UNRAID - OVERVIEW
unRAID Server is a Network Attached Storage server operating system designed to boot from a USB Flash device and specifically designed for digital media storage.
It employs a unique RAID technology, close to RAID4, but without striping, which provides for great configuration flexibility:
- Any combination of IDE and SATA hard drives may be used
- All the hard drives do not need to be the same size or speed
- Hard drives not being accessed may be spun down
- Can rebuild any single failed hard drive
True Incremental Storage
Unlike other RAID systems, unRAID Server supports true incremental storage expansion. You can add capacity by adding more hard drives or by upgrading existing hard drives. This is a great way to make use of older, smaller hard drives you might have laying around.
For example, you might start out by installing one or two new high capacity hard drives along with some number of smaller hard drives you already own. Later, you might decide to replace one of the smaller drives, and unRAID Server will restore the data of the smaller drive onto the new drive, and then expand the file system to incorporate the full size of the new drive.
Better Fault Tolerance
Similar to other RAID systems, unRAID Server permits reconstruction of a single failed hard drive. However in the unlikely event of multiple hard drive failures, data loss would be isolated to only those hard drives which failed. In traditional RAID systems, multiple simultaneous hard drive failure results in complete data loss.
Flexible Pricing
- FREE, unRAID Server Basic: Up to 3 drives: 2 data, 1 parity
- $69, ($99 for two), unRAID Server Plus: Up to 6 drives: 5 data, 1 parity
- $119, ($149 for two), unRAID Server Pro: Up to 16 drives: 15 data, 1 parity
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS
I have been running this system for about 6 months and have put it thru its paces with great results. The whole Unraid OS is stored on a USB stick.
I have filled hard drives thruout the system then removed one to simulate a dead drive, then installed a new hard drive of different size and make, issued a few menu commands and it rebuilt the old drive data onto the new one and still allowed me to use the system as it did the build.
Unraid is headless ... There is no problem in having a keyboard or a monitor connected--- once it is turned on you communicate with it via the browser from any PC so no need for them except to see / watch the OS boot and load its modules or test your memory - ram .
I have a website running on the unraid system as well as a torrent and newsgroup nzbserver and all works fine. (using the bubbaQ addon)
Nice to be able to download load items and not having to keep a regular pc online...
The 3 drive version is free and is a great way to try it out or even stay at that level if one likes.
Overall, I very much enjoy running the system, is it perfect no, but much better than regular Raid by a long shot!!
A good Video here:- revision3.com/systm/unraid/
Joe
lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/UnRAID_Wiki
www.lime-technology.com/joomla/technology
