1. Network Attached Storage For Dummies
2. Free Network Software
3. Free Network Attached Storage Software
4. Network Attached Storage Definition

NAS4Free is an Open Source Storage NAS (Network-Attached Storage) distribution based on FreeBSD. Earlier it was known as NAS4Free but in 2018 its developer has renamed it to XigmaNAS. XigmaNAS supports sharing across Windows, Apple, and UNIX-like systems.

As data storage needs continue to grow and many organizations move toward software-defined infrastructure, more enterprises are using open source software to meet some of their storage needs. Projects like Hadoop, Ceph, Gluster and others have become very common at large enterprises.

XigmaNAS (formerly NAS4Free) is an embedded Open Source Storage NAS (Network-Attached Storage) distribution based on FreeBSD. This project is a continuation of FreeNAS 7 series project. XigmaNAS supports sharing across Windows, Apple, and UNIX-like systems. It includes ZFS v28, Software RAID (0,1,5), disk encryption, S.M.A.R.T / email reports etc. Compare the best free open source Storage Software at SourceForge. Free, secure and fast Storage Software downloads from the largest Open Source applications and software directory. It is a simple and easy to use out-of-the-box solution that will allow everyone to install and administrate a Network Attached Storage without deeper knowledge. Storage solutions for small businesses. Open-E Data Storage Software V7 SOHO (Small Office Home Office) is a free version of Open-E DSS V7, previously known as Open-E DSS V7 Lite. With SOHO, you can take advantage of basic functionalities of our fully featured NAS / SAN software platform, now with a doubled capacity of 4TB free of charge. FreeNAS is open source-cum-free network attached storage software based on FreeBSD and the OpenZFS file system. It is licensed under the BSD licence and runs on X86-64 hardware. It provides a simple and comprehensive GUI to systems administrators to create a centralised and easily accessible place for data access. Rockstor is a Network Attached Storage (NAS) and private cloud storage solution based on advanced Linux technologies like BTRFS, Docker and others. In addition to standard NAS features like file sharing via NFS, Samba, SFTP and AFP, advanced features such as online volume management, CoW Snapshots, asynchronous replication, compression, and bitrot protection are supported based on BTRFS.

Home users and small businesses can also benefit from open source storage software. These applications can make it possible to set up your own NAS or SAN device using industry-standard hardware without paying the high prices vendors charge for dedicated storage appliances. Open source software also offers users the option to set up a cloud storage solution where they have control over security and privacy, and it can also offer affordable options for backup and recovery.

The list below features 64 open source storage projects that are among the best options available for enterprises, SMBs and individual users. Please note that this is not a ranking. Entries are organized into categories and then alphabetized within the categories.

If you know of additional open source storage applications that you believe should be on our list, feel free to note them in the Comments section below.

NAS/SAN Software

1. Ceph

Red Hat's Ceph offers unified object and block storage capabilities. It's a distributed storage solution that boasts excellent performance, scalability and reliability. Well-known users include Cisco, DreamHost, CERN, Bloomberg, and Deutsche Telekom. Operating System: Linux

2. CryptoNAS

This project aims to simplify the process of setting up an encrypted fileserver. It comes in a live-CD package or a server package that adds a web front-end. Operating System: Linux

3. ESOS

Short for Enterprise Storage OS, ESOS is a Linux distribution for setting up a storage array on your own hardware. Commercial support is available. Operating System: Linux

4. FreeNAS

FreeNAS claims to be the 'the World's #1 storage OS with over 10+ million downloads.' It counts the United Nations, the University of Florida, the Salvation Army, Reuters, Michigan State University, the Department of Homeland Security and many other organizations among its users. It can be installed on nearly any hardware to turn it into a network attached storage (NAS) device. Paid, supported enterprise solutions based on the same technology are available under the TrueNAS brand name. Operating System: FreeBSD

5. NAS4Free

Another option for do-it-yourself NAS, NAS4Free claims to be 'the simplest and fastest way to create a centralized and easily-accessible server for all kinds of data.' Key features include the ZFS file system, software RAID (levels 0, 1 or 5) and disk encryption. Operating System: FreeBSD

