The FreeNAS Project – Build Your Own Network Attatched Storage Device
by admin
I’m personally a big fan of the “green computing” trend. Not only does it feel good, but it’s also good for business.
One of the bigger environmental problems associated with technology is the massive amount of electronic waste that gets sent to landfills every year. Computer components often contain lots of toxic chemicals that make it difficult or dangerous to dispose of.
That’s why I love to hear about innovative ways that people are extending the life of legacy hardware. One such project – which I’d like to share today – is FreeNAS.
Simply put, FreeNAS allows you to take any old computer and turn it into a very robust Network Attached Storage device. The software is easy to install, very lightweight, and incredibly robust. And best of all, it’s FREE! (The fact that it’s lightweight makes it ideal for older boxes with very slow processors)
If your company isn’t currently using a centralized storage device, you’re really missing out.
A NAS allows everyone in your organization to have fast, secure access to their data from anywhere in the world… while simplifying backup and speeding up disaster recovery.
And that’s just the basic functionality!
The FreeNAS administration interface is incredibly simple, and offers lots of advanced tools and features. Some of my favourite features include:
- Support for file systems such as NTFS, UFS, FAT32, etc…
- Support for file services like FTP, NFS, Apple File Services, and more…
- Ability to set up user accounts
- Optional built-in web server
- It’s equipped with rsync and other helpful backup tools
- Support for Dynamic DNS
- Active Directory support
- Built-in troubleshooting tools and reports
Most of the tools you’d ever need are already included. And since it’s based on open-source Linux , it’s backed by a very active developer community and you can easily add more tools whenever you want.
For home users, it also offers a number of interesting tools:
- Built-in Torrent server (Have your NAS download your torrents for you and pick them up when they’re done)
- Support for streaming DAAP/iTunes server
- Support for Universal Plug & Play for gaming
If you’ve got some older hardware lying around, don’t just throw it out. Use FreeNAS to breathe new life into it. If you can’t use it around the office, you’ll certainly find someone who could use this at home. It’s a much better alternative than the landfill.
Download FreeNAS here: http://freenas.org/
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