TrueNAS as a really NAS customizable Solution
recover files & folder information from shadow copy after delete o r damaged file, folder or disk from user computer. its a really useful …
Starting at $0 per month
View PricingOverview
What is TrueNAS?
TrueNAS is a network-attached storage featuring all-flash and hybrid storage editions, from iXsystems headquartered in San Jose.
Recent Reviews
Awards
Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Asesor de tecnología de la información
Sistemas Contino (Information Technology & Services, 51-200 employees)
Pricing
What is TrueNAS?
TrueNAS is a network-attached storage featuring all-flash and hybrid storage editions, from iXsystems headquartered in San Jose.
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?
58 people also want pricing
Product Details
- About
- Integrations
- Competitors
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is TrueNAS?
TrueNAS is a universal data platform that enables users to adopt a modern, open-source approach to store and protect their growing data. TrueNAS harnesses the ZFS file system to provide unified storage (File, Block Object, and Apps) with the reliability and performance demanded by virtualization, backup, and many other data-heavy workloads. The TrueNAS CORE edition (formerly FreeNAS) is based on FreeBSD for unified scale-up storage. The TrueNAS SCALE edition is based on Debian Linux for either scale-up or scale-out solutions and offers Linux Containers, VMs (KVM), and scale-out ZFS storage capabilities. Both versions are free to use and work well on a variety of hardware.
TrueNAS Integrations
TrueNAS Competitors
TrueNAS Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
TrueNAS is a network-attached storage featuring all-flash and hybrid storage editions, from iXsystems headquartered in San Jose.
TrueNAS starts at $0.
Synology DiskStation, Dell PowerScale, and HPE StoreEasy 1000 Storage are common alternatives for TrueNAS.
The most common users of TrueNAS are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
Comparisons
Compare with
Reviews and Ratings
(47)
Community Insights
TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!
- Business Problems Solved
- Pros
- Cons
TrueNAS has been widely praised by users for its intuitive interface and versatility in various use cases. Users have found it easy to spin up virtual machines, conduct testing, and sandboxing. It is also commonly used for setting up a Plex media server and storing documents, downloads, and media backups. The integration of TrueNAS with security protocols like ActiveDirectory, LDAP, and Kerberos networks ensures file and folder-level security. Additionally, the ZFS Filesystem in TrueNAS provides data safety in the event of hard drive failure. Its compatibility with UPS allows for power outage notifications. TrueNAS is also utilized for home security camera monitoring and recording through ZoneMinder instances. Users have reported using TrueNAS in professional environments for long-term file storage and spinning up virtual machines for testing purposes. Furthermore, in the video production industry, TrueNAS plays a crucial role in storing camera data and referencing it during edits. Educational institutions rely on TrueNAS as part of their core criteria for Networking and SMB solutions. Organizations choose TrueNAS as their main on-premises storage solution, particularly for photo and video media storage. With features like SSD-based caching, a 10GB Ethernet port, and expandable network connectivity, TrueNAS offers speed and cost-effectiveness. It is frequently used as an iSCSI Datastore in VMware for primary NAS/iSCSI servers and nightly backups of VMs. Home users benefit from using TrueNAS Core as their business data management tool or home media server due to its simplicity and reliability. TrueNAS is often implemented as a backup/sync server, replacing tape backup systems to enable snapshots and reduce file recovery time. Integration with Nextcloud makes it scalable for file sharing, collaboration, and cost reduction purposes. In server set-ups, TrueNAS serves as a SAN providing simplicity of management, high availability configuration, and excellent support. Its fast performance and power make it ideal for mission-critical backups. Users prefer TrueNAS over Docker containers or virtual machines for its efficiency in managing, storing, and sharing data. It is especially recommended as an inexpensive enterprise-grade storage option for low-cost high-performance NAS systems. TrueNAS Scale, whether installed on a Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation Pro or on dedicated hardware, offers a solid software and user experience. Users have found it easy to install and appreciate its good performance and various applications for advanced testing. For those requiring fast and robust performance in primary data centers, the all-flash devices like TrueNAS M40 are the preferred choice. Lastly, users have had positive experiences with the salespeople and support teams from iX Systems, the parent company of TrueNAS. This level of satisfaction with both the product and the company further demonstrates the trust and reliability that users have in TrueNAS.
