Guidelines for optimal configuration

[Craig Kawahara]

History: I have put together my first FreeNas server..its function is to serve as a repository of data. By that I mean there is no interaction on a daily basis with files being constantly accessed, changed, what-have-you. It is accessed only once a week when files are saved to the volumes. Otherwise it is turned off. The Freenