FreeNas as an Image(Pictures) Server

[danielboles]

Hey, this is my first post so bare with me.

A company I work with is wanting to improve file transfer speed. The files being read/written are pictures ranging in sizes of: <2MB - >10MB. As of now they are using a WD MyBook connected via USB to their terminal server. The drive is then mapped as a network drive to local workstations.

Will a FreeNas server be faster than this company's current setup, and what hardware recommendations?

 

[raulfg3]

Will a FreeNas server be faster than this company's current setup, and what hardware recommendations?

YES.

You can start in http://sourceforge.net/apps/phpbb/freenas/viewforum.php?f=93

PD: you can see my transfer and hardware spec in my signature

 

[Fornax]

Yes, a Freenas-8 server will be better and more powerfull than that 'external HD'. It's more difficult to maintain also.
The WD has some admireable features. If it breaks it wasn't you is an important one. FreeNAS is more powerfull, but if it breaks it was you.

 

[joeschmuck]

If you create a FreeNAS box, go with a mirror system. Much easier to maintain and a failure is easily solved. If it's really important then a 3 drive mirrored system. The Beta-3 is very stable if this is the only thing you wanted to do with it. Since it's a company asset maybe they have a an old computer laying around you could use but just ensure it's 64 bit and has a minimum of 4GB RAM if you will be using ZFS. And you don't need to use ZFS if you don't want to, just most of us prefer it.