6. Openfiler

As a unified storage solution, Openfiler aims to combine the best features of NAS storage with the best features on SAN storage. Key features include high availability/failover, block replication and Web-based management. Its users include Motorola, Pratt & Whitney, Bill Me Later and the London Metropolitan Police. A paid commercial edition is available. Operating System: Linux

7. OpenMediaVault

Based on Debian Linux, OpenMediaVault describes itself as a 'next-generation network attached storage (NAS) solution.' It was designed to provide NAS for home users or small offices. It offers a Web-based administration console and includes software RAID capabilities. Operating System: Linux

8. Turnkey Linux File Server

The Turnkey Linux project offers images for setting up Linux-based servers for a variety of purposes, including an image for creating a simple NAS device. It includes support for SMB, SFTP, NFS, WebDAV and rsync file transfer protocols. Operating System: Linux

Filesystems

9. Btrfs

A joint project supported by Facebook, Fujitsu, Intel, the Linux Foundation, Netgear, Novell, Oracle, Red Hat and others, Btrfs is a copy on write (CoW) filesystem for Linux. It focuses on 'fault tolerance, repair and easy administration.' Operating System: Linux

10. Ext4

Included in most popular Linux distributions, Ext4 supports file systems up to 1 EB in size with up to 16 TB per file. Other key features include extents, multiblock allocation, delayed allocation, Fast fsck, journal checksumming, 'no journaling' mode, online defragmentation and more. Operating System: Linux

11. GlusterFS

A Red Hat project, GlusterFS is a highly scalable file system built for applications like media streaming and big data analytics. Professional support is available through third-party vendors. It has a large and active user community, and the website includes links to many Gluster-related blogs. Operating System: Linux

12. Lustre

Built to handle the needs of high-performance computing (HPC) environments, Lustre is a scalable parallel file system. It was first developed at Carnegie Mellon University, and its first users included various U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories. The latest version, released in April, supports Data on MDT, file-level redundancy, lock ahead and more. Operating System: Linux

13. ZFS

Also incorporated into many Linux distributions, including Arch, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu and others, ZFS is another highly scalable file system. It includes compression, protection against data corruption, snapshots, RAID support and more. Operating System: Linux, macOS, FreeBSD

RAID

14. DRBD

DRBD is an open source solution for building high-availability storage clusters based on RAID-1. Commercial products, including software-defined storage, disaster recovery and high availability solutions based on the same technology, are available through project sponsor Linbit. Operating System: Linux

15. Mdadm

Built into the Linux kernel, mdadm makes it easy to create, manage and monitor storage arrays. It can also move spares between RAID arrays. More information is also available on the Linux RAID wiki. Operating System: Linux

16. Raider

Raider is a bash shell script that allows users convert any Linux disk into a RAID array with software RAID 1, 4, 5, 6 or 10. It works with many of the most popular Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Linux Mint and others. Operating System: Linux

17. RaidEye

RaidEye isn't so much a tool for creating RAID devices as a utility for monitoring RAID volumes. It works with the RAID capabilities built into macOS and notifies users of problems via a sound alarm, popup dialog and email. Operating System: macOS

18. SnapRAID

SnapRAID arrays can recover from up to six disk failures. The tool was built for home media servers or other environments with a lot of big files that rarely change. Key features include data hashing, the ability to recover deleted files and no lock-in. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

Backup and Synchronization

19. AMANDA

The Advanced Maryland Automatic Network Disk Archiver, or AMANDA, is a popular network backup solution that can save data from Linux, Unix or Windows systems to hard drives, tape or optical media. It was last updated in December 2017. Zmanda, which sponsors the project, offers commercial products based on the same technology. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS.

