Using freenas - discussion

[matlock]

Just wanted to toss out there and maybe get conversation flowing of how others are using freenas to enrich their life.

I currently use the MiniDLNA plugin as a home media sharing solution.
But i've wanted to broaden the availability of my content.

I have freenas running as a VM on an ESXi server.
On that same ESXi server, I have a windows VM.
I have found two VERY cool programs that I run within that windows VM.

The first program handles streaming video to my smartphone (iPhone) - AirVideo - http://www.inmethod.com/air-video/download.html

But i needed more. I wanted to stream media to a PC, anywhere in the world.
And then i found - Remote Potato. http://www.remotepotato.com/Default.aspx

And I can't tell you how happy I am with these two products. Each program has a server component that needs to be installed on the Windows VM, some pretty easy router configuring, and each has its respective paid app options. But its completely do-able to get by with the free options.


What interesting ways do you all use Freenas?
Maybe if a common enough denominator arises- developers could work on creating plugins.

Thanks for the input- look forward to the responses.
-Matlock

 

[praecorloth]

My FreeNAS box has a few, rather basic roles.

1. File server via samba
2. NFS storage for my Proxmox box
3. iSCSI storage for my Proxmox box

I created the NFS storage for Proxmox when I had some kind of failure that moved me away from iSCSI and LVM storage. Then I leveled up in LVM understanding, and have since moved back with proper fail safes to avoid whatever issue it was I ran in to. Now I'm mostly migrated off of my NFS storage. I'll probably have to keep NFS storage around just because Proxmox won't let met put ISOs and backups on an LVM drive.

But I must say, this basic little setup has affected a lot of people. My friend runs a relatively small computer fix-it company in our city. I was able to demonstrate the usefulness of Proxmox as a virtualization solution, and the usefulness of FreeNAS as detached storage. If the hardware in either system dies, no waiting around for the manufacturer to ship you the proprietary replacement motherboard. Hit up the store, grab any motherboard with the same CPU socket, replace, back up and running in less than 2 hours. Why? Because neither Linux nor FreeBSD freak the hell out when you change the underlying hardware.

He has somewhere between 10 and 15 of these combos setup in various small businesses around the city. Not much in the grand scheme of things, but it is growing steadily.