What version of FreeNAS to use?

[Fox]

I'm not really a new user, but I thought this would be the best place to post this.

Up until a few hours ago, I was running 9.2.1.3, and had been happily for a long time. I wanted to try some other features like jails, so I decided to make the jump and start using them in a later version. I also had to update my 9211 HBA card firmware as required by 9.3 and later. (probably why I waited so long to update).

So I decided to first load 9.31 before going to 9.10. I am now successfully at 9.31, but I realized it was the STABLE branch, and noticed there was a RELEASE branch for other versions. I researched the meaning of STABLE vs RELEASE, and found that, contrary to what I thought, RELEASE is more reliable, and STABLE tends to get bug fixes rolled in more quickly, essentially a stable development branch. At least this is according to FreeBSD explanations I found on the web, which I assume to be the same for FreeNAS.

Then I went to the FreeNAS website, to see what version is for download, presumably a safe version that would be reliable. When I mouse over the download button, the filename is dated today:
FreeNAS-9.10-STABLE-201606270534.iso

But, that same mouse over also shows a balloon over the button that says "FreeNAS 9.10 RELEASE x64 iso".

So, if I decide to jump to 9.10, should I use the RELEASE version from March, the latest STABLE version? Or maybe just staying with 9.31 is more reliable?

I would like to limit my risk of data loss if possible.

Thanks

 

[dlavigne]

RELEASE is what happened when a version was created and STABLE has all of the bug fixes that have happened on that RELEASE since then. For example, 9.10 is the latest RELEASE which happened on March 25. Since then, there have been several updates to fix bugs and those dates can be seen on http://download.freenas.org/9.10/STABLE/.

The upshot is that you always want to run the version indicated by the latest RELEASE (in other words 9.10), but the STABLE for that version (assuming it is past the release date). As of today, it means you want to be running 201606270534.

Note that this is why the "Download Latest 9.10-STABLE" link at the top of the forums points to that

 

[Fox]

This makes sense to me, but the FreeBSD explanation, although similar, is a little different. They explain CURRENT as bleeding edge, may not build or work properly, STABLE, similar to how you explain it (more reliable, will build, has bug fixes added to the branch frequently, but it is considered a development branch), but the RELEASE branch, they explain as being forked from the STABLE branch, whereas, you seem to do it differently.

Then there are the releases which are (in essence) just snapshots of the -STABLE tree at a specific point in time, that get a lot of testing, and are released to the public as a fully-usable OS. At time of writing, the latest releases are: 4.11, 5.4, and 6.0. The cvsup tags for these are: RELENG_4_11_0_RELEASE, RELENG_5_4_0_RELEASE, and RELENG_6_0_0_RELEASE. These are what are on the installation CDs.

SOURCE: http://www.scottro.net/release.html

I just skimmed the FreeBSD handbook, and they describe the CURRENT and STABLE branch, but they don't mention release directly, except they say thats what to use.

So, if you have an enterprise customer, what reliable version would you point him to at this point in time?

Thanks

 

[anodos]

So, if you have an enterprise customer, what reliable version would you point him to at this point in time?

TrueNAS. :D

Failing that 9.10 - STABLE

 

[dlavigne]

FreeBSD does the same thing as FreeNAS, if you consider the upcoming 10.x FreeNAS release to be CURRENT.

For FreeNAS, you ALWAYS want the latest STABLE, period.

 

[Fox]

Thanks!

 

[wissam]

Thanks

 

[wissam]

I highly recommand 9.2

 

[dlavigne]

I highly recommand 9.2

Why? It doesn't receive the latest fixes, drivers, OS improvements, features, etc.

 

[gpsguy]

Why? It doesn't receive the latest fixes, drivers, OS improvements, features, etc.

It's the second time today this user has recommended this old version.

 

[danb35]

I highly recommand 9.2

You have a total of three posts here, and two of those are recommending that new users install a four-year-old version of FreeNAS. Why?

Edit: And even more, why are you resurrecting a year-old thread to recommend a four-year-old version of FreeNAS?