QNAP Web Server versus using a Container

[dsnider]

I tried to search for this, but could not find it, so please forgive me if this has already been asked...

I would like to know the pros and cons of using the QTS Web Server to host websites versus setting up a container to do the same thing.

Is there a benefit to containerization in this instance (security, stability, resource management, QoS, etc) or would it not be worth the added effort?

I was thinking of the example of a WordPress site. I know this can be done entirely at the top QTS level, and that you could also set up a container with a LAMP stack (Linux Apache, MySQL, PHP) and install WordPress there and keep it all completely segregated from QTS.

Has anyone done a comparison between both methods?

Thanks in advance!

[dolbyman]

QNAP webserver is outdated and runs as admin, a VERY bad idea to host any public websites on your NAS (just next to exposing your web interface to WAN)

No need for a whole LAMP container .. there is ready to go YAML compose scripts for wordpress.

[dsnider]

So even using a container, you'd say that it's dangerous to run a public website on your NAS? What if you used something like Cloudflare in front of it?

[dolbyman]

A container is 'containerized' so it's not as risky, no.

If you want to go through lengths of signing up for cloudflare, maybe spend a few bucks a year for a web hosting service (that way a hacked website does not infect your LAN)

[flyshu]

I believe that the PHP in the QNAP Web Server is an incomplete version of PHP. At least from my perspective, it does not support the WEBP image format, and I haven't been able to compile it myself to add support. Therefore, I prefer to use a standalone, freshly installed version of PHP. Of course, containerization is an even better option.

[Q-nap]

Several built in layered products like this are pretty mickey mouse on QNAP. Much better to use docker containers and you can specify the versions of each component knowing that an upgrade by QNAP will not force you on to a version of PHP for example you are not ready for.

I stopped upgrading Wordpress a while ago when they changed it and it stopped a Wordpress plugin I used working. I can keep that version as long as I want whilst adding new Wordpress containers on with the latest versions.