Operating Systems for a NAS or File server
We are living in an era where data is the most important thing. Almost in every office or industry, data is being stored on computers rather than on registers, because it seems the easy and secure way to store data. Sometimes it becomes difficult to handle a large amount of data, so Network-Attached Storage (NAS) can help you out. It allows you to share your data through your network. You can easily access your data whenever you need it from all devices on your network. You can get different NAS devices that will resolve your storage problems. However, if you do not want to spend money on those devices, there is another option. You can easily create a NAS server on your desktop. There are different NAS operating systems through which it can be done. For your easiness, we have listed down the best operating systems for a NAS or file server. You can select any NAS OS according to your needs.
What are the Best Operating Systems for a NAS/File Server?
1. Openmediavault
Openmediavault is one of the best network-attached storage, which can be installed easily. It provides several services like DAAP media server, RSync, (S)FTP, SSH, and other excellent benefits. The best thing about Openmediavalut is that it can be improved through plugins. With the help of extra plugins, you can get more services. It is the best choice if you have a small business running in your house or a small office.
By using this operating system, sharing files becomes more effortless. The web interface of Openmediavault is user-friendly. Openmediavault also allows you to use all Debian packages. You can also quickly run system updates through Debian package management. Another great thing about this operating system is that it supports multilanguage. You can download this operating system from their website.
Download: openmediavault
2. FreeNAS
Nothing is better than a free NAS operating system; that is why FreeNAS is number two on our list. FreeNAS is free and open-source network-attached storage. So if you are looking to make your data centralized, then no other operating system is better than FreeNAS.
You can install FreeNAS on your hardware; if not, then you can install it virtually. In developing the web interface, FreeNAS did a great job. The best thing about FreeNAS is that it gives you unlimited storage without any charges. You can easily share your files and create a backup of your data for free. FreeNAS also provide the best data protection, and it can also recover your corrupt data in no time. It has a ZFS file system and RAID-Z software to protect your data. This operating system is also providing encryption. If you want to extend its functionality, you can use extra plugins.
Download: FreeNAS – TrueNAS Open Storage
3. TurnKey File Server
Most people love file server that is easy to use. TurnKey File Server is one of the NAS systems that are easy to handle – it does not require high technical skills. If you are a Windows user, then it is compatible with your desktop. You can also share files with their web-based file server.
TurnKey File Server supports different file sharing protocols like SFTP, NFS, SMB, and more. You can manage files in both private storages as well as in public storage. You can also compress your larger files into ZIP, RAR, or bz2 formats. TurnKey File Server provides a secure environment; you can easily access your files from anywhere at any time. The UI of the web is user-friendly; you will learn all features in no time.
Download: TurnKey File Server
4. EasyNAS
EasyNAS is all you need to share your files with your friends or working employees. It is all in one file server that provides you a secure data storage place. The hardware requirements to run EasyNAS are not high. If you have Pentium 4 or higher, with 2 GB RAM and 20 GB hard disk space, then you are good to go.
EasyNAS has a modern file system which is called Btrfs. Btrfs allows large storage systems scalability. Compressing filesystem is another good feature of EasyNAS. It also provides SSD optimization, mounting filesystem, scrubbing filesystem, and many more. The network protocols that EasyNAS support include FTP, SSH, NFS, AFP, etc.
Download: EasyNAS
5. XigmaNAS
If you have a large business and have a large number of data storage, then you should go for XigmaNAS. The best thing about XigmaNAS is that it is one of the fastest OS to create a centralized server for your valuable data. After creating a server, you can easily share your data with other people through your network. If you have XigmaNAS, then it does not matter which network protocol you use, and you can access it through any protocol.
If you have a system that runs Windows, macOS, or even UNIX, this OS will work for you. XigmaNAS is a much cheaper solution than any NAS boxes that are available in the market. In addition, you can customize XigmaNAS according to your needs. Another best thing about XigmaNAS is that it gets regular updates. So, therefore, if you are facing issues, they will be resolved after a new update.
Download: XigmaNAS
Conclusion
Now that you know the best NAS operating systems, you can select one according to your needs. They are much cheaper than a dedicated NAS box. Also, you can virtually install it on your server and can access your data from anywhere.
