The Complete Guide to Choosing the Best NAS Software

Hey there! As a fellow tech geek, I know how frustrating it can be to deal with storage issues like running out of space, missing backups and constantly replacing hard drives. This is where Network Attached Storage (NAS) comes in handy!

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll be exploring everything you need to know about NAS software. From understanding its importance to a detailed comparison of the top options – I‘ll make your NAS buying decision much simpler. Let‘s get started, shall we?

What Makes NAS Software So Important?

NAS software is the operating system that powers those nifty NAS devices to make our lives easier. It turns all that raw storage hardware into an efficient data management system.

According to leading research firm IDC, the NAS market will be worth $26.8 billion in 2025! This explosive growth is driven by how invaluable NAS software has become:

It lets us access files from anywhere securely – NAS software handles all the complex permissions, encryption and remote access capabilities. I can pull up that important document from home even if I forgot my laptop at work!
It takes care of backups automatically in the background. Data loss horror stories are a thing of the past my friend!
It makes sharing files a breeze – just send anyone a simple link instead of attachments for large media files.
It organizes all our data neatly with features like search, tagging, folders and so on. Now I can actually find what I need!
It delivers excellent performance by distributing data across hard drives. My NAS gives me faster speeds than a external hard drive.
It ensures continuity in case of drive failure through RAID technology. Drive died? No sweat, my NAS has it backed up internally on another drive.

Clearly, NAS software provides tremendous value. But with so many options, how do you choose the right one? Follow along carefully as I reveal all…

How to Install and Configure NAS Software

The actual installation process is quite straightforward:

Get your NAS hardware – a dedicated appliance or just an old PC will do.
Install the physical hard drives in the bays. Pro tip – go with higher capacity drives as your storage needs will only grow!
Connect the Ethernet cable to your router and power it on. Modern NAS devices make the initial setup very simple.
Access the NAS interface through a web browser to configure basics like admin account, network settings, time zone etc.
Determine your storage architecture – RAID level, volumes, quotas etc. This is where the NAS software kicks in to manage the disks.
Set up users and access controls tailored to your needs. No unauthorized binge watching of your media!
Add apps like Plex, file sharing tools, backup software to enable the use cases you want.
Take care of encryption, firewall rules and other security measures because data protection is serious business.

With those fundamentals covered, let‘s take a detailed look at the top NAS softwares worthy of your consideration.

TrueNAS – Best for High Performance and Reliability

Developed by iXsystems, TrueNAS is what I recommend most due to its enterprise-class features, stellar performance and wide adoption. Over 1.5 million installs globally and large organizations like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA use TrueNAS for their mission-critical workloads.

The free TrueNAS CORE is packed with advanced capabilities like:

Data protection through ZFS – protects against corruption, bit rot and ransomware.
Optional file-level encryption for private shares. Paranoid? Maybe. But better safe than sorry right?
Real-time asynchronous data replication to other TrueNAS devices for redundancy.
VMware integration, VAAI support for boosting ESXi workloads.
Scales up to 16TB RAM, 40 cores CPU and 1.3PB storage with the enterprise TrueNAS Enterprise edition. Massive capacity with uncompromising speed.

TrueNAS provides an intuitive browser-based interface and extensive command line access for easy management. Their focus on open source components like FreeBSD and OpenZFS makes it highly reliable. My advice? If you need a high performance NAS, TrueNAS is hard to beat.

Rockstor – Built for BTRFS and Linux Lovers

If you love Linux and want tight integration with advanced BTRFS filesystem, then Rockstor is for you my friend.

It‘s one of the best open source NAS softwares out there built on CentOS. And it comes with enterprise capabilities like:

Optimization for flash drives, SSD caching, and NVMe support. Blazing speeds ahead!
Docker support for running Linux containers. I can set up Plex, databases and more in just minutes!
Scheduled snapshots allow me to go back to earlier versions like time travel. Saved my skin multiple times.
Provides a S3 compatible cloud storage system for backup to AWS and the like. 3-2-1 backup strategy FTW.
Can set up decentralized storage clustering across nodes. Expand storage without limits!

