Introduction: PocketPi V
As a computer science student, I am constantly curious about how far small hardware can be pushed. I enjoy testing limits — not just running things, but also determining what breaks first. Hosting a basic Minecraft server is simple, but things get interesting when you move beyond older versions like 1.8 and start dealing with newer releases above 1.20, modded setups, memory pressure, and storage performance.
At the same time, I've always been experimenting with NAS configurations on small hardware. I enjoy seeing if tiny systems can withstand real-world workloads such as file storage, backups, and continuous uptime without failing. Rather than utilizing a large server or cloud virtual machine, I integrated both concepts into a single project.
Using a Raspberry Pi 5, NVMe storage, and UmbrelOS to build a portable, self-hosted NAS and Minecraft server, this build is my attempt to test the capabilities of contemporary mini hardware. Learning, experimenting, and discovering how much power you can extract from a small device are more important than replacing enterprise hardware.
Supplies
I'll walk you through the process of building it with UmbrelOS.
Step 1: Installing Os
I downloaded the Raspberry Pi image from the official Umbrel website in order to install UmbrelOS. I then flashed it onto a microSD card using Raspberry Pi Imager. I chose the UmbrelOS image, selected the microSD card as the storage target, and flashed my Raspberry Pi 5 model in Imager. I then plugged the card into the Pi, turned it on, and waited for UmbrelOS to launch.
Step 2: Booting Umbrelos From NVME
After UmbrelOS finished configuring, I turned off the Raspberry Pi and removed the microSD card so it could boot directly from the NVMe SSD. The Pi automatically booted from the NVMe when it restarted, and UmbrelOS displayed a message instructing me to access the dashboard using either:
Step 3: Umbrelos UI
I then used safari to access my Raspberry Pi's IP address (or simply went to http://umbrel.local). I was prompted by UmbrelOS to set up an account with a username and password. I was able to access the entire UmbrelOS dashboard and begin configuring my storage and apps after creating the account.
Step 4: Installing Apps
UmbrelOS gives us direct access to the terminal. We simply launch the Terminal app from the Umbrel dashboard, which provides complete command-line access to the Raspberry Pi without requiring SSH.
I installed Portainer, made folders on my NVMe SSD, and controlled my Minecraft server using the Umbrel terminal.
Portainer began to run after a short while. I went to http://umbrel.local:9000 in my browser to open it.
Step 5: Setup Portainer
After Portainer asked me to make an admin account, I decided to access my Raspberry Pi's Docker system in the "local" environment.
To manage Docker containers on my Raspberry Pi, I create an admin account there and choose the "local" environment.
Step 6: Setting Up Server
I installed my Minecraft server using Portainer after configuring it. I used the itzg/minecraft-server Docker image to create a new container inside Portainer. I selected version 1.8.9 and set the server type to Vanilla. Additionally, I connected the container's data folder to my NVMe SSD for quick world storage and mapped port 25565 so I could connect to the server from my PC. The server was automatically started by Portainer after the container was deployed, and I could see the logs verifying its operation.
Step 7: Conclusion
The PocketPi 5 demonstrates the true potential of modern small hardware. I was able to create a self-hosted NAS and a Minecraft server that operates dependably while remaining compact, silent, and portable using a Raspberry Pi 5, NVMe storage, and UmbrelOS. The goal of this project is to learn, experiment, and comprehend the true capabilities and limitations of mini hardware rather than to replace full-sized servers. To be honest, the outcomes were better than anticipated for something this tiny.
