Lightweight NAS/File Server OS

[BK_123]

Hey guys. So I've decided to pull my ole Dell P4 out and try using it as a NAS/File Server. I am looking around and at the moment I am trying Nas4Free in a virtual machine. Any suggestions?

I plan to test them in VM's before I decide.

 

[crazyman143]

I have used and can recommend Xpenology. It's basically just a ported version of Synology's operating system that will run on any pc hardware.

Xpenology Explained | All About Xpenology

 

[BK_123]

I've installed Nas4Free in a virtual machine and wasn't to bad to configure that. The specs of the machine are as follows:

Pentium 4 @ 2.8GHz
2GB DDR2 Ram
640GB HDD

It only has fast ethernet so I'll most likely buy a gigabit nic. I am now also thinking of using an old Pentium Dual Core E5300 I have lying around, I just need to get a motherboard, case and PSU to suit.

 

[root]

If you want NAS only, and are planning to spend money on it, then why do you want to re-use a desktop PC?

A small form (credit card sized) arm board, (cubie board, Olimex Lime, raspberry pi, bananna pi etc) boards are probably going to wind up being the same cost by the time you're done buying bits for the PC! (but smaller quieter and require less power.)

I'm not sure I get why you want a NAS OS, to share disks rather than using either windows or Linux that would enable to to put the box to more use (e.g. a media center, game server, web server remote access VPN endpoint etc.)

 

[BK_123]

If you want NAS only, and are planning to spend money on it, then why do you want to re-use a desktop PC?

A small form (credit card sized) arm board, (cubie board, Olimex Lime, raspberry pi, bananna pi etc) boards are probably going to wind up being the same cost by the time you're done buying bits for the PC! (but smaller quieter and require less power.)

I'm not sure I get why you want a NAS OS, to share disks rather than using either windows or Linux that would enable to to put the box to more use (e.g. a media center, game server, web server remote access VPN endpoint etc.)

Why not, I may as well put it to use. $15 for a TPLink gigabit nic is nothing.

I probably know this but which Linux distro would be suitable. The reason being as there is a Macbook & iMac so Windows most likely won't work.

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Honestly I would go with an Intel NIC... Even if they are 2 or 3 times more expensive, they just seem to hold out better, and have better support across various different operating systems.

 

[root]

Why not, I may as well put it to use. $15 for a TPLink gigabit nic is nothing.

True, I guess I'm still caught up in the thinking that every manufacturer is doing, newer better faster and less power draw...

but it's up to you really! - there is certainly nothing wrong with going that route.

corrosive makes a good point though, if you were to go with something like the synology NAS OS software ported to regular PC what is the driver support like?

 

[crazyman143]

if you were to go with something like the synology NAS OS software ported to regular PC what is the driver support like?

Since synology software is baked into a linux OS, I think you get decent hardware support. I've only used it on one PC (asus board with realtek nic) but all of my hardware was supported. Now that I switched to windows I still keep the synology as a vm because I liked some of the features and packages available for it.