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Building a NAS Device w/ Embedded OS?

Posted by Cliff on from the when-off-the-shelf-just-isn't-good-enough dept.

An Anonymous Coward asks: "I've been thinking about building a NAS device similar to the Quantum Snap Server Has anyone come across anyone else working on a similar project? One that at the very least uses a small integrated board and some sort of embedded OS? Ive seen several systems that run a full Linux OS and separate boot hard drives, but this solution seems a bit too bulky for whats really required. Something that features a FTP/HTTP/SMB interface would be pretty slick!"

4 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. Microware by gerardrj · · Score: 4, Informative

    Microware's OS-9 is an ideal solution for such a project. The OS will run in a few K of RAM and has complete network stacks as I recall.
    THe OS runs on most chips from 6809(68K now) onward.

    --
    Article X: The powers not delegated... by the Constitution...are reserved...to the people
  2. not really nas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    but it's small enough to fit on a desk. you can boot the os from the DoC and use a hdd for storage. thinking of getting one myself for a tivo-ish type thing

    http://www.gctglobal.com/Products/Set_Top_Box/se t_ top_box_0.html

    oh, and it runs linux (/me wishes fbsd, but oh well <g>)

    --m

  3. Your options: by Nailer · · Score: 3, Informative
    • Linux / BSD. These are better choices the days than they were three months ago, because modern Linux NAS devices can handle Active Directory using Samba 3 code. This is a chief concern for a lot of Windows shops. Quantum, who employ Andrew Tridgell, now have a 1.4TB enterprise NAS box based on Samba 3 code, which apparently already stable enough to do this kind of thing. Obviously, SMB, LDAP, NFS (and NIS if you're into that sort of thing) are all possible. There's already existing web based UIs you can modify for your needs.

      Your main issue is that the permission system used on most Linux distributions is pathetically non granular and can prove annoying in even the most basic of office situations. Real OSs use ACLs, and no other distro than Mandrake supports these by default (and Mandrake, IMHO, in a not a choice for embedded Linux). With XFS, Samba 2.2 or greater, Linux can have ACL support, and Windows users can modify these ACLs from their client machines.

    • Windows 2000 SAK. Microsoft's solution for the NAS market is not an embedded OS but rather a 2GB default install of Windows 2000 with Services for Unix, and Mac / Netware interoperabiltiy installed by default. You can do most things though the web based GUI but you require a direct login to the device to perform certain tasks on many devices that used this (more a fault of the manufacturers tho - MS does provide them with the ability to add to the web based GUI). 2GB of software to run means 2GB of software to potentially go wrong, and 2GB to update. People will tell you `look it does Active Directory!'. You in turn can tell them `yes, so does my Linux box'. OTOH, Win2000 SAK has to compete with Linux and BSD devices, so there's no per client access licenses.
  4. Why not?? by jkidd · · Score: 3, Informative

    I also have a couple P-200's laying around with 40 to 80 gb drives in them. If you need something for production that is also small, why wouldn't this work with some case mods maybe. http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/computing/59ef.shtm l You could cover all the ports you don't need with a plate or something. Use some of those fancy screws like you Nintendo. Load Linux and setup some remote admin stuff. Plus your helping a /. sponsor. Just my $0.02