This is our first post here. Recently, we have been testing TerraMaster F4-425 Plus. We have deployed it in a real Dockhand environment rather than running synthetic benchmarks. We wanted to see if a compact four-bay NAS could handle a busy container host. After deploying 45 Docker containers and observing sustained load, the results were strong enough that we kept the unit in our Dockhand lab for continued use. Below is our review: specs, Dockhand deployment on TOS, a first-container walkthrough, and behavior under realistic load.
Dockhand is a self-hosted web UI for managing Docker, designed for homelabs and teams. It provides container lifecycle controls, real-time logs with color support, a web terminal, Compose stack management with a visual editor, and full control over images, volumes, and networks. It supports multiple hosts (local socket, TCP, SSH), live resource stats, and keeps all data local with optional SQLite storage. It also includes SSO, OIDC, LDAP, MFA, and role-based access. More: https://github.com/Finsys/dockhand and https://dockhand.pro
Here we go.
THE SETUP
A capable, low-overhead container host
The goal was simple: can a four-bay NAS run a real Dockhand deployment comfortably? Within hours, the answer was yes. We deployed 45 containers, managed them through Dockhand, and saw no strain.
What it is
The F4-425 Plus is a four-bay x86 NAS built on an Intel N150 quad-core CPU (up to 3.6 GHz), with 16 GB DDR5 (expandable to 32 GB). Our unit reported ~15.4 GB usable. Networking includes dual 5 GbE, avoiding typical NAS bottlenecks. It runs TOS on Linux 6.1 and costs around $520.
Specs are one thing, but container workloads reveal real limits. What matters is responsiveness under load and ease of setup. That is what we focused on.
This unit ran Docker 27.2.1 (linux/x64). Measurements are from the live system: 45 containers active, CPU under 1%, memory ~3 GB. Headroom is substantial.
DEPLOYMENT
Getting Dockhand running on TOS
TOS makes container setup straightforward. No SSH or manual Docker install is needed. Setup takes minutes.
Enable Docker Engine via App Center → Recommended → Enable.
Then open Docker Manager. This built-in tool manages projects, containers, images, and networks. We only use it to deploy Dockhand.
Create a project under Projects → Add now. Name it dockhand, path /home/TNAS, and paste:
Code: Select all
services:
dockhand:
image: fnsys/dockhand:latest
container_name: dockhand
restart: unless-stopped
ports:
- 3000:3000
volumes:
- /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
- dockhand_data:/app/data
Verify YAML, then Apply. The container is pulled and started.
Within seconds it was running. System usage: ~2.15% CPU, ~1.06% RAM; Dockhand itself ~0.01% CPU, ~1.46% RAM.
Access it via the Port tab. Container port 3000 is mapped to a host port (e.g. 38539) with a clickable link.
TUTORIAL
First launch and your first container
On first launch, Dockhand shows release notes (here v1.0.31). This confirms the exact build in use. Our tests used Dockhand v1.0.31 CE on Node.js v24.16.0.
We started with a baseline container before scaling. nginx is ideal: small and easy to verify.
First, connect an environment: Settings → Environments → Add. Use Unix socket at /var/run/docker.sock. Optionally set public IP (e.g. 192.168.1.96) for clickable ports. Test and save.
Create a container via the wizard. Select nginx, confirm image pull, set name, restart policy, and defaults.
Configure port mapping: host 8080 → container 80 (TCP). Apply changes.
Opening the mapped port returns the “Welcome to nginx!” page. The full workflow—pull, create, expose—worked without CLI access.
Everything is graphical: no SSH, no manual Compose edits. This lowers the barrier significantly.
AT SCALE
Forty-five containers under management
A single container proves workflow; scale tests stability. We deployed a realistic mixed stack and observed behavior.
The system ran databases (MySQL, Postgres, Redis), messaging (RabbitMQ, NATS), web/proxy layers (nginx, Traefik, Nextcloud, WordPress), monitoring (Prometheus, node-exporter, Uptime Kuma), and tooling (Portainer, SonarQube, Vault, registry). CPU stayed near zero per container, memory usage remained modest, and uptime was stable.
The dashboard reported 42 running, 2 stopped, 45 total, all healthy. CPU ~0.8%, memory ~19.3% (~3 GB). Disk usage: ~14.4 GB images, ~168 MB containers, ~896 MB volumes.
Dockhand’s live logs proved useful at this scale, showing migrations, service startup, and WebSocket initialization in near real time.
We switched to the Monokai Pro dark theme—instant change, no performance impact.
The About panel confirms environment details: Dockhand v1.0.31 CE, Node.js v24.16.0, Linux 6.1.120+, SQLite backend. The UI remained responsive throughout.
THE VERDICT
A strong container host for its class
The F4-425 Plus performs well as a container host. Its Intel N150, 16 GB DDR5 (expandable), dual 5 GbE, and modern Linux base handled 45 containers at under 1% CPU and ~3 GB RAM, leaving clear headroom.
Equally important is ease of use. TOS simplifies deployment, Dockhand provides an efficient interface, and the system remains responsive under load. We would be comfortable running this in a real lab environment or production use.
highly recommended.