Overall, TrueNAS has proven to be a highly versatile and user-friendly solution for a wide range of use cases. Whether it's for personal media storage, professional file management, virtual machine deployment, or data backup, TrueNAS provides the necessary features and performance to meet the needs of its users. The ability to integrate with various security protocols, collaborate through Nextcloud, and serve as a reliable SAN or backup server makes it a valuable choice for businesses and organizations of all sizes. With its affordability, speed, scalability, and excellent customer support, TrueNAS continues to be a preferred storage solution for many users across different industries.
Robust and Reliable File System: Many users have praised the ZFS file system in TrueNAS for its robustness and reliability, providing them with peace of mind for their storage needs.
Seamless Integration with Mac and Linux Machines: Several reviewers have appreciated the seamless integration of TrueNAS with Mac and Linux machines. This integration allows for easy sharing of data through protocols like SMB and NFS, enhancing collaboration among different operating systems.
Flexibility and Stability of Software RAID: The flexibility and stability of the software RAID in TrueNAS has impressed many users. They have highlighted how it allows for customizable storage configurations, providing them with a reliable solution for their specific needs.
Confusing User Interface: Some users have reported that they find the user interface of TrueNAS to be confusing and not intuitive, which can make it challenging to configure and perform tasks efficiently. This issue has been mentioned by multiple reviewers, highlighting the need for improvements in terms of usability and navigation.
Challenging Initial Installation Process: The initial installation process has been described as quite challenging by some users, requiring significant effort and time. Several reviewers have expressed their difficulties during the installation phase, suggesting that a more streamlined and user-friendly approach would greatly enhance the overall experience.
Lack of Certain Functionalities: Users have expressed their desire for additional functionalities within TrueNAS. Specifically, there are requests for better VNC support for VMs and Jails, improved DLNA services for seamless video asset serving, and increased plugin integrations. These suggestions indicate that there is room for enhancement in these areas to meet the diverse needs of users effectively.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-1 of 1)Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
March 13, 2024
TrueNAS for speed, reliability and support.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I've been using TrueNAS / FreeNAS (in earlier years) for out companies iSCSI Datastore in VMware.
It allows me to make use of older hardware to make secondary / primary NAS /iSCSI Servers.
I also use these servers to do nightly backups of all our VMs. The ability to use TrueNAS Core software
has really helped us out in the last 3 years especially.
We don't have to wait on new expensive hardware to get a new NAS / iSCSI server running. The chip shortage
has made it a very scary proposition to try and acquire new hardware in the face of such a shortage should we
have a failed server. It has let me leverage previous investments in hardware to cover any shortages in storage
availability.
It allows me to make use of older hardware to make secondary / primary NAS /iSCSI Servers.
I also use these servers to do nightly backups of all our VMs. The ability to use TrueNAS Core software
has really helped us out in the last 3 years especially.
We don't have to wait on new expensive hardware to get a new NAS / iSCSI server running. The chip shortage
has made it a very scary proposition to try and acquire new hardware in the face of such a shortage should we
have a failed server. It has let me leverage previous investments in hardware to cover any shortages in storage
availability.
- iSCSI Datastores for virtualization.
- NFS store for unix storage or backups over networking.
- Very fast performance, sometimes outclassing SSD arrays even in NFS.
- The ZFS filesystem has given use much greater flexibility.
- Using their newer servers we could in theory scale to any height of required storage.
- Better explanations of what a 'jail' is.
- Update the UI to support easier creation or clearer creation of new arrays.
- More plugin integrations.
- The ability to run scripts to copy things locally such as to a usb RDX hard drive.
- Proper USB 3.0 support.
- NFS backup stores.
- iSCSI datastores.
- Available to install on any hardware (TrueNAS core).
- If we bought the TrueNAS servers themselves the advance replacements of hdd's.
- General support available outclasses any storage solutions I've seen.
- Zero downtime while switching company storage.
- Due to the availability I was able to avoid overtime as I was able to work during the day and the users were none the wiser.
