by Don Charisma
This is posted on my blog http://DonCharisma.com, but thought it would be useful here too. Here's the link on my blog - http://doncharisma.com/2013/09…raid1-and-openmediavault/
Thanks to all the guys here for maintaining the forum and all of the invaluable information posted here, without it, I wouldn't have been able to do this:)
Would also like to thank the developers of OpenMediaVault, for producing software which is on a par with what I've seen on pro NAS'es like QNAP. I chose Linux/OpenMediaVault over FreeNAS because of the horrendous memory requirements for RAID under BSD. OpenMediaVault is awesome, and I really hope it will continue to get developed and get better and better.
Cheers, Don Charisma, http://DonCharisma.com
FROM MY BLOG
The result of spending copious hours and days, knee deep in Linux IS - a working and stable 2TB NAS with Debian Linux based on Seagate GoFlex NET. Persistence and Charisma eventually paid off, ended up being a labour of love, but it was WORTH IT. This is a guide on how to do the same the EASY WAY.
WHY?
I like saving money and being green at the same time is a bonus.
Seagate GoFlex Net has two SATA ports for portable hard drives, it has a 1.2GHz processor and runs on just a few watts of electricity. For it's size it's powerful, expandable and green. Free market prices vary obviously, at the time of writing it's not expensive around £29 in UK, I guess that's $40 in USA. Total of around £130 for a two disk RAID1 NAS with a web based GUI for administration, off the shelf alternatives are maybe £200-£250. Ability to install any of the 25000 debian packages, priceless.
Seagate package this device with built in software from Pogoplug. Seagate in my experience are THE BEST hard drive manufacturer. However they tend to suck big style on the software they include with their hardware. Pogoplug on GoFlex Net is like putting a lawnmower engine in a Ferrari. It's OK for some consumers who don't want to know anything about the technical side, but really it's not much use for anyone serious. Also it poses some security issues, such as sharing data on Windows network without any password, meaning anyone who has access to your local network has access to your shared files.
I wanted a semi-portable NAS. Seagate GoFlex Net weighs only a few hundred grammes, hand luggage for travelling.
I didn't want to mess around too much with circuit boards, a finished device in a nice case fits the bill. GoFlex Net has a nice moulded plastic case.
I wanted the device to be a NAS, that is accessible on the Network so I don't have to mess around plugging and unplugging USB cables. GoFlex Net has gigabit ethernet port.
As I don't want to spend all my time knee deep in Linux commands, I wanted some kind of easy-to-use management interface. OpenMediaVault fits the bill, everything in one place.
I wanted RAID1 for integrity of my data. GoFlex Net has 2 SATA ports, so RAID 0 and 1 and also spanning possible.
HOW?
Looking around on the internet, I looked at various different devices. Perhaps a Raspberry PI, but doesn't have case or SATA interface for drives. Pogoplug? expensive and cheaper models don't have SATA.
Seagate GoFlex Net was the best I could find on a miser's budget and having the possibility of doing what I want it to do. I like the way the hard drives hot plug into the top of the device. Just a great design.
Stock software on GoFlex Net is Pogoplug, basically it's Pogoplug with a Seagate label on it. Searching internet revealed that other's had installed Arch Linux and Debian Linux on the device, and personally I have a preference for Debian Linux as I use Ubuntu and that's based on Debian.
Enter Jeff Doozan's website, http://www.doozan.com . They have posts and pages about specifically what I wanted to do, Debian on GoFlex Net and other ARM devices such as Pogoplug and Zyxel NSA320. It all sounded oh so simple in my research.
But it's never as straightforward in real life is it ?
It's taken me a lot of hours, weeks in fact to get to the point of having stable GoFlex Net with Debian Linux, OpenMediaVault and RAID1. And many many failed attempts !
This is a guide for how to do it, and sharing what I learn't along the way. If you want to build a similar device, then you'll be able to using this guide, the EASY WAY, avoiding the mistakes I made, saving time and stress.
Obviously if you follow this guide you do so at your own risk, and it's your responsibility to make sure that you're doing things correctly, not mine. GoFlex Net can be broken (aka bricked, foobared, door-stopper) if you don't use care and caution, ESPECIALLY when doing anything to do with the inbuilt NAND flash memory. Take care in what you're doing and you won't have a problem. Check everything carefully and check the references I've given to external sites.
What you'll need to do this
Don Charisma, doncharisma.com Toolbox
Tools
Mandatory
Seagate GoFlex Net
USB Flash Drive (not camera card eg SD), I use Sandisk Cruzer and Cruzer Fit
Ubuntu or other flavour of Linux, either running direct on a PC/Laptop or in a Virtual Machine
An SSH client program, Ubuntu has one or on Windows I use BitVise SSH Client.
Some time and patience and willingness to learn. A little bit of Linux knowledge extremely beneficial.
Optional
gparted GUI partion editor on Ubuntu
Portable/2.5" Hard Drive(s) - Seagate Hard Drives recommended, Backup Plus 1TB are a good fit and cheap at around £50 each
This is how we do it
STEP 1 - Get ssh access to GoFlex Net
STEP 2 - Make a bootable "rootfs" on USB drive
STEP 3 - Update the GoFlex Net inbuilt bootloader to boot from USB
STEP 4 - First boot from USB
STEP 5 - Install rescue system (optional but HIGHLY recommended)
STEP 6 - Install netconsole (optional but HIGHLY recommended)
STEP 7 - Install OpenMediaVault to USB
STEP 8 - Migrate your rootfs to SATA hard drive (optional)
STEP 9 - Setup RAID1 (optional)
STEP 10 - Do some cool stuff with the LEDS (optional)
APPENDIX - for reference, chrooting for kernel upgrade/change or troubleshooting
*When I tried to post the entire article, I got this message from this forum - "This message was flagged as spam and has been denied."*
... so to continue reading, please see my blog http://doncharisma.com/2013/09…raid1-and-openmediavault/