iXsystems' FreeNAS snapshot

Yesterday, iXsystems upload a snapshot of their new FreeNAS release on the SVN.
The new FreeNAS is based on nanoBSD, then here are all the steps for generate the disk image of this release (from a FreeBSD 8.1 amd64).
Refer to the README file for more information.

cd /usr/src/tools/tools/nanobsd
svn co https://freenas.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/freenas/experimental/ix freenas

cd freenas 

Then for build the 64bit release:

sh ../../nanobsd.sh -c freenas64.conf

Of for build the 32 bit release:

sh ../../nanobsd.sh -c freenas32.conf

The resulted disk image will be found in:
/tmp/YOUR-LOGIN/obj.freenas64|32/_.disk.full

(Don't forget to copy the disk image in other place and before a reboot if you have the 'clear_tmp_enable="YES"' in you rc.conf!)
Cross-compilation of a 32bit release should be possible, but didn't works for the moment (stop during compile of ports/net/unison).

The generated image can only boot from the first IDE device (/dev/ad0s1a) because of original nanoBSD script limitation (removed in BSDRP).

If you would test it from an USB key, first step is to copy it on your key (/dev/da0 for this example):

dd if=_.disk.full of=/dev/da0 bs=128k

And we need to adapt it, first by setting glabel on each partitions:

glabel label cfg /dev/da0s3

glabel label data /dev/da0s4

glabel label freenas /dev/da0s1a

Then mount the root filesystem of the FreeNAS:

mount /dev/label/freenas /mnt

And add this line to boot/loader.conf (it's a FreeBSD 8.1 boot from usb «feature»):
kern.cam.boot_delay=10000

Modify the etc/fstab like that:
/dev/label/freenas / ufs ro 1 1
/dev/label/cfg /cfg ufs rw,noauto 2 2
/dev/label/data /data ufs rw 2 2

And at last, modify conf/default/etc/remount too:

mount -o ro /dev/label/cfg

Unmount the key:

umount /mnt

Now you can try to boot from your usb key (login: root, no password).
FreeNAS is configured as DHCP client, you can try to connect to the very experimental WebGUI, but as wrote in the readme, this first snapshot is only a testing of the «base» system.

BSDay 2010 (Nantes,France)

Hi,

there is a BSDay at Nantes (France) the 1st june 2010.
We will present pfSense, FreeNAS and FreeBSD ZFS.

Free entry (no registration required) !

Solutions Linux / Open Source 2010 (Paris)

I will be on the FreeBSD stand during the 3 days of Solutions Linux / Open Source 2010 in Paris (16-17 and 18th march).
Meet me here !

FreeNAS ready for the next step !

Hi all,

FreeNAS needs some big modification for removing its present limitation (one of the biggest is the non support of easly users add-ons).
We think that a full-rewriting of the FreeNAS base is needed. From this idea, we will take 2 differents paths:

• Volker will create a new project called "'OpenMediaVault" based on a GNU/Linux using all its experience acquired with all its nights and week-ends spent to improve FreeNAS during the last 2 years. He still continue to work on FreeNAS (and try to share its time with this 2 projects).
• And, a great surprise: iXsystems, a company specialized in professional FreeBSD offers to take FreeNAS under their wings as an open source community driven project. This mean that they will involve their professionals FreeBSD developers to FreeNAS! Their manpower will permit to do a full-rewriting of FreeNAS.

Personally, I come back to actively work in FreeNAS and begin to upgrade it to FreeBSD 8.0 (that is "production ready" for ZFS).

Community Choice Awards 2009 - Your vote is needed

FreeNAS has been nominated as Community Choice Awards 2009 finalist in the following categories

• Best Project
• Most Likely to Change the Way You Do Everything

You can vote for FreeNAS by clicking on the picture below





Your project, FreeNAS, is a finalist in these

categories:

Best Project

Most Likely to Change the Way You Do Everything

Sourceforge CCA 09: Vote for FreeNAS!

Thanks to all for your votes on this first round !

FreeNAS has been chosen as a finalist in the categories:

• Best Project
• Most Likely to Chang the Way You Do Everything
  

Now, the "second round" is open : Vote for FreeNAS !!

You can found on youtube a personal video for motivate the voters.

Misc articles about FreeNAS

http://searchstorage.techtarget.com.au/articles/26686-REVIEW-FreeNAS
http://thaed.wordpress.com/2008/08/31/building-a-32-tb-server-a-thought-experiment/