If you are comfortable with the command line, it is pretty easy to spin up your favorite flavor of Linux, create a software raid with mdadm and share it out with either SMB or NFS. Its also VERY easy to install docker and portainer and run docker packages from the same instance of linux. That's pretty much what CasaOS, OMV and some others are doing. ZFS requires a different kernel (like from Proxmox) or for you to recompile the kernel yourself. That means trying to recreate TrueNAS Scale is a bit more involved. Personally I prefer BTRFS in that situation since it comes native with the Linux kernel. I just follow the route Synology has gone, and use mdadm to set up the software raid, LVM to do the volume management and then format the volumes with BTRFS in order to get copy on write and snapshots. That's the way I have my OMV set up as well.
best NAS OS
- Thread starter jjakajonas
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A copy on write filesystem like btrfs or ZFS ontop of a raid layer that does not use copy on write and checksums (mdadm or hardware raid) means that there is not the same protection (no corrupted filesystem or raid on a crash during write) that you expect when you use it directly on disks with native btrfs or ZFS raid. Copy on write should protect dependend sequential atomic writes (data+metadata or raid stripes that are written disk by disk). They must be done completely or discarded.
Btrfs or ZFS need full control of such atomic writes to protect a filesystem or raid. With btrfs or ZFS ontop mdadm or hardware raid it can happen on a crash during write that a raid stripe is on some disks but not on all and this action cannot be undone by ZFS or btrfs what means a corrupted raid. Another aspect: when a checksum error is detected ontop mdadm or hardware raid, it cannot be repaired on the fly during read like with a native btrfs or ZFS raid but only reported. You must manually restore affected files from backup.
Btrfs or ZFS need full control of such atomic writes to protect a filesystem or raid. With btrfs or ZFS ontop mdadm or hardware raid it can happen on a crash during write that a raid stripe is on some disks but not on all and this action cannot be undone by ZFS or btrfs what means a corrupted raid. Another aspect: when a checksum error is detected ontop mdadm or hardware raid, it cannot be repaired on the fly during read like with a native btrfs or ZFS raid but only reported. You must manually restore affected files from backup.
I gave up on VMware; I do not agree nor will I support Broadcom who want to focus on their top 600 clients
I dabble with Proxmox because clustering is so damn easy.
I am very mixed on True NAS Core because it is based on BSD - I just don’t feel like learning all the nuances of another OS. But I do love that dtrace is native in Core. Adrian Cockcroft ported dtrace over to BSD.
I love True NAS scale because it is Linux. Most of what I need I can use strace and truss for debug. Not as good as native dtrace but they get the job done.
I have started playing with UnRAID. Overall I like it. If you are creating a video library and you want want to run all the —arr packages as a Docker image then unRAID would be my choice. unRAID now supports ZFS. My two gripes with unRAID is you have to use a thumb drive for the OS Install. The license key is tied to the thumb drive. You want to build another system fork over another $100. It is difficult to change USB drives to new drives. If the USB drive dies they have to contact support to get the license moved over. I wish unRAID supported a mirrored configuration for the boot drive.
I dabble with Proxmox because clustering is so damn easy.
I am very mixed on True NAS Core because it is based on BSD - I just don’t feel like learning all the nuances of another OS. But I do love that dtrace is native in Core. Adrian Cockcroft ported dtrace over to BSD.
I love True NAS scale because it is Linux. Most of what I need I can use strace and truss for debug. Not as good as native dtrace but they get the job done.
I have started playing with UnRAID. Overall I like it. If you are creating a video library and you want want to run all the —arr packages as a Docker image then unRAID would be my choice. unRAID now supports ZFS. My two gripes with unRAID is you have to use a thumb drive for the OS Install. The license key is tied to the thumb drive. You want to build another system fork over another $100. It is difficult to change USB drives to new drives. If the USB drive dies they have to contact support to get the license moved over. I wish unRAID supported a mirrored configuration for the boot drive.
You could moved the USB key license online once a year (365 days) without contacting support.
To move the USB key license, use a new USB key, boot Unraid, OS would notify you that key is invalid.
Ask what to do, replace key , start a new trial . You would answer "replace key", the whole process takes couple seconds.
Unraid has sale (20% off) during black Friday, or sale during mid years.
You need a subscription for commercial use or for support.
You get most of Solaris with a free Solaris fork like OpenIndiana (server and desktop) or OmniOS (server with stable and long term stable)