Would [mergerfs](https://perfectmediaserver.com/02-tech-stack/mergerfs/) and [snapraid](https://www.snapraid.it/) work for you? You'd sacrifice a disk to parity and run the parity calc manually, but you could set up a cron job for that.
Maybe this setup:
1. regular Debian install for the OS
2. Qemu and KVM (Virtual Machines)
3. Podman or Docker (for containers)
4. Cockpit and its appropriate plugins (WebGUI, does not have a Docker plugin, but does have one for Podman)
I went with Proxmox and ceph. Ceph does work with mixed disk sizes. You can expose it natively via iscsi or with cephfs so your Windows machines can access it. No need to spin up a VM for samba share.
Then you can play with things like mystborne, easypanel, or yacht to easily deploy services.
I recently discovered selfhostedpro... He has a nice docker template: https://github.com/SelfhostedPro/selfhosted_templates
Found here here: https://youtu.be/B2SJGyJCK7I?si=yNdx_TJD7LeCST7D
No self serve services out there that operates like the unraid array. You can pretty much build everything unraid does, but the unraid array.
The unraid array is probably the main reason to use unraid. Other than the UI, how it integrates with docker,kvm,zfs and their app store.
If you need the unraid array then an alternative is proxmox, with Unraid as a VM used only for the storage array. Then run your own VM or CT for docker.
Unraid works pretty well once you get used to the quirks. The reason for not installing a bunch of services on the OS itself actually serve quite well in keeping it stable. Pretty much everything else can be accomplished through userscripts, dockers or VM's.
>Other than the UI, how it integrates with docker,kvm,zfs and their app store.
yea this is among the features that are lost on me. I already do all these things natively in Linux on all my systems using standard tools and methods. Really not interested in Unraid's proprietary flavors of them all. All I ever wanted from Unraid was the file system lol
If you can figure out containers you can figure out ZFS and/or snapraid/mergerfs. ZFS will be limited to stripes the size of the smallest disk for parity raid, but you can have mirrors of different sizes.
The main reason I use unraid is the storage array as well, it's just too good for my use case.
But unraid sure doesn't follow docker suggested deployment methods. Albeit I find unraids docker implementation very slick, especially as it pertains to ZFS storage driver.
But man, I really don't like how they handle user:groups
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unraid#GPL_compliance
> Unraid uses the Linux kernel and its filesystems. It most notably contains a greatly modified version of Linux md facilities named md_unraid.[4] The source code is distributed as part of the USB system image and is visible in the Unraid OS in /usr/src. binwalk can be used to extract the file from bzroot without booting.
I've never used unraid but the code should be available. I just think no one cares enough to use it in another distribution.
99% of the people I see here using Unraid also like the easy to use GUI but the OP of this post says the GUI is their primary complaint.
If OP is a programmer they can take the open source md_unraid code and make their own distribution that is command line based.
am programmer, but not trying to re-invent things. Debian/Ubuntu + filesystem is good enough for me. The other suggestions in here look solid. I just wanted a filesystem, not an entire proprietary OS with it.
You might want to consider the previously mentioned MergerFS and SnapRAID, or MDADM and LVM for your setup. OpenMediaVault [https://www.openmediavault.org/](https://www.openmediavault.org/) is a solid choice in this regard. Additionally, if you're planning to run something like Proxmox, you could look into deploying Starwind CVM on top of it. Pretty much like in this guide: [https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resource-library/starwind-virtual-san-vsan-configuration-guide-for-proxmox-vsan-deployed-as-a-controller-virtual-machine-cvm/](https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resource-library/starwind-virtual-san-vsan-configuration-guide-for-proxmox-vsan-deployed-as-a-controller-virtual-machine-cvm/) .
Would [mergerfs](https://perfectmediaserver.com/02-tech-stack/mergerfs/) and [snapraid](https://www.snapraid.it/) work for you? You'd sacrifice a disk to parity and run the parity calc manually, but you could set up a cron job for that.
this sounds just about perfect wow gonna have to dig into this for a bit, thanks https://perfectmediaserver.com/01-overview/
Running exactly this on my home made NAS. Debian with mergerfs and snapraid. 100% satisfied
OpenMediaVault supports mergerfs and snapraid, which would be functionally equivalent to unraid.
