Convert a Server to a NAS

[Joe's Morgue]

OK, right now I have a full fledged server running, that is only a file server [right now.]

It's a 2Ghz, single core machine walking [it doesn't run] Win2003 Star Trek 1701 Server.

The load on it is pretty heavy. So, I'm thinking if I convert it to a NAS, it might do better, and I can add features to it as needed.

To do so, I would like to experiments with FreeNAS on my good computer in a VM.

Comments? Suggestions? Bashes? [be nice..]

 

[cyberjock]

Bashes! You idiot! Ok, just kidding.

VMs are excellent for learning FreeNAS. Bad for storing data safely, but great for experimenting. You broke something? Just rollback to the snapshot!

Check out the FreeNAS manual and make sure you create a VM with the necessary virtual hardware. I will warn you that you are almost certainly looking at buying new hardware regardless. If it's so old its running 2003 its probably so old it doesn't meet the minimum system requirements for FreeNAS.

 

[Joe's Morgue]

Bashes! You idiot! Ok, just kidding.

VMs are excellent for learning FreeNAS. Bad for storing data safely, but great for experimenting. You broke something? Just rollback to the snapshot!

Check out the FreeNAS manual and make sure you create a VM with the necessary virtual hardware. I will warn you that you are almost certainly looking at buying new hardware regardless. If it's so old its running 2003 its probably so old it doesn't meet the minimum system requirements for FreeNAS.

OW!!! Please stop abusing me! Who do you think you are, my wife? :p

VMs are also nice because of cost. Back when I learned PCs, I was putting them together on a budget. Now that I'm older, married, with kids, I can't afford to thinks about a budget!

Like I said, my machine is 2Ghz, do I really need faster than that? Right now, I'm sitting with about 5TBs of HD space being used for data storage, one drive does have programs that are run off of it.

The big question is: Would I be better off switching over to FreeNAS vs what I have now. I have 2 desktops, 3 laptops, and a Mac laptop that all access the server, plus I use DropBox with my Android device for data and pics, as well as for my daughter's pics...

 

[cyberjock]

Better is completely relative. If you want to learn a new OS and are willing to take the time to learn it(and are actually capable of learning it.. many aren't) along with buying appropriate hardware then ZFS and FreeNAS can be an amazing combo. But if you aren't willing to make those choices then things could potentially end badly for you. It's really something you'll have to decide for yourself. We've had many people get their butts handed to them because they didn't want to or couldn't learn FreeNAS.

I'm very secure with my data being stored with FreeNAS and ZFS. But if you want to make bad hardware choices you might be better with your native OS. There are no ZFS recovery tools so if things come crashing down you can probably kiss your data goodbye.