Generally, Storage solutions can be grouped into following four categories: SoHo NAS systems, Cloud-based/object solutions, Microsoft Storage Server solutions, Enterprise NAS (Networked Attached Storage) and Storage Area Network (SAN) solutions.

Enterprise NAS and SAN solutions are generally closed systems offered by traditional vendors like EMC and NetApp with a very large price tag, so many businesses are looking at Open Source solutions to meet their needs. This is a collection of links and brief descriptions of Open Source storage solutions currently available.

Open Source of course means it’s free to use and modify, however some projects have do commercially supported versions as well for enterprise customers who require it.

1. Factors for choosing Storage Solutions

   When you are in the need of Storage solutions for managing your own infrastructure in your private Data Center, there are many offerings but selecting the right one depends upon your requirement.

   Factors involved in selecting a Storage type

   • Budget
   • Type of Data that you want to store
   • Scaling concerns and
   • Usage pattern

   In this article, we will be discussing two different methods (i.e. NAS and SAN), these two methods define the Structure of the storage, it is important to choose the right one based upon your use case and type of data.

A Network Attached Source (NAS) is a device/server attached to the TCP/IP network, the data stored in this device can be shared. When a file read/write is requested in the form of an Network File system (NFS) or Common Internet File System (CIFS), it is sent to the NAS attached to a TCP/IP server, which on receiving the NFS or CIFS request, converts the request into local storage IO command set.

1. Features of NAS

   NAS uses File Level Data access. The main I/O protocol of NAS is NFS or CIFS. NAS may appear like a “shared folder” but it is connected by means of Ethernet, this can in some cases exacerbate the execution if the system is being utilized for some different things (which are the typical case) or the network slacks.

   

   Figure 1: Network Attached Storage with LAN Network (Source: WikiMedia)
    

1. Ceph

   Red Hat's Ceph offers multiprotocols (i.e. unified) objects and block storage capabilities. It is a distributed storage solution that boasts scalability, reliability and excellent performance. Well-known users include Cisco, DreamHost, CERN, Bloomberg, and Deutsche Telekom.

   Operating System: Linux

2. CryptoNAS

   This project aims to simplify the process of setting up an encrypted fileserver. It comes in a live-CD package or a server package that adds a web front-end.

   Operating System: Linux

3. ESOS

   Short for Enterprise Storage OS, ESOS is a Linux distribution for setting up a storage array on your own hardware. Commercial support is available.

   Operating System: Linux

4. FreeNAS

   FreeNAS claims to be the "the World's No.1 storage OS with over 10+ million downloads." It counts the United Nations, the University of Florida, and the Salvation Army, Reuters, Michigan State University, the Department of Homeland Security and many other organizations among its users. It can be installed on nearly any hardware to turn it into a network attached storage (NAS) device. Paid, supported enterprise solutions based on the same technology are available under the TrueNAS brand name.

   Operating System: FreeBSD

5. NAS4Free

   NAS4Free claims to be “the simplest and fastest way to create a centralized and easily accessible server for all kinds of data”. Its features are Zettabyte File System (ZFS), software RAID (levels 0, 1 or 5) and disk encryption.

   Operating System: FreeBSD

6. Openfiler

   As a unified storage solution, Openfiler combines the best features of NAS storage and SAN storage. Key features include high availability/failover, block replication and Web-based management. London Metropolitan Police, Bill Me Later, Pratt & Whitney and Motorola are some of the users. A paid commercial version is likewise accessible.

   Operating System: Linux

7. OpenMediaVault

   OpenMediaVault describes itself as a ”next-generation network attached storage (NAS) solution." Its goal is to give NAS shape home clients or small workplaces. It offers Web based organization support and incorporates programming RAID abilities.

   Operating System: Linux

8. Turnkey Linux File Server

   The Turnkey Linux Project gives pictures to setting up Linux-based servers for various purposes. It supports SFTP, SMB, NFS, rsync and WebDAV file transfer protocols.

   Operating System: Linux

9. BUILDING OF OUR OWN SAN AND NAS STORAGE USING FREENAS OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE

   Boot the machine with the CD/DVD:

Figure 3: FreeNAS Installer

Select the option 1 Install/Upgrade:

Figure 4: FreeNAS Stable Console Setup

Select the drive where the Operating System will be installed. We recommend utilizing a Flash drive (8GB) yet you can utilize a Hard Disk as well:

Figure 5: Choosing of Destination Media

Then root password is specified:

The installation is very quick, now you can discharge the DVD/CD and reboot:

Figure 6: Installation Success

Presently FreeNAS is fully operational. The shell educates us of the relegated IP. In our lab network we have an Active Directory Domain Services so we need to design the domain controller as the DNS server. To do as such we should choose choice 6:

Figure 7: Console Setup

Then specify the DNS domain and the nameserver IP:

Figure 8: DNS domain and the nameserver IP Specification

Presently it's an ideal opportunity to find the FreeNAS web interface. To get to the web UI utilize the IP address of the machine, determine the root credentials:

Figure 9: Root Credentials

Then, a quick wizard will be started as follows:

Figure 10: Initial Wizard setup

Next, Select the default volume and go on:

Figure 11: Wizard Volume setup

Specify the domain administrator credentials:

Figure 12: Domain Administrator Credentials

Then, we will see how to create a CIFS (SMB) share in future posts, for now leave the fields empty:

Figure 13: Choosing of Windows (CIFS)

Presently you can configure FreeNAS to send alarms and notices to an email account and affirm it:

Figure 14: Configuration of FreeNAS for sending alarms

We have to make the volume where we will put the information. Go to the Storage section and click Volume Manager:

Figure 15: Identifying Storage

We have 4 disks accessible and a RaidZ setup is the best exchange off between security, storage capacity and performance:

Figure 16: RaidZ setup

Then volume is ready for use:

Figure 17: FreeNAS is ready for use

That’s it, we've installed and configured the FreeNAS server.

As the amount of usage of data is increasing day by day, Storage solutions are more advanced solution which is easy to maintain. When these storage solutions are implemented and maintained properly, they provide the required safety to data. NAS and SAN offers centralized storage, they are very easy to maintain and do not require huge investments for setting up. The above considered open source technologies NAS and SAN paves the way for small business users to securely store their data and move on towards their development in IT world.