Running VirtualBox VM host on ReadyNAS Pro

mdgm wrote:

You do not have to run the latest RAIDiator. However, it is expected that you will run a recent version of RAIDiator. After all, firmware updates are free. If you run very old firmware limited support can be provided. If you rely on running software like Virtualbox then I would suggest waiting after a firmware upgrade for reports of successful installation of Virtualbox on that firmware. Keep an eye on this thread. It is true that often a firmware update will be recommended for many problems as an early troubleshooting step, to see if it will fix it, but the choice is still up to you as to whether you update to the newer firmware. It should also be pointed out that installing and using software like Virtualbox is not "supported". Whilst NetGear makes it possible to do so, the only support you'll get for that will be from this forum. The focus of NetGear's QA testing would be on features handled by the GUI, not extra things you can do via SSH (the possibilities of what you can do are rather endless). Having said that in most cases firmware updates shouldn't cause problems with this. In the rare case there is an issue due to a problem at their end that slips by then they will then deal with it proceeding based on what the determine as the best way forward. Sometimes unfortunately it may not be able to be resolved until a firmware update is provided. There are of course likely complications due to the continued use of Debian etch. NetGear has looked into moving to Debian Lenny or Debian Squeeze, but there are issues that prevent that from being possible at this time: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=58629&p=332047

While I agree that there's nothing that say that I have to run the latest RAIDiator but it's still expected.

But what's more, from a developers perspective I really think that this is an area which does deserve to be checked in the QA since some of tools that are now unavailable for "normal" apt-get installs in 4.2.19, well they are required for development of some of the add-ons!

I don't expect Netgear to ever support things like VirtualBox but I do expect them to support their developer community with tools to make great add-ons!

Sure I'll admit that I can manually install (download/compile/install) pretty much all software that's missing from the apt-sources to get these tools and then keep developing with/running the desired tools/programs but that I still hope that this was a one-off mistake from Netgear and that they'll get it right when they release 4.2.20. If not then I really really hope that the major version update that'll give us a newer Debian base (Lenny or preferably Squeeze) will leap forward soon 8)