iRODS is an open source data grid software solution that helps manage very large sets of computer files and uses multi-threaded network data transfers (www.irods.org). Such transfer mechanism might be faster than NFS or SMB to shuttle data between computers.
For example it is used to mange and archive data created by gene sequencers or imaging devices (http://www.diceresearch.org).
iRODS consists of a server application (feature request for FreeNAS), an iCAT Meta data catalog based on PostgreSQL (not needed for FreeNAS) and iRODS client (at user side, not needed for FreeNAS).
The server application is the main component that would be needed for FreeNAS because it provides access to the file system. The Metadata catalog can run on a separate computer (SQL). The iRODS application configuration file simply points to that machine.
iRODS is mostly useful for research or for users who want to maintain a large data archive (potentially on multiple FreeNAS servers at different geographic locations).
For example it is used to mange and archive data created by gene sequencers or imaging devices (http://www.diceresearch.org).
iRODS consists of a server application (feature request for FreeNAS), an iCAT Meta data catalog based on PostgreSQL (not needed for FreeNAS) and iRODS client (at user side, not needed for FreeNAS).
The server application is the main component that would be needed for FreeNAS because it provides access to the file system. The Metadata catalog can run on a separate computer (SQL). The iRODS application configuration file simply points to that machine.
iRODS is mostly useful for research or for users who want to maintain a large data archive (potentially on multiple FreeNAS servers at different geographic locations).