20. Areca Backup

Designed for personal use, Area is a simple but versatile backup solution. Key features include delta backup, compression, encryption, filters, as-of-date recovery and more. Operating System: Windows, Linux

21. BackupPC

Robust enough for enterprise use, BackupPC backs up data from Linux and Windows systems to disk. Noteworthy features include a unique pooling scheme, optional compression, a web interface and support for mobile devices. It claims to be highly configurable and easy to install and maintain. Operating System: Windows, Linux

22. Bacula

Another option for enterprises, Bacula is a network backup solution that aims to be easy to use and very efficient. It claims to be the most popular open source backup program. Commercial support and services for the solution are available through Bacula Systems. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

23. Bareos

Forked from Bacula, Bareos is a popular open source backup option that is under very active development with the latest version released in February 2018. The Bareos.com website offers paid support and services for the tool. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

24. Box Backup

This 'completely automatic' backup solution creates backups continuously and can also create snapshots when desired. It includes encryption and optional RAID capabilities, and old file versions and deleted files remain available. Operating System: Windows, Linux

25. BURP

Short for 'BackUp And Restore Program,' BURP is a network backup solution. It offers a choice of two different protocols: one based on librsync (see below) and one that uses variable length chunking for inline deduplication. It is designed to be easier to configure than some other open source solutions, and it can do delta backups. Operating System: Windows, Linux

26. Clonezilla

Designed to replace Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost, Clonezilla is useful for both system deployment and backup and recovery. It comes in two flavors: live for standalone systems and SE for network backup or cloning multiple systems at once. The SE version can clone 40 or more systems at once. Operating System: Linux

27. Create Synchronicity

Powerful but lightweight, this backup tool takes up only 220KB of space on your hard drive. It supports multiple languages, has an intuitive interface and includes a scheduler. It is also helpful for syncing photos, music and other files across devices. Operating System: Windows

28. DAR

Disk Archive, a.k.a. DAR, is an older command-line tool for backup, but it is still being updated regularly with the most recent version released in April 2018. For those who prefer a GUI, one is available through the DarGUI project. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

29. DirSync Pro

This 'small but powerful,' utility offers incremental backup, filtering and scheduling capabilities. It also boasts an intuitive interface, and it offers the ability to analyze two sets of files or folders and detect the changes between them. It also includes a helpful real-time synchronization option. Operating System: Windows

30. Duplicati

Duplicati works with cloud storage services like AWS S3, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Box to create backups with AES-256 encryption. It does a full backup on first use and incremental backups after that; it also offers data deduplication capabilities. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

31. FOG

FOG offers cross-platform cloning and imaging capabilities plus remote management for networks of any size. It offers support through forums and a wiki. Operating System: Linux, Windows, macOS.

32. FreeFileSync

A tool for standalone systems, FreeFileSync aims to save users time when setting up and running backups. It is cross-platform and includes 64-bit support. Tutorials and a manual are available on the website. Operating System: Linux, Windows, macOS

33. FullSync

Although it was designed to help web developers push updates to their sites, FullSync can also be used by anyone to create backups. Key features include multiple modes, flexible rules, buffered filesystems, support for multiple file transfer protocols and more. Note that development on this project has slowed somewhat as it hasn’t been updated since April 2016. Operating System: Linux, Windows, macOS

34. Grsync

Grsync takes the older rsync synchronization tool and adds an easy-to-use GUI. Noteworthy features include unlimited sessions, highlighted errors, batch capabilities, simulations, support for multiple languages and more. Operating System: Linux, Windows, macOS

35. Mondo Rescue

For Linux and FreeBSD only, Mondo Rescue is a disaster recovery solution that supports tape, disk, network or optical media backups. According to its website, its users include 'Lockheed-Martin, Nortel Networks, Siemens, HP, IBM, and dozens of smaller companies.' The most recent update was released in April 2016. Operating System: Linux, Free BSD

36. Partimage

This tool saves partitions of drives as image files, making it useful for backup or installing the same image on multiple systems. It can run across networks or on a standalone PC. It can also be used to create a SystemRescueCD. Operating System: Linux

37. Redo

Redo boasts that its bare-metal restore capabilities can get a crashed system back up and running in as little as 10 minutes. It's very easy to use and can also recover deleted images and files. Operating System: Windows, Linux

