Archive:NAS

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Revision as of 16:04, 7 October 2006 by >Gamester17
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In short NAS (Network Attached Storage) is a a stand-alone device where you can install one or more harddisk-drives (either internally or externally), and then connect that device directly to your network. The NAS device is given its own IP-address and you configure it to share the harddrives and their data contents on the network to multiple client devices such as XBMC and your computer. This way you do not have to have your computer(s) powered on all the the time and the data will still always be available on your network and accessible from multiple devices. It is also possible to 'convert' a modest computer into a dedicated NAS device, in fact that is the cheapest way to get your own NAS, (the downside with using a whole computer as a NAS device is the size of the computer-case and possibly the electricity it consums).


NAS (Network Attached Storage) and XBMC

XBMC already supports SMB/SAMBA/CIFS (and UPnP) network-protocols which many NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices support. It is also possible to stream via FTP to XBMC but that is not recommended because the FTP network-protocol was never designed for streaming so that will not be covered here, nor officialy supported. To stream from a NAS device to XBMC simply setup a SMB/SAMBA/CIFS (or UPnP) share on the NAS with a username and password, (once you have configured its network settings and connected it to your network), then add a bookmark for that share in XBMC.


The definition of NAS (Network Attached Storage)

NAS (Network Attached Storage) is the name given to dedicated data storage technology that can be connected directly to a computer-network to provide centralized data-access and storage to compatible network-clients. Normally this means a harddisk-drive storage device that is attached direcly to your LAN (Local Area Network), typically a ethernet-based network, and assigned an own IP-address, rather than being attached to a computer that is serving data-files to network users. Network-Attached Storage consists of harddisk storage, (that can include support for multi-disk RAID systems), and software for configuring and mapping file locations to the Network-Attached Device. NAS software can usually handle a number of network protocols, and share formats. Configuration, including the setting of user access priorities, is usually possible using a web browser.


NAS (Network Attached Storage) compatible with XBMC

This is a list of NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices and software compatible with XBMC.
Please feel free to add any NAS device or software that you yourself have tested and know if it works with XBMC or not!

NAS devices that work with XBMC

NAS software that works with XBMC

  • FreeNAS (sourceforge.net project-page), a free open source FreeBSD-based operating-system that turns any x86 computer into a SAMBA NAS device, (plus firewall and FTP-server). (Tested July 2006)
  • Openfiler (sourceforge.net project-page), a free open source Linux-based operating-system that turns any x86 computer into a SAMBA NAS device.
  • ClarkConnect Community Edition 4.0, a free Linux-based operating-system that turns any x86 computer into a SAMBA NAS device, (plus firewall and FTP-server). (Tested September 2006)
  • NASLite, a non-free commercial closed source alternative to the above mentioned FreeNAS, boots from a single floppy diskette.
  • NASLite+, the big brother of NASLite, it has more features but is a little more expensive and must boot of a CD or a USB-stick.

NAS devices and software that doesn't work with XBMC

  • LanDrive 3.5" harddrive enclosure. Permissons are not working 100% with XBMC, (might get different results with different firmwares).
    • LanDrive (as OEM hardware) is available under many brand names like Hotec, Hotway, USBEX, FAN-TEC, Mediasonic and Midte.
    • Bytecc ME-850 Bytecc ME-850 with firmware version .24 (pretty sure this is a LanDrive as above?)
  • CoolMax NAS Model CN-550, supports SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested November 2005) another LanDrive?
  • Macpower Pleiades USB/LAN, supports SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested November 2005), another LanDrive?
  • Argosy HD363N, supports SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested March 2005)
  • Tritton Simple NAS NSS001, supports SMB but doesn't seem to work with XBMC (tested September 2005)
  • NetGear Storage Central SC101, does not support CIFS/SMB/SAMBA (only added to this list because so many people asked!)
  • CompUSA external NAS enclosure
  • Lantec NexStar LX supports USB/FTP/SMB but SMB doesn't work with XBMC. USB and FTP do work. (tested September 2006)

Converting an computer into a dedicated NAS

This is a guide on how to make an 'old' computer into a cheap dedicated NAS box by using a free (and simple to use) operating-system/software like FreeNAS, Openfiler or ClarkConnect Community Edition. This guide will hopefully get a little more step-by-step oriented over time as people who test and play with these softwares adds information from their experince, but for now a short description will have to do. So for now please refer to the the respective website of the mentioned operating-system/software for more information, documentation (user-manuals), and FAQs.

Note! By getting a computer which BIOS supports booting from USB you will free up a ATA/SATA-slot and are able to connect another harddrive to the system.


FreeNAS

FreeNAS is a complete operating-system and NAS software package which is free and open source, (so you do not not need any other operating-system on the target computer) and it features a nice web-interface for all configuration, (so no keyboard/video/mouse is needed after the initial installation). The FreeNAS boot-image itself takes up less than 32MB memory and can be booted from a harddrive, a USB-stick, or a Compact Flash card (if you have a Compact Flash to IDE/ATA converter). The harddrives to be shared as storage can be connected via ATA/SATA, SCSI, USB or Firewire, it also supports hardware RAID cards and software RAID 0, 1 and 5. Another nice feature is harddrive spin-down when idle (after ex. 30-minutes) which saves the life-time of the harddrives. The hardware needed is Intel or AMD x86 (IBM-compatible) computer, at least 200Mhz processor and 96MB of RAM (however 500Mhz+ processor and 256MB+ RAM is recommended to be able to disable the swap/page-file), and a network-controller/adapter, (FreeNAS even supports GigaBit NIC's which is great if your other computers supports GigaBit too).


Openfiler

If you have tested this NAS operating-system/software then please contribute some information and your experince here.


ClarkConnect Community Edition

If you have tested this NAS operating-system/software then please contribute some information and your experince here.

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