In today‘s data-driven world, network-attached storage (NAS) has become an essential tool for storing and accessing data. For Linux users looking to set up a NAS, there are several excellent free and open source software options to choose from. Here are 5 of the best:
OpenMediaVault
OpenMediaVault (OMV) is one of the most popular Linux NAS solutions. It is based on Debian Linux and has an easy-to-use web-based interface for management. Key features of OMV include:
- Supports major filesystems like ext4, XFS, JFS
- Flexible storage with software RAID and volume management
- File sharing via SMB, NFS, FTP
- Media server capabilities for Plex, Emby,etc.
- Extensive plugin system to add functionality
OMV makes it simple to configure networked storage, share files, and build a full-featured media server on Linux.
FreeNAS
FreeNAS is another excellent choice focused on high performance and flexibility. Key aspects include:
- Built on FreeBSD for stability and ZFS filesystem
- Supports SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP sharing protocols
- Advanced storage features like snapshots, replication, encryption
- Virtual machine and container support
- Wide range of community plugins available
With unrelenting performance, a wealth of enterprise-grade features, and support for virtualization, FreeNAS is a top-tier Linux NAS distribution.
Rockstor
Rockstor takes a different approach by leveraging Btrfs and Linux Container (LXC) virtualization. Benefits include:
- A fast and modern Linux foundation with CentOS/RHEL
- Management via simple and sleek web interface
- Innovative Rock-on app store for adding functionality
- Multi-protocol support with SMB, NFS, SFTP, etc.
- Docker hosting and container-based virtualization
For a streamlined Linux NAS that makes storage, apps, Docker, and virtualization accessible, Rockstor is a standout choice.
Openfiler
Designed for enterprise environments, Openfiler delivers stability along with a wide range of capabilities:
- Hardened NAS tailored for demanding business use
- Volume sizes scale up to 60TB for vast storage
- Compatible with SAN products and hardware RAID
- NFS, CIFS, FTP, and block-based iSCSI support
- Advanced security features like LDAP authentication
From SMBs to data centers, Openfiler provides battle-tested storage flexibility making it one of the best enterprise Linux NAS solutions.
Nas4Free
Formerly known as FreeNAS, Nas4Free carries on the tradition of delivering reliable, high-performance networked storage:
- Proven base leveraging FreeBSD and ZFS
- Focused specifically on NAS, not additional services
- BYOE (Bring Your Own Encryption) for added security
- Stable release cycles for mission critical use
- Backed by an active community of developers
With its sole purpose being secure and flexible NAS, Nas4Free remains a favorite for many Linux storage deployments.
Conclusion
There are many great open source Linux NAS distributions to help manage your storage needs. Solutions like OpenMediaVault, FreeNAS, Rockstor, Openfiler, and Nas4Free each have unique strengths while sharing similar capabilities. Assessing your performance, feature, and scalability requirements will help determine the ideal Linux NAS software for any environment.