- Synology DiskStation and QES (QNAP Enterprise Storage)
The support with TrueNAS is where it really shines. You can get support that if you purchase hard drives from them, they send replacements as soon as one fails. Automatically. If you have nodes in your server they will do the same. They also do advanced replacement, you don't have to wait to ship the failed drives away before you get a new one. Depending on the level of support you subscribe to you, you can even have the parts on hand ready to be replaced. This includes entire nodes. Most other solutions, despite being great do not have any ware near this opportunity.
They are mostly users who use the SMB filesharing protocol.
Myself, as sysadmin use the other features such as NFS and iSCSI etc. We have a rack mounted R20 as our main storage at our sister company. At our main location I've used a combination of TrueNAS Scale on bare metal systems to leverage previous assets to create a NAS with great specs.
I also have two installations of TrueNAS Scale installed as VMs for testing purposes and dedicated NFS stores.
Myself, as sysadmin use the other features such as NFS and iSCSI etc. We have a rack mounted R20 as our main storage at our sister company. At our main location I've used a combination of TrueNAS Scale on bare metal systems to leverage previous assets to create a NAS with great specs.
I also have two installations of TrueNAS Scale installed as VMs for testing purposes and dedicated NFS stores.
1
I am the only one who is currently supporting our TrueNAS devices and installations.
We also have a paid support contract for our R20 install.
We also have a paid support contract for our R20 install.
- NFS Storage for nightly backups
- iSCSI Shared Storage for VM disks.
- SMB Shares for file sharing
- Installing and running apps without the need of VMs
- The ability to aggregate 4 port network cards into a 40Gb connection
- Free Storage server software.
- The ability to reuse our old servers instead of retiring them every 4 years.
- More apps to reduce the need for VMs on vmware.
- Virtual Machines on TrueNAS instead of relying on VMWARE which we are likely not renewing.
- Networking and Storage practice / learning.
Yes
We chose truenas for our sister company instead of Synology. The price for starting out with Synology was pretty high.
Also our company wanted support availability and we also wanted to learn more about TrueNAS for our main company as well.
Also our company wanted support availability and we also wanted to learn more about TrueNAS for our main company as well.
- Integration with Other Systems
- Ease of Use
- Other
We needed the storage to work between VMware, Proxmox, TrueNAS Scale / Core and Windows Servers/ Workstations as well as linux servers and workstations.
So far TrueNAS has accomplished all of this. I just wish there was a better way to pickup their hardware here in Canada.
So far TrueNAS has accomplished all of this. I just wish there was a better way to pickup their hardware here in Canada.
I'd ask more questions of the sales people.
I'd also ensure that the drives are actually supported for boot AND storage.
I'd also start the machine off with 4x10Gb SFP cards next time. I'd also give greater weight to whether or not they can ship from inside Canada. The times to ship parts were not ideal.
I'd also ensure that the drives are actually supported for boot AND storage.
I'd also start the machine off with 4x10Gb SFP cards next time. I'd also give greater weight to whether or not they can ship from inside Canada. The times to ship parts were not ideal.
- Implemented in-house
No
Change management was minimal
This was a sister company so we were setting them up from scratch so there wasn't much to change on their side. To them it looks the same mostly.
I'm the only one who handles the configurations etc. To the users it just looks like a mapped drive on their windows workstation.
I'm the only one who handles the configurations etc. To the users it just looks like a mapped drive on their windows workstation.
- wrong boot drive shipped with server
- fans were gearing up and down repeatedly when no load was present. they had to be RMA'd
- Networking issues during setup made it difficult as this was supposed to be a headless setup.
We have a support contract for our R20 device. However you cannot get software support for Scale on other hardware. which is a shame. I get they cannot support unknown hardware but they should offer some sort of lesser support for the software only.
No
After our second power supply died on our compute system for running VMware we were able to piggy back on the first one and rather than following the same steps and delays they were able to read the old case file and agreed rather quickly with me that this was the exact same issue.
I had a new power supply shipped out the next morning and it arrived within about 3 business days.
I ended up sick so it was a few days before I could install it but they followed up with me to make sure that the PSU got installed and it was indeed working.
I had a new power supply shipped out the next morning and it arrived within about 3 business days.
I ended up sick so it was a few days before I could install it but they followed up with me to make sure that the PSU got installed and it was indeed working.
- SMB Integration with Active Directory
- iSCSI setup
- NFS storage setup.
- Networking setup with VLANS
- Permissions with ACLs / Active directory.