarative config via Nix
optional tunnel or relay connection if the machine is not directly reachable

It should expose one or more storage exports such as:

/data
/media
/backups
/vm-images

What it does

serves the real file bytes
exposes chosen directories over WebDAV
registers itself with the control plane
reports health, identity, and available exports
optionally keeps an outbound connection alive for remote access

What it should not do

own user-facing product logic
decide permissions by itself
become the system of record for shares, devices, or policies

Diagram

                            betterNAS system

   local device  <------->  control plane  <------->  cloud/web layer
        |                         |                          |
        |                         |                          |
        +-------------------------+--------------------------+
                                  |
                                  v
                      +---------------------------+
                      | [THIS DOC] NAS node       |
                      |---------------------------|
                      | WebDAV server             |
                      | node agent                |
                      | exported directories      |
                      | optional tunnel/relay     |
                      +---------------------------+

Core decisions

The NAS node should be where WebDAV is served from whenever possible.
The control plane should configure access, but file bytes should flow from the node to the user device as directly as possible.
The node should be installable with a Nix module or flake so setup is reproducible.

TODO

Choose the WebDAV server we will standardize on for the node.
Define the node agent responsibilities and API back to the control plane.
Define the storage export model: path, label, capacity, tags, protocol support.
Define direct-access vs relayed-access behavior.
Define how the node connects to the cloud/web layer for optional Nextcloud integration.

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