I've used the ReadyNAS storage units in the past and I've been very happy with them. Just discovered the ReadyNAS Git Repository that privided a OS6 VMDK for use in hypervisors.
I'm wondering if this provides an opportunity to develop some of the great ReadyNAS OS6 features in a customised Virtual Storage appliance?
Is this Git repository and the provided VMDK an official ReadyNAS development? Are there any MD5 or SHA checksums to verify the download?
What configuration differences does the VMDK have compared to the OS on the ReadyNAS products themselves?
Does the VMDK include the OS6 GUI?
Anyone actively developing a production ready Virtual Storage Applaince using this VMDK?
The virtual NAS does not seem to be actively supported, since it was last updated two years ago and does not include the current OS version (or even close to it). It includes the GUI and can be updated (via the normal NAS OS update process) to the current OS but is restricted as to how many drives and the max drive size it will accept. So running a virtual ReadyNAS for production is not realistic (by design, I'm sure). Basically, the OS recognizes it's on a virtual platform and has limits associated with that, just as it recognizes the hardware of a real NAS. But it's great for running experiments, including testing newly developed apps (for which it was designed, I believe). Many of the experiments I have run have been done on the virtual NAS before moving to my "sandbox" NAS.
I'm running it on VirtualBox 5.something. Have not moved to 6.x yet for personal use because my employer is still on 5.x and I like to stay consistent..
Interesting. I couldn't seem to get to the GUI after booting it up? Maybe different port?
I noticed a "GPL software for developers" section in the Netgear downloads section. Is this the source code used to compile the image for the VMDK or has this virtual version of OS6 been compiled strictly behind closed doors at Netgear?
I think there would be great potential for a ReadyNAS virtual appliance that one could develop themselves!
The GUI is only available via HTTPS, just like a real NAS. I don't recall if the command prompt is as well (meaning you have to enable SSH via the GUI to use it, even in the local console). Make sure you've set up the Virtualbox Network settings with the proper protocol so it appears on the network you want to use for access. I actually have one set for Host Only for access from the host computer and one for NAT Network for access from other VM's. You can use Bridged if you want another real machine to have access or if you need to do an OS update or anything else via the Internet (I just use downloaded files to update) It does support two network ports, I have not tried more. Good old RAIDar will help you find it, if you need that.
The software development package is something else entirely. It's a standard Debian desktop installation with the development tools already installed and a chroot environment for that development. Don''t ask me any more about that. I'm still looking for "ReadyNAS App Development for Dummies", since I'm mostly a sparky, not a softy. I could probably make my way though creating ReadyNAS-specific versions of standard Linux apps with a little coaching or docs not written for somebody that's done Linux development for years.
