Its everything Home server should have been! (FreeNAS)

Member Name: crazyboi1

Product:	FreeNAS
Date:	19/05/08 (592 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Free, easy, fast and reliable

Disadvantages: Complicated install and many configuration options

Before i start i apologize for the technical language in this review but im assuming if your reading this review you have some knowledge of computers and an interest in geekyness !!.
What is FreeNAS
FreeNAS is exactly what the title says, its a Linux based operating system IE the software that tells a computer to run . FreeNAS stands for free network attached storage. To use this OS you have to download it from the website in the form of an ISO which then needs to be burnt to a CD, once that's done the complicated stuff is over, pop the cd into any spare computer you have and FreeNAS takes over, the installer runs and then you configure the network and disks following the comprehensive user manual. The computer reboots and you can access the web based configuration site over the network, and view the hard drives as network shares assigned to a static IP. From then FreeNAS s ready to use

Why use FreeNAS?
FreeNAS is great for putting all your data in one central place where all the computers on your network can view modify and create data. It handles all file types and is fast and speedy and reliable, in the 3 years mine has been online without a break it hasn't failed once, it uses very little network bandwidth and file transfer times on a optimized network compare to putting data onto a flash drive. Basically FreeNAS is everything that windows home server should have been.
Why wouldn't you use FreeNAS?
If complicated configurations and DOS style commands put you off then the install may be difficult for you, and to configure and set it up knowledge of IP/DNS and FTP would be beneficial

To conclude
FreeNAS is ideal for backups, file sharing, hosting your own website and a wealth of other uses with its fantastic user support forum ever updating manuals and perfect reliability there are very few reasons not too download it and best of all its free !

Review written by em and also published on CIAO

Summary: A must have for any network

Variety of features:
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