38. Rsync

Rsync is a Unix-based file-transfer utility with synchronization capabilities that make it suitable for creating backups or mirroring. It's a useful tool but is best used by advanced users. The most recent version was released in January 2018. Operating System: Linux, Windows, macOS

39. Synkron

While this app is focused primarily on synchronization, it can be used for creating backups as well. Key features include analysis capabilities, blacklisting, restores and cross-platform support. Documentation is available in both German and English. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

40. Unison

Like Synkron, Unison is a file synchronization tool. It can copy files between any two systems connected to the internet, and it has features in common with source code management tools as well as with backup utilities. Its advantage over some other synchronization tools is that it can combine two sets of files where both sets have undergone changes. Operating System: Windows, Unix

41. UrBackup

This client-server backup solution does both image and file backups. It promises 'both data safety and a fast restoration time.' It makes backups while the system is in use without interrupting normal operation. Operating System: Windows, Linux

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Network Attached Storage For Dummies

42. Weex

The Weex developers intended it primarily as a tool for pushing content to websites, but it can also be used to synchronize or backup files. It supports FTP file transfer and uses caching to speed data transfer. Operating System: Windows, Linux

Online/Cloud Data Storage

43. CloudStack

This Apache Foundation project is open source cloud computing platform that includes cloud storage capabilities. Noteworthy features include compute orchestration, network as a service capabilities, user and account management, resource accounting and support for multiple hypervisors. Operating System: Windows, Linux

44. CloudStore

This Dropbox alternative synchronizes data between a system and online storage. It promises strong encryption, password-less authentication, flexible synchronization, fast setup and auto-resumes for interrupted data transfers. Operating System: Linux

45. Cozy

Cozy is both an open source project for storing personal data online and a free service for managing and securing sensitive data. Note that the free hosting is for up to 5GB of data; additional storage will require a fee. Operating System: Linux

46. FTPbox

Want to set up your own cloud storage server? FTPbox makes it easy to be your own cloud provider, with all files transferred via FTP. Operating System: Windows

47. OpenStack

Probably the best-known open source cloud computing platform, OpenStack offers a complete operating system for controlling compute, networking and, of course, storage in the cloud. It incorporates three sub-projects related to storage: Cinder, Swift and Manila. Operating System: Windows

48. Perkeep

Formerly known as Camlistore, Perkeep describes itself as 'a set of open source formats, protocols, and software for modeling, storing, searching, sharing and synchronizing data in the post-PC era.' It's still under very active development and will require some technical knowhow to use. Operating System: Linux

49. Pydio

Downloaded more than a million times, Pydio counts the University of Cambridge, Seagate, Guitar Center, Washington State University and Nikon among its users. It offers cloud-based file management and sharing. A paid enterprise distribution is available. Operating System: Windows, Linux (Android and iOS clients available)

50. Rockstor

Rockstor makes it possible to create your own NAS or cloud storage solution based on Linux and BTRFS. It comes in both personal and SMB versions. Operating System: Linux

51. SeaFile

SeaFile describes itself as 'an enterprise file hosting platform with high reliability and performance.' You can download the code for free or use the paid pro edition that includes support. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS

52. SparkleShare

SparkleShare creates a special folder on your system that is automatically synchronized with a host folder stored on your server or in the cloud. It includes encryption capabilities, and it is a good option for collaborating on documents that change frequently. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

53. StackSync

Create your own scalable personal cloud with StackSync. It encrypts all data on the client side and works with cloud storage services or your own server. Operating System: Windows, Linux

54. Syncthing

Free Network Software

Like many of the other projects in this category, Syncthing offers an alternative to Dropbox. It keeps data completely private with encryption and authentication requirements. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

Storage Management

55. Libvirt Storage Management

Libvirt is an API for creating storage pools and volumes on a host system. It supports a wide variety of storage pool types including directory, filesystem, network filesystem, logical volume, disk, iSCSI, SCSI, Gluster, ZFS and more. Operating System: Linux

56. openAttic

This tool offers management and monitoring capabilities for the Ceph distributed storage platform. It offers a dashboard, as well as tools for managing pools, block devices, iSCSI, NFS, Ceph Object Gateway and Ceph nodes. Operating System: Linux

