Compare ESXi, Ubuntu Server and FreeNAS to see which fits your needs best.

F5F Stay Refreshed Software Operating Systems Compare ESXi, Ubuntu Server and FreeNAS to see which fits your needs best.

iron_finder1
Posting Freak

750

11-02-2016, 08:01 AM

You're considering different options for your new server setup. It sounds like you're weighing between FreeNAS, ESXi, and Ubuntu Server based on your needs and experience. You mentioned preferring FreeNAS for its simplicity but are concerned about plugin limitations and reliability. ESXi offers a straightforward way to launch virtual machines and could pair well with FreeNAS for storage, while Ubuntu Server might suit your media serving needs. Your 16-core system with limited VM threads is a key factor—checking the license restrictions for each platform will help you decide. Since you have some Linux knowledge, it’s a good idea to explore those options further and consider community support or documentation before making a final choice.

iron_finder1

11-02-2016, 08:01 AM #1

bkennes
Junior Member

11-15-2016, 11:57 PM

How do you feel about the Linux terminal? CentOS (which I recommend) and Ubuntu can handle everything and more than FreasCanRun. You can also use Btrfs in Linux and OVIRT to manage VMs on CentOS/Ubuntu servers.

bkennes

11-15-2016, 11:57 PM #2

OctaRamos
Junior Member

11-16-2016, 12:51 AM

It was straightforward to include a GUI on an Ubuntu server. The system is essentially standard Ubuntu, just without the graphical interface.

OctaRamos

11-16-2016, 12:51 AM #3

It was straightforward to include a GUI on an Ubuntu server. The system is essentially standard Ubuntu, just without the graphical interface.

Mitas211
Member

124

11-22-2016, 08:34 AM

I believe Docker will handle all my services. The main concern is the effort involved with ZFS through the command line.

Mitas211

11-22-2016, 08:34 AM #4

I believe Docker will handle all my services. The main concern is the effort involved with ZFS through the command line.

mjminer469
Member

159

11-22-2016, 05:25 PM

Using ZFS through CLI offers similar functionality to other filesystems or RAID setups. Unraid likely provides a more effective solution than what you mentioned. It supports Docker and virtual machines, plus software RAID and NAS capabilities. For Linux enthusiasts, CentOS may be a better choice than Ubuntu. Esxi allows running FREANAS as a VM for NAS purposes, but you’d still need a RAID controller for performance. Using that setup could lead to performance or data integrity problems since ZFS doesn’t recommend hardware RAID for proper communication with drives.

mjminer469

11-22-2016, 05:25 PM #5

ghkth2121
Junior Member

11-26-2016, 11:55 PM

I haven't explored unraid much personally. I mainly tried freeNAS and spent a lot of time learning about ZFS, which I found really solid given my ECC memory setup.

ghkth2121

11-26-2016, 11:55 PM #6

I haven't explored unraid much personally. I mainly tried freeNAS and spent a lot of time learning about ZFS, which I found really solid given my ECC memory setup.

mathd001
Member

11-27-2016, 12:07 AM

I haven't explored unraid much personally. I mainly tried freenas and spent a lot of time studying zfs—it really impressed me because I have ECC memory. Note: I just learned unraid can only use one parity drive, which isn’t enough for my needs. I’m aiming for five drives with double parity instead.

mathd001

11-27-2016, 12:07 AM #7

stuff048
Member

11-27-2016, 08:59 AM

Unraid 6.2 supports double parity and is currently in public beta. I'm using it with double parity and haven't encountered any problems—it's performed very well and remains stable. I think ZFS is excellent and makes a solid alternative.

stuff048

11-27-2016, 08:59 AM #8