IXsystems TrueNAS Core – The Revamp That Will Shake The Open Source Community
In the world of open source software, change can be a double-edged sword. And the recent news of FreeNAS being re-branded to TrueNAS Core is causing quite a stir. During a lunch with Brett Davis, the Executive Vice President at iXsystems, I couldn’t help but feel that the community was losing something dear to them. But as Brett explained, this change was necessary to take the platform forward while keeping the core principles intact. Let’s dive into the details of this groundbreaking decision and what it means for the users.
Why FreeNAS is Being Re-branded to TrueNAS CORE
In my conversation with Brett, he emphasized that the driving factor behind this change was cost. Keeping TrueNAS and FreeNAS as separate entities doubled the effort required at iXsystems, which ultimately resulted in higher costs. This also meant that development and updates were not happening as fast as they should have. As a result, we encountered issues where the FreeBSD-based FreeNAS OS lacked support for newly-added hardware, which in turn, slowed down our testing process. With TrueNAS Core 12.0, however, the company promises enhanced support for popular hardware like AMD EPYC and Ryzen, making our readers happy.
But the question on everyone’s mind is, will TrueNAS Core remain free or will it become a paid product? The good news is, it will stay free. TrueNAS Core will follow the more familiar freemium model adopted by many open software platforms, where users can upgrade to higher tiers with premium features and support. So those concerned about constrained features can rest easy.
How TrueNAS Core is Going to Change the Game
By merging TrueNAS and FreeNAS into a single platform with tiered features, iXsystems is making it easier for users to upgrade from a proof of concept (POC) solution to a production environment. Previously, this would have required a complete re-installation and setup, but now, a simple license key upgrade will do the job. This is a game-changer for many users who can now save time and effort while upgrading.
Final Thoughts
As an ardent fan of FreeNAS, I was saddened to hear about this change. But I also understand the need for it. In my discussion with Brett, it was evident that this decision was not taken lightly, and it ultimately serves the best interests of the users. While the FreeNAS branding will eventually disappear in future versions, iXsystems will still offer a FreeNAS theme for those who prefer it. The rebranding is set to take place with the release of TrueNAS Core 12.0 in Q3 2020, giving users enough time to familiarize themselves with the new platform. It’s a big change, but we can’t deny that it’s a step towards progress. You can read more about this decision on the iXsystems blog.