Distributed Storage/Big Data Tools

57. Alluxio

Alluxio (Formerly known as Tachyon) describes itself as 'open-source memory-speed virtual distributed storage.' It works with tools like Spark, Hadoop, Flink, Zeppelin and Presto to speed performance on big data queries. Operating System: Linux, macOS

58. Hadoop

Nearly synonymous with big data, Hadoop is a widely used open source distributed storage platform for processing data. It is an Apache Foundation project, and the organization also oversees dozens of related projects. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

59. HPCC

This Hadoop alternative also offers distributed storage and massive scalability. Paid enterprise services are available. Operating System: Linux

60. Sheepdog

The Sheepdog website describes this project as 'a distributed object storage system for volume and container services and manages the disks and nodes intelligently.' It supports snapshotting, cloning and thin provisioning, and it is compatible with OpenStack Swift and Amazon S3. Operating System: Linux

Compression

61. 7-zip

This archiving utility can compress files 30 to 70 percent smaller than WinZip can, and 2 to 10 percent smaller than most other zip programs. It includes encryption capabilities, self-extracting files, a powerful file manager and support for a wide variety of compression formats. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS

62. ArcThemALL

Free Network Attached Storage Software

ArcThemALL can compress to UPX, ZIP or 7Z formats and extracts 33 other types of archive files. It can also create self-extracting archives and includes AES-256 encryption capabilities. Operating System: Windows

63. Keka

For macOS, Keka is a port of 7-zip. It also compresses to Zip, Tar, Gzip, Bzip2, DMG and ISO formats. Operating System: macOS

64. PeaZip

Amazingly versatile, PeaZip can open more than 180 different types of archived files, and it writes to seven, including ZIP and 7Z. It also includes security features like strong encryption, encrypted password manager, two-factor authentication, secure delete and file hashing. Operating System: Windows, Linux, macOS.

Network Attached Storage Definition

My aged Netgear NAS was primed and ready for a relaxing retirement, so I pursued a befitting upgrade. I briefly considered an out-of-the-box NAS offering from Qnap or Synology, but reconsidered after considering the high price paired with the wimpy CPU & RAM specs. After considerable consideration I decided to build my own. An OS-less HP Microserver costs a fraction of what a Qnap NAS does, and this way I wouldn't be married to an over-priced, low-spec proprietary platform. But what OS to put on it? My hunt for the ultimate free open source NAS distro began.

