“Welcome to the TrueNAS 12.0 Core Release Dashboard: A New Era Begins
As we say farewell to the FreeNAS brand, a new chapter begins with the release of TrueNAS 12.0. In our previous article, “FreeNAS is Dead Long Live TrueNAS CORE,” we shared the background on this brand transition. Now, with the release of TrueNAS Core 12.0, iXsystems presents a unified platform for both its free and enterprise offerings.
Key Features of TrueNAS 12 Release
We understand that many of our readers may wait a few weeks to upgrade, given the company’s past release history. However, for current system users, the update process is quick and easy. Simply go to System -> Update and select the TrueNAS-12.0-STABLE release train. Then, click on “Download Updates” to begin the process.
Once completed, the system will automatically update. Please keep in mind that your system will need to reboot, so make sure to prepare your users and infrastructure accordingly.
Exciting New Features in TrueNAS 12.0 Core Release
Our team at STH couldn’t wait to test out the new release, and we were pleasantly surprised by how seamless the update was. In just a few clicks and a few minutes, we were up and running on TrueNAS Core.
For a quick overview of the major updates, here are some of the key features:
– ZFS Native Crypto – Enjoy per-dataset encryption and the ability to replicate to untrusted targets.
– 2 Factor Authentication – Take security up a notch with support for using apps like “Google Authenticator” before accessing the UI or SSH.
– KMIP Support – TrueNAS Enterprise users can now interface with KMIP servers to store and retrieve passwords and encryption keys.
– Performance Improvements – From SMB and iSCSI to ZFS, almost every aspect of the platform has been updated with significant performance improvements.
– API Keys – TrueNAS can now be configured with TrueNAS API v2.0 and supports API keys for remote access. Please note that the v1.0 API is no longer supported.
– Fusion Pools – Create pools with all-flash vdevs to store metadata and small-block IO. Benefit from flash-like performance while keeping costs in check with spinning disks for storage blocks.
– VPN Support – TrueNAS can now act as both an OpenVPN Server and Client to cater to your VPN needs.
– TrueCommand Cloud Integration – Connect your TrueNAS 12.0 systems directly to a TrueCommand Cloud account for efficient monitoring and management.
For more details, please refer to the official release notes.
FreeNAS is Now a Thing of the Past
With our systems now making the switch to TrueNAS Core, it’s time to bid farewell to FreeNAS. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our Top Hardware Components for TrueNAS Core Servers. So if you’re planning to build your own TrueNAS Core server, don’t forget to check it out.
But what’s next? Well, the big news on the horizon is the TrueNAS Scale. As we mentioned in our article, “iXsystems Starts De-emphasizing FreeBSD for TrueNAS Scale-Out Project,” the retirement of the “FreeNAS” brand is closely tied to the Linux-based TrueNAS Scale platform, which we see as the future of iXsystems. With the ability to scale from a single node system like TrueNAS Core to a multi-node cluster like Proxmox VE, TrueNAS Scale is where the company is headed in the long term. Although we don’t recommend using TrueNAS Scale at this time as it is still in Alpha, it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.
So, let’s toast to the end of FreeNAS with a beer, bourbon, or scotch as we click a few buttons, change the release train, and wait for the system to reboot.
Get Ready for the TrueNAS 12.0 Core Release – Update Now!”
