If you have the need for a dedicated file server and have some old equipment laying around, turn it into a fully functional file server with FreeNAS.
FreeNAS is an embedded open source NAS (Network-Attached Storage) distribution based on FreeBSD, supporting the following protocols: CIFS (samba), FTP, NFS, TFTP, AFP, RSYNC, Unison, iSCSI (initiator and target) and UPnP.
It supports Software RAID (0,1,5), ZFS, disk encryption, S.M.A.R.T/email monitoring with a WEB configuration interface (from m0n0wall).
FreeNAS can be installed on Compact Flash/USB key, hard drive or booted from LiveCD.
One of the great things about FreeNAS is that is supports software RAID. Say what you like about it, but software RAID is reliable. Additionally all configuration is done via a browser interface making it remotely configurable. There are lots of reviews and how-to’s out there for FreeNAS, so if you are interested, do a quick Google search.
No need to buy new hardware… what you have laying around will probably do the job just fine.
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