I noticed a few themes during my NAS safari:
* Distos based on FreeBSD or OpenSolaris feature ZFS support. I won't get into it, but believe me when I say that ZFS is an awesome filesystem that frees you from the limitations of other filesystems.
* Distros based on Debian offer easy package updates, which makes sense since Debian distros have an awesome package repository system.
* Active open source projects in general evolve quickly. For example, FreeNAS used to have no plugins, but they added a web-based plugin system & repository, and now their plugin library is increasing.
* ZFS requires lots of RAM and encryption requires lots of CPU, so consider that when choosing / purchasing / digging through the trash for NAS hardware.
* I need to find a synonym for the word 'consider.'
FreeNAS
Boasting impressive enterprise features and ZFS, FreeNAS is my current NAS of choice. This bad boy just keeps getting better and better.
Good
* ZFS support
* encryption support
* can be extended with its plugin and jails systems
* Gorgeous web-based management interface. I'm in love. Is it strange to be in love with a web GUI?
* very popular with a large following and frequent updates
* Incredible enterprise storage features make me feel like my home NAS is a datacenter, minus the freezing cold AC and whirring fans.
* The updating process is more automated than it used to be.
Bad
* Many of the features are overkill for home users--especially those looking to build something simple.
* It's not the greatest choice for old, low-spec hardware. It wants loads of RAM, particularly if you plan to use ZFS. This is more a ZFS thing than a FreeNAS thing, though.
NAS4Free
NAS4Free is a continuation of a previous version of FreeNAS. If you're a fan of 'legacy' FreeNAS, then NAS4Free is for you.
Good
* ZFS support
* encryption support
* intriguing service offerings like HAST and web server
Bad
* The web-based GUI can be hard to navigate and use at times. I understand why FreeNAS decided to redesign theirs.
* It's not easy to extend with plugins. The web GUI package installation system could use refinement.
OpenMediaVault (OMV)
OpenMediaVault is a solid NAS and the brainchild of a former chief FreeNAS developer. If you don't need enterprise features like ZFS and/or you prefer a Debian-based distro, OMV could be your NAS ticket. That's 3 acronyms in 1 sentence. Yeah!
Good
* Debian-based, which means you get frequent package & library updates
* Decent growing library of plugins available that keep home users happy. I particularly like the antivirus plugin. Cool!
* very clean, user-friendly web GUI
Bad
* relatively new to the NAS scene
* I couldn't find an easy way (in the web GUI) to backup the configuration. Bummer..
Nexenta Community Edition
This is a free community version of a commercial storage product. This might be for you if Solaris is your thing.
Good
* ZFS support
* based on Open Solaris (now called Illumos).
* free version limitations are quite generous (e.g. 18TB of storage) for home use
* based on a commercial product, which can be a good thing for stability and support
Bad
* Community edition is feature-limited and not for commercial installations.
* Web GUI is convoluted and unattractive.
* obnoxious initial configuration wizard
* Unfamiliar (to some like me) underlying OS could make it hard to self-troubleshoot and support.
Openfiler
Like FreeNAS, Openfiler has been around a long time now; but unfortunately its update schedule is something to be desired. Rumor has it that a project to port it to a more popular Linux platform is in the works, so perhaps we'll witness a comeback someday.
Good
* It's been around for a long time now.
* has a sizable fan-base
* has cool features like clustering and HTTP/DAV server
Bad
* It's based on rPath Linux, so familiarity and hardware driver support can be an issue.
* It's often criticized for its infrequent update schedule, so it's starting to show its age. Distrowatch lists it as 'dormant.'
Amahi
Amahi isn't a true NAS distro, and it isn't exactly free as it has a commercial arm surrounding it. It takes a unique, cloud-like approach, but this approach may not be for everyone. I'm including it here because someone will inevitably leave a comment that says, 'Hey, what about Amahi?' To be fair, Amahi is a home server for people new to Linux, and not a NAS with enterprise-level aspirations.
Good
* Tons and tons of plugins allow for infinite expansion and customization.
* It's a full-blown home server, so it could work for those moving on from the now defunct Windows Home Server.
* based on well-known distros Fedora & Ubuntu
Bad
* This statement taken from an Amahi email irked me: 'IMPORTANT: We do not know of any data loss within our users, however we ask that you do not use this software with critical data or data you would mind losing.' Isn't the whole point of a NAS to store critical data and prevent data loss?
* I don't like all the registration and cloud bullshit I have to jump through to get started, and the term 'connected OS' frightens me. This kind of stuff raises privacy and security flags with me. What kind of spyware is hiding in it?
Rockstor
Rockstor is rather new to the NAS game, so it's not as far along in development as many of the others. However, with its CentOS and BTRFS foundations, I'm excited to watch this one come into its own.
Good
* Based on CentOS, a solid and familiar choice
* I adore the 'Rock-ons' plugin system and catchy name.
* It uses the BTRFS file system, which like BSD's ZFS includes splendid data integrity and security features like snapshots, pools, checksums, encryption, etc.
* More reasonable hardware requirements than FreeNAS, especially when it comes to RAM
* Clean and simple web GUI
Bad
* BTRFS is still considered experimental by some.
* Not as mature and feature-rich as other NAS distros. But I'm sure features will be added as development continues.
* The web GUI could use a bit more refinement--help pop-ups, default suggestions, etc. At times I felt like I was flying blind or thinking, 'Where's the rest of it?'
Others Worth Mentioning
These aren't self-contained appliance distros, but packages installed on 'nix OSs that NAS-ify them.
Napp-It
This one runs on OmniOS.
OpenAttic
This one runs on a few distros, namely Debian and Ubuntu.