Free and open-source network-attached storage (NAS) software!

FreeNAS

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Download FreeNAS 11.3 U5

FreeNAS

  -  756 MB  -  Open Source
  • Latest Version

    FreeNAS 11.3 U5 LATEST

  • Review by

    Daniel Leblanc

  • Operating System

    Windows 7 64 / Windows 8 64 / Windows 10 64

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    iXsystems, Inc. / External Link

  • Filename

    FreeNAS-11.3-U5.iso

  • MD5 Checksum

    c453fa2cc5c5705f72c18755222e1466

FreeNAS is an operating system that can be installed on virtually any hardware platform to share data over a network. The app is the simplest way to create a centralized and easily accessible place for your data. Use FreeNAS with ZFS to protect, store, and back up all of your data. It is used everywhere, for the home, small business, and the enterprise.

Note: FreeNAS is now TrueNAS CORE. The world’s most popular storage OS.

FreeNAS for PC is an open-source network-attached storage (NAS) operating system based on FreeBSD
. It provides a platform for storing and sharing data over a network, making it an ideal solution for home and small business environments. With its robust features and user-friendly interface, it allows users to create a centralized storage system that is reliable, secure, and scalable.



ZFS is an enterprise-ready open source file system, RAID controller, and volume manager with unprecedented flexibility and an uncompromising commitment to data integrity. It eliminates most, if not all of the shortcomings found in legacy file systems and hardware RAID devices. Once you go ZFS, you will never want to go back.

The Web Interface simplifies administrative tasks. Every aspect of a FreeNAS system can be managed from a Web Interface. SMB/CIFS (Windows File shares), NFS (Unix File shares) and AFP (Apple File Shares), FTP, iSCSI (block sharing), and more. Snapshots of the entire filesystem can be made and saved at any time. Access files as they were when the snapshot was made. Employ the Replication feature to send Snapshots over the network to another system for true offsite disaster recovery.

Highlights

File Sharing
File sharing is what the app does best. Every major operating system is supported with SMB/CIFS (Windows file shares), NFS (Unix file shares), and AFP (Apple File Shares) as well as FTP, iSCSI (block sharing), WebDAV and other methods of sharing data over the network are available. iSCSI also supports VMware VAAI, Microsoft ODX, and Microsoft Windows Server 2008 and 2012 R2 Clustering.

Web Interface
If Free NAS has one goal, it’s simplifying complex administrative tasks for as wide a user base as possible. Every aspect of the system can be managed from a Web User Interface. A setup Wizard further simplifies configuration at installation time or later in the setup process. Volume creation, or the setting of permissions on individual shares or performing software updates, can be done without missing a critical step or encountering a silent failure.



Data Protection
ZFS is designed for data integrity from top to bottom. RAID-Z, the software RAID that is part of ZFS, offers single parity protection like RAID 5, but without the “write hole” vulnerability thanks to the copy-on-write architecture of ZFS. The additional levels RAID-Z2 and RAID-Z3 offer double and triple parity protection, respectively. A software mirror option is also available. The Free NAS Volumes screen lists each possible parity arrangement based on the number of disks you select when creating a new volume.

Snapshots
Snapshots can be made on a one-off basis or scheduled as a cron job from the web interface. At any time, the entire filesystem can be rolled back to the most recent snapshot. Older snapshots can be cloned and accessed to recover data from that version of the filesystem. From the web interface, users can see how much space a particular snapshot is occupying on the volume and delete, clone, or roll back to individual snapshots as needed.

Replication
ZFS Snapshots are more than just local backups – they can be used to create remote backups as well. Replicating snapshots of the filesystem to a remote ZFS filesystem creates a complete duplicate there. Furthermore, additional snapshots of the same filesystem can be sent incrementally, reducing the size of each backup to the changes that were made between snapshots. In case of catastrophic damage to a local ZFS filesystem (such as disk failure in excess of parity protection or irrecoverable log device failure), any backed-up snapshot can be sent to a new ZFS filesystem, recovering all data up to that backup.

Encryption
FreeNAS for Windows 11/10 is the first and only open source project to offer encryption on ZFS volumes! A full-volume encryption option is available during volume creation, providing industry-standard AES-XTS encryption which can be hardware-accelerated (when the processor has AES-NI capability).

Plugins
It supports the core features of a NAS appliance out of the box. However, many users like to enhance their NAS appliance with third party software for media streaming, alternative protocols, or web applications.

Features
  • ZFS File System: It utilizes the ZFS file system, offering advanced data protection features such as data integrity checking, snapshotting, and replication.
  • Web-based Interface: It provides a web-based management interface that allows users to easily configure and manage their storage system from any web browser.
  • Data Encryption: Users can encrypt their data to ensure privacy and security, with support for encryption at rest and in transit.
  • Plugins and Extensions: It supports a wide range of plugins and extensions, allowing users to add additional functionality such as media streaming, virtualization, and backup services.
  • Remote Access: It enables remote access to files and services through VPN and FTP, ensuring users can access their data from anywhere.
How to Use
  • Initial Setup: After installation, users should configure network settings and storage pools according to their requirements.
  • Creating Shares: Users can create shares to make data accessible to network users, specifying permissions and access controls as needed.
  • Adding Storage: It supports various storage options, including hard drives, SSDs, and network-attached storage devices. Users can add storage devices and create storage pools to expand their storage capacity.
  • Configuring Services: It supports a variety of services such as file sharing, media streaming, and backup. Users can enable and configure these services through the web interface.
  • Monitoring and Maintenance: It provides tools for monitoring system health, managing storage usage, and performing routine maintenance tasks such as data scrubbing and updating.


