When it comes to building a NAS, choosing the OS is almost as important as selecting the underlying hardware. Between the sheer number of file systems, network share options, backup utilities, and other server-oriented features, each operating system has its own perks and quirks that you have to consider before committing to one.
But when you’re a beginner, powerful distributions like TrueNAS and OpenMediaVault may seem somewhat complicated to use, even more so when you haven’t tinkered with a Linux-based distro in the past. So, you can imagine my surprise when I came across an obscure OS that’s extremely simple to use even for complete beginners, one that makes Unraid’s intuitive UI look somewhat cluttered.
The operating system I'm talking about is EasyNAS, and having used it for some time now, I must admit that it lives up to its name. Unfortunately, the OS has some major issues that make it hard for me to recommend it to security-conscious users.
EasyNAS is a simple distro laden with NAS-centric features
Btrfs pools and network shares are easy to create
Although installing a NAS operating system isn’t all that complex, the UIs on most distros in the storage server ecosystem can seem rather overwhelming, and you’ll probably have to read through pages of documentation just to deploy your storage pools. Unless you’re on EasyNAS, which not only features a minimalist interface, but also makes the essential storage facilities extremely accessible.
For starters, EasyNAS relies on Btrfs to store your data, which is perfect for beginner-friendly NAS setups. Sure, ZFS may be the more recommended option for hardcore NAS setups, but Btrfs also supports Copy-on-Write, snapshots, and checksums, so you get a decent collection of data integrity-preserving features. Plus, the ability to resize your pools comes in real handy if you haven’t laid out a thorough plan for your storage pools. The best part? EasyNAS makes setting up Btrfs pools a cakewalk, as you can simply navigate to the File System Manager, choose the Create File System option, and select the RAID Profile, Mount Options, Drives, and other simple settings. While we’re on the subject, EasyNAS supports most of the popular RAID configurations, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and JBOD.
Once you’ve created the file system, you can use the Volume Manager to Create a Volume with the right user permissions. Speaking of, the Group Manager and User Manager offer a quick selection of options for you to modify the access control settings. Likewise, creating an SMB share is as simple as navigating to the SAMBA tab, selecting the Shared Volume, and enabling the ON toggle. And that’s pretty much all you need to get started with the NAS – and each of these options is easily accessible from the minimalist dashboard.
Solid backup and remote sync facilities
The biggest issue with overly simplified distros is that they trade essential features for better accessibility. Luckily, EasyNAS manages to avoid that pitfall when it comes to NAS-centric facilities. For example, you’ll often want to create backups of your NAS data, and EasyNAS lets you do so via the Backup & Restore section. Rather than presenting numerous compression and block size options, the Backup tab simply lets you select the volume you wish to back up alongside a name for the file.
For a 3-2-1 setup, you’ll also want to connect your NAS to a separate server, and EasyNAS lets you do just that via the Remote Syncs tab in the Scheduler section. Better yet, you can create schedules for your snapshots and automate the file scrub tasks with just a few clicks.
Addons make it even more versatile
Once you get accustomed to EasyNAS, you can check out the Addons tab to arm your storage server with some handy features. The FTP and TFTP addons, for instance, let you access the files on your EasyNAS machine without using network shares, while the iSCSI initiator brings the powerful block-sharing protocol to your custom NAS.
Heck, EasyNAS even includes provisions for turning your storage server into a media-streaming hub. There’s an add-on for the uber-popular Plex, but for folks tired of the intrusive nature of the app, you can deploy a DLNA server using another plugin.
It has some deal-breaking flaws, though
No virtualization or containerization facilities
Network-Attached Storage devices have a lot of overlap with home servers, and even the most budget-friendly NAS rigs can double as reliable self-hosting workstations. In fact, most NAS distros out there – including obscure ones like XigmaNAS and Rockstor – let you deploy virtual machines alongside containerized apps.
Unfortunately, EasyNAS doesn’t include any virtualization features whatsoever. While the barebones nature of the distribution works really well for beginners, I really wish it included a built-in app store for essential backup-oriented services. Sure, you get an add-on for Plex, but there are dozens of useful containers that can take your NAS game to the next level. Heck, I would’ve been satisfied with an add-on for Docker containers and VMs.
It hasn’t been updated in ages
My biggest gripe with EasyNAS is that there hasn’t been a single update to the OS in years, and the current version – v1.1.2 – dates back to September 2023. The Updates section has a package for the v1.1.3.3 firmware, which was apparently released in May 2024. But there has been zero news about the upcoming version 1.2, and that sounds somewhat concerning when you compare it with the likes of OMV, TrueNAS, Unraid, and even XigmaNAS. While I wouldn’t label it discontinued yet, it’s definitely not in active development.
Compared to Windows, a Linux-based NAS rig has fewer vulnerabilities, and you can get a somewhat safe storage server if you never expose it to the Internet. But unless you’ve properly hardened your EasyNAS instance, you shouldn’t rule out the possibility of exploits on an outdated distro.
EasyNAS: A terrific idea marred with critical issues
As someone who started his NAS journey with TrueNAS Core, I really wish I’d come across EasyNAS when it was still in active development. Its neat interface simplifies NAS management, and the OS includes most NAS-centric features – provided you’re willing to overlook the lack of containerization provisions. If only there were some security updates – or even a timeline for newer versions – I’d happily recommend it for beginners looking to deploy a private file-sharing and data archival server.