Operating system and/or database

[Peekay]

I am trying to figure out what FreeNAS really is. I was told that it is an operating system, but I cannot establish whether I need an operating system like Linux and a database like MySQL on top of that for my file server. What role does it play?
I am configuring a new file server and I was advised to use FreeNAS.
Thanks
PK

 

[Dice]

FreeNAS is an unix operating system.
It is based on freebsd.

Here is a overview:
http://www.freenas.org/about/features/

 

[Vito Reiter]

FreeNAS is the operating system, the main reason it's used is because of the flexibility of ZFS, the user friendliness of its GUI, and the fact that it has nearly all the features you'd ever need to get started with any sort of NAS machine. On the most basic level, you create redundant volumes and share them to your network, but FreeNAS allows a great way for non-linux/CLI experts to do all the great things you'd have to take hours to setup otherwise. Definitely a great tool for not only beginners but experts as well.

TL;DR, FreeNAS is the operating system, you don't need to install Linux, and it should be everything you need to startup a file server.

 

[Spearfoot]

If your goal is to set up a fileserver, FreeNAS will fill that role very well indeed.

If your goal is to set up a web or mail server, bear in mind that FreeNAS is a NAS system and can't run these services directly: you have to configure them in jails or virtual machines, which can sometimes be problematic.

 

[danb35]

a database like MySQL on top of that for my file server.

I think that either you are very confused, or there are some language difficulties such that what you're saying isn't quite what you're intending to say. A database like MySQL (or Postgres, or MariaDB) has nothing whatsoever to do with operating as a file server.

To act as a file server, if that's truly what you want to do, FreeNAS will work very well indeed. But if what you actually need is a database server, FreeNAS may not be the best choice.

 

[wblock]

but I cannot establish whether I need an operating system like Linux and a database like MySQL on top of that for my file server.

Usually the choice of server software is determined by application needs. You don't say exactly what you are trying to do, or whether the application needs a database.