FAQ

Can I run FreeNAS on any hardware?
It has specific hardware requirements, including 64-bit CPU, at least 8GB of RAM, and supported network interfaces. Refer to the official documentation for a list of compatible hardware.

How secure is FreeNAS?
It offers robust security features, including data encryption, user authentication, and access controls. Regular updates and patches ensure the system remains secure against vulnerabilities.

Can I use FreeNAS for virtualization?
Yes, it supports virtualization through plugins such as bhyve and VirtualBox. Users can create virtual machines and run them directly on the FreeNAS system.

Is FreeNAS suitable for businesses?
Yes, FreeNAS is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses looking for a cost-effective and scalable storage solution. It offers enterprise-level features such as replication, snapshots, and high availability.

How does FreeNAS compare to other NAS solutions?
It stands out for its open-source nature, robust feature set, and active community support. Compared to commercial NAS solutions, FreeNAS offers similar functionality at a lower cost.



System Requirements
  • 64-bit CPU
  • 8GB RAM (minimum)
  • Supported network interfaces
  • Storage devices (hard drives, SSDs, etc.)
PROS
  • Open-source and free to use
  • Robust feature set, including ZFS file system and data encryption
  • Web-based management interface for easy administration
  • Active community support and frequent updates
  • Scalable and suitable for both home and business use
CONS
  • This application has been discontinued, FreeNAS is now TrueNAS CORE
  • Requires some technical knowledge for installation and configuration
  • Hardware compatibility limitations may require research
  • Performance may vary depending on hardware configuration and usage patterns
Conclusion

FreeNAS is a powerful and versatile NAS operating system that offers robust features, security, and scalability. With its open-source nature, users benefit from a vibrant community and regular updates. While it may require some technical expertise to set up and configure, this program provides an excellent solution for storing and sharing data in home and small business environments.

Whether you're looking to build a simple file server or a complex storage infrastructure, it offers the flexibility and functionality to meet your needs.

  • FreeNAS 11.3 U5 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

What's new in this version:

Bug Fixes:
- Replication that worked in 11.3-U4 and 12.0-Beta2 fails in 12.0-RC1
- SMART and scrub tasks are not running
- Unable to remove certificate in s3 service  Certificates
- Comment and restrict change of large blocks support in replication
- Additional Domains don’t show up on save
- Cloud sync to Wasabi fails with “Can’t mix absolute and relative paths”
- No Task Manager Progress is shown
- UPS Settings Saving Bug
- middlewared memory leak
- Replicated dataset is not set to read-only
- Unable to Delete Expired ACME Certificate
- Error when updating a Jail 11.3-RELEASE-p6 to 11.3-RELEASE-p612
- Apparent crash on delete of share to invalid directory
- Generate a random default serial extent
- unable to delete iscsi file extents
- When creating pool, adding vdev, then removing it, leaves debris
- `failover_aliases` and `failover_virtual_aliases` are being overwritten as empty arrays
- change failover_vhid to type `select` instead of `input`
- allow editing empty interfaces
- Google Drive Cloud Sync tasks fail with exportSizeLimitExceeded
- Clear any potential stale state after leaving AD domain
- ACME DNS renewals don’t work
- Do not run check_available in a tight loop in case an exception happens
- Do not display previous replication task status after deleting it and…
- Custom sync schedule forgotten when editing task
- Merge FreeBSD SA-20:21-30 EN-20:17-18
- Expand regression tests for user api   
- Permissions are incorrect on home directory move
- Fix chown of skel directory contents for new local users
- Forums user reported logs filled with fruit error messages
- Pool in dashboard omits special vdevs from count and status
- Have ftp reload method reload proftpd rather than restart it
- Swap size setting not honored on 4k sector disks
- Unable to upload 8TB file to backblaze
- Unable to configure UPS on TrueNAS 12
- Expand list of error strings that should trigger an AD rejoin
- Reassign sys.{stdout,stderr} after log rollover
- “jls” hostname does not reflect modified hostname
- Add regression tests for AD machine account keytab generation
- collectd: blank warning emails
- qBittorrent Plugin Not Installing
- Recycle bin versioning not enabled
- Replacing boot usb drive problem
- Proper/better errno for failed authentication
- SED doesn’t work for nvme
- plugin boot checkbox re-enables itself
- Setting IPMI to DHCP should gray-out IP addresses
- setting invalid VHID value fails silently
- Ensure monpwd/monuser fields are provided for UPS service
- api context /services/iscsi/targettoextent does not allow null value for iscsi_lunid
- Periodic Snapshot Tasks – “Enabled” checkboxes are not unique inputs
- iSCSI webUI columns COMPLETELY break when edited
- Cloud Sync Bandwidth Limit Field Validation
- Cron job still runs despite being deactivated and then deleted
- Can’t clear Kerberos Principal from GUI
- Validation Error on creation of Manual SSH Connection for Replication Task
- dashboard is completely blank no widgets
- ZFS replication does not create datasets on target
- FreeNAS disks forget their assigned pool
- System crash after middlewared.set_sysctl():407 – Failed to set sysctl
- Categories for support proxy
- UPS ups is on battery power alerts since upgrade to 11.3
- Replication progress report error
- Periodic Snapshot are missing the lifetime in its name
- Rsync tasks view shows incorrect remote path
- Running Cloud Sync tasks keep on running after deletion in GUI

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