The best #MissionComplete story for December was sent in by David Genton at CDW who regularly uses FreeNAS to take on legacy storage solutions. David will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card and FreeNAS T-shirt.
“I can safely say that FreeNAS is the #1 OS for SAN and Storage bar none!”
As a data center engineer a.k.a. “Solutions Architect” for one of the world’s largest IT companies, FreeNAS has become a staple in my toolbox and lab. I design solutions for companies whom want the best performing network based upon best practices with focus on the data center. Data center virtualization and consolidation of storage fabric onto network Ethernet requires strict design practices and validation. In comes FreeNAS as the all in one validation tool. First off, FreeNAS itself stores my virtual machines, templates, and all data required for day to day consulting projects. Using FreeNAS as a test server once the network is in place allows testing of not only both file and block access methods but all major file access protocols like AFP, SMB/CIFS, and NFS. Validation of iSCSI (block access) can be done on the very same FreeNAS whether using physical or virtual appliance.
Once I am convinced my network and storage fabric meets best practices and performs to my standards and beyond that of my customers, FreeNAS is often critical as a tool to quickly deploy compute and virtualization environments on top of the new network. Using both block and file access protocols in a single box I can deploy dozens to hundreds of server blades per day from my FreeNAS appliance, the same FreeNAS appliance that tested, validated, and proved the new network design I just deployed.
It’s quite common after deploying a large data center with the newest technologies that despite whomever won the storage portion of the design, NetApp, EMC, or one of the smaller guys for once, the customer always calls me back to ask about my “personal SAN Server” used during deployment. Introducing customers to FreeNAS after completing a $7M SAN upgrade gives me goosebumps when I see the look on their faces. “All those file sharing protocols, PLUS iSCSI!?!” is the common reaction then it comes, “and the software’s free!” I can often get FreeNAS inside via their lab at that point and know of several customers whom have graduated their FreeNAS system from the lab into the data center, and it’s out pacing the EMC arrays.
I have been a Network Consulting Engineer for over 23 years with all major certifications from Cisco (CCIE), VMware, EMC, NetAPP, etc. I can safely say that FreeNAS is the #1 OS for SAN and Storage bar none! While I know for a fact both NetApp and EMC use FreeBSD for their array’s OS, having both block and file access simultaneously is only now becoming available with those platforms with “Unified Access” being the buzzword. FreeNAS has been doing it all along.
Dave Genton
Thank you David for your story!
Good luck on your next mission and keep your stories coming!