Rockstor lets me deeply customize my NAS with scripts, crons, configuration files. If you like Linux, Rockstor is the NAS software that embraces the philosophy of open source and modularity. It has an active community constantly adding new features too.

OpenMediaVault – Best Free NAS Software for Beginners

If you‘re looking for something free and easy to get started with, check out OpenMediaVault (OMV). It has the most beginner-friendly interface I‘ve come across for a NAS software.

Despite being free, OMV packs enterprise capabilities like:

Scheduled parity checks and SMART monitoring protect your drives from failure.
Plugins for Dropbox, Plex, BitTorrent clients take it beyond basic NAS.
Robust access controls with LDAP, domain controller integration.
Real-time resource monitoring dashboard keeps an eye on HDD health.
TRIM support improves SSD performance and lifetime if you go the flash route.

For home users and small businesses getting started with NAS, OMV‘s simple browser-based control panel is a life-saver. And being based on Debian, you get the reliability of Linux under the hood. OMV enjoys a thriving community support as well.

XigmaNAS – Secure and Stable NAS Software

Privacy buffs pay attention! XigmaNAS is a FreeBSD-based free NAS software optimized for high security and rock solid stability.

XigmaNAS stands out with features like:

Disk encryption using AES-NI instruction set for blazing performance.
ZFS file system with integrity checking and versioning. Your data stays untouched.
Runs jails to isolate apps and processes reinforcing system security.
Advanced firewall and IPSEC VPNmake sure only authorized users gain access.
Strict implementation of permissions and rights down to user and group level.

With security threats only increasing, the hardened FreeBSD foundation of XigmaNAS gives me peace of mind. It‘s been powering critical systems for decades such as Juniper routers. XigmaNAS is a smart choice if data privacy is your top priority.

EasyNAS – Most User Friendly NAS Software

Living up to its name, EasyNAS makes setting up and managing a NAS so simple, it‘s easy to recommend to non-techies.

Some highlights of EasyNAS:

Clean and intuitive dashboard lets you get things done with minimal clicks.
One-click app installers for Plex, Nextcloud, WordPress et al. Awesome!
Scheduled snapshots protect my data from accidental deletions or ransomware.
Automatic phone notifications alert me of drive failures and other issues.
Dockers provide sandboxed apps to prevent compromising the base OS.

For basic home media streaming and storage, EasyNAS hits the sweet spot in usability. No need to learn command lines or edit config files! Under the hood it runs on openSUSE so you get Linux grade stability and security.

Openfiler – For Performance Hungry SMBs

Businesses with growing performance and storage demands should evaluate Openfiler. It‘s a full-featured NAS tailored for high availability clusters and iSCSI SAN environments.

Salient features of Openfiler:

Fibre channel support lets you hook up wicked fast all-flash arrays.
Active-active failover clusters ensure continuity of business critical services.
Target and initiator mode iSCSI simplifies creating networked block storage.
16TB volume sizes and 6000TB total storage capacity give you room to expand.
Multipath I/O increases throughput by balancing connections across controllers.

Openfiler shines with advanced capabilities like replication, tiered storage, and parallel optimization. PayPal, Motorola, London Police all rely on Openfiler for their mission-critical operations. Robust API access too for custom automation.

Closing Thoughts on Finding the Right NAS Software

So there you have it my friend! The 6 best NAS software options that cater to a wide range of needs. Here are some parting tips:

Assess your technical expertise first. Advanced user or starter?
Determine must have features like cloud backup, snapshots, encryption etc.
Consider scalability needs – both capacity and performance.
Weigh importance of components like hardware support, operating system etc.
Watch out for ecosystem support like apps, documentation and community.

By matching NAS software capabilities to your priorities, you are sure to find the perfect fit. Never settle for mediocre data management again! Feel free to get in touch if you need help deciding. Happy NAS hunting!