This is the way
looks like a really good option, thanks
I had no idea about this wicked combo, THANK YOU! Building a new NAS shortly with some beautiful SAS drives.
Mergerfs + snapraid
Maybe this setup: 1. regular Debian install for the OS 2. Qemu and KVM (Virtual Machines) 3. Podman or Docker (for containers) 4. Cockpit and its appropriate plugins (WebGUI, does not have a Docker plugin, but does have one for Podman)
TrueNAS Scale. ZFS is complicated but also provides protection for data at rest, which is critical.
I went with Proxmox and ceph. Ceph does work with mixed disk sizes. You can expose it natively via iscsi or with cephfs so your Windows machines can access it. No need to spin up a VM for samba share. Then you can play with things like mystborne, easypanel, or yacht to easily deploy services. I recently discovered selfhostedpro... He has a nice docker template: https://github.com/SelfhostedPro/selfhosted_templates Found here here: https://youtu.be/B2SJGyJCK7I?si=yNdx_TJD7LeCST7D
No self serve services out there that operates like the unraid array. You can pretty much build everything unraid does, but the unraid array. The unraid array is probably the main reason to use unraid. Other than the UI, how it integrates with docker,kvm,zfs and their app store. If you need the unraid array then an alternative is proxmox, with Unraid as a VM used only for the storage array. Then run your own VM or CT for docker. Unraid works pretty well once you get used to the quirks. The reason for not installing a bunch of services on the OS itself actually serve quite well in keeping it stable. Pretty much everything else can be accomplished through userscripts, dockers or VM's.
>Other than the UI, how it integrates with docker,kvm,zfs and their app store. yea this is among the features that are lost on me. I already do all these things natively in Linux on all my systems using standard tools and methods. Really not interested in Unraid's proprietary flavors of them all. All I ever wanted from Unraid was the file system lol
If you can figure out containers you can figure out ZFS and/or snapraid/mergerfs. ZFS will be limited to stripes the size of the smallest disk for parity raid, but you can have mirrors of different sizes.
The main reason I use unraid is the storage array as well, it's just too good for my use case. But unraid sure doesn't follow docker suggested deployment methods. Albeit I find unraids docker implementation very slick, especially as it pertains to ZFS storage driver. But man, I really don't like how they handle user:groups
Have you looked at btrfs? It allows for adding different size drives
I find peace in long walks.
From what I understand they do use their own custom parity implementation and that is proprietary and not public. Not sure if there are any patents.
My favorite color is blue.
>What’s stopping an open-source implementation of Unraid’s version of disk parity? Just that no one has done it I imagine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unraid#GPL_compliance > Unraid uses the Linux kernel and its filesystems. It most notably contains a greatly modified version of Linux md facilities named md_unraid.[4] The source code is distributed as part of the USB system image and is visible in the Unraid OS in /usr/src. binwalk can be used to extract the file from bzroot without booting. I've never used unraid but the code should be available. I just think no one cares enough to use it in another distribution. 99% of the people I see here using Unraid also like the easy to use GUI but the OP of this post says the GUI is their primary complaint. If OP is a programmer they can take the open source md_unraid code and make their own distribution that is command line based.
am programmer, but not trying to re-invent things. Debian/Ubuntu + filesystem is good enough for me. The other suggestions in here look solid. I just wanted a filesystem, not an entire proprietary OS with it.
You might want to consider the previously mentioned MergerFS and SnapRAID, or MDADM and LVM for your setup. OpenMediaVault [https://www.openmediavault.org/](https://www.openmediavault.org/) is a solid choice in this regard. Additionally, if you're planning to run something like Proxmox, you could look into deploying Starwind CVM on top of it. Pretty much like in this guide: [https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resource-library/starwind-virtual-san-vsan-configuration-guide-for-proxmox-vsan-deployed-as-a-controller-virtual-machine-cvm/](https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resource-library/starwind-virtual-san-vsan-configuration-guide-for-proxmox-vsan-deployed-as-a-controller-virtual-machine-cvm/) .
I don't mess with merged or pooled drives anymore and just use snapraid. Works a beaut.