Openmediavault, A Linux-based Solution For Building A Nas

Network Attached Storage (NAS) options are everywhere, and you tin salary a beautiful penny for a solution. Attached to a web move aliases router, it is simply a instrumentality that tin clasp backup information for aggregate devices.

You could bargain a basal NAS action for conscionable astir $100 aliases a much precocious solution for complete $1,000.

Don’t forget, however, that you besides person to bargain drives for that NAS. And you don’t want to conscionable bargain a modular drive; you request to acquisition 1 created specifically for NAS devices.

It tin get confusing and expensive.

That’s why I often move to Linux erstwhile I request to deploy a NAS solution. If you excavation heavy enough, you’ll find that astir NAS devices tally connected Linux anyway, truthful why not trim retired nan middleman and get correct to nan bosom of nan matter?

One of my favourite Linux NAS solutions is OpenMediaVault (OMV). You supply nan server and nan associated storage, and OpenMediaVault turns it into a NAS machine.

Although this Linux distribution does person a flimsy learning curve, you tin person it up and moving reasonably quickly.

Even without opening that first support document, I was capable to person a stock up and moving successful less than 5 minutes.

Because I tested OpenMediaVault arsenic a VirtualBox virtual instrumentality (VM), I had to unopen it down, create a caller thrust for it, reboot nan OS and past link nan caller instrumentality to nan system. That took astir half of nan 5 minutes to get this solution up and running.

Even pinch that flimsy learning curve, OpenMediaVault is beautiful easy to use.

Features of OpenMediaVault

OpenMediaVault includes features like:

• Multilanguage, web-based GUI for easy administration.
• SSH access.
• Supports aggregate protocols, including CIFS (via Samba), FTP, NFS (versions 3 and 4), SSH, rsync, iSCSI, AFP and TFTP.
• Allows for RAID configurations (levels 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, and JBOD).
• Compatible pinch ext2, ext3, ext4, Btrfs, XFS, JFS, NTFS and FAT32.
• Includes Syslog, Watchdog, S.M.A.R.T., and SNMP (read-only).
• Provides email reports and graphical statistic for CPU workload, LAN transportation rates, difficult disk usage and RAM allocation.
• Allows for elaborate personification and group guidance pinch entree controls via ACL.
• Supports quota guidance for users.
• Modular creation that allows for easy installation of further plugins to widen functionality.
• Variety of third-party plugins done nan OMV-Extras repository.

Installation of OpenMediaVault

The installation of OpenMediaVault resembles an old-school Linux distribution, utilizing a curses-based installer (Figure 1).

Using nan OMV installer simply requires you to usage your arrow keys and Tab cardinal to make selections and past type an admin password. It’ll return you less than 5 minutes to person it up and running.

Usage

Using OpenMediaVault does return a spot of clip to understand, arsenic location are a fewer tricks you must cognize about.

First off, creating a stock requires nan pursuing steps (all from nan user-friendly, web-based GUI):

1. Create a modular personification (from Users > Users > +).
2. Enable location directories for users (Services > SMB/CIFS > Settings).
3. Add a disk (Storage > Disks) that tin beryllium used. This will require an outer drive, arsenic you cannot usage nan aforesaid disk that nan OS is installed on.
4. Create a record strategy (Storage > File Systems > +).
5. Create a shared files (Figure 2).

If you’re going to usage Samba (SMB) for sharing folders, there’s 1 different point you person to do that must beryllium taken attraction of from nan bid line: enabling a personification for Samba. This has been a sore constituent for me, because it’s seldom mentioned successful archiving and astir often doesn’t person a GUI option. Because of this, a batch of users find themselves disappointment because they aren’t alert that this measurement has to beryllium taken attraction of.

Here’s what has to beryllium done.

1. Log successful to OMV via SSH (via nan admin aliases your modular personification account).
2. Make judge your modular personification has sudo privileges pinch sudo useradd -aG sudo USERNAME (where USERNAME is nan sanction of nan modular user).
3. Log retired and log backmost in.
4. Add your modular personification to Samba pinch nan bid sudo smbpasswd -a USERNAME (where USERNAME is nan sanction of nan modular user). You’ll beryllium prompted to create a caller Samba password (note that nan original password is blank).
5. Enable nan personification truthful they tin entree Samba shares pinch sudo smbpasswd -e USERNAME (where USERNAME is nan sanction of nan modular user).
6. Log out.

If everything has gone to plan, you should beryllium capable to entree nan shared files via nan modular personification you conscionable enabled for Samba.

I’ve overly simplified nan usage of OpenMediaVault, but it really isn’t overmuch harder than what I’ve outlined above, which is why I emotion this Linux distribution for my NAS needs. I’d overmuch alternatively deploy OpenMediaVault than usage a NAS-specific device, because I consciousness I get much power complete my web retention erstwhile utilizing this solution.

Updating OpenMediaVault

Finally, I thought I’d mention really OpenMediaVault is updated. You don’t person to usage nan bid statement for this. Instead, log successful to OMV pinch nan admin relationship and spell to System > Update Manager > Updates.

From nan Updates page (Figure 3), you’ll spot immoderate disposable updates listed. Click nan downward-pointing arrow to tally nan updates.

And that’s each location is to OpenMediaVault. This flexible, powerful solution is an outstanding action for some location and mini business web storage. OMV is easy to deploy and manage, and won’t costs you a penny (other than nan hardware that will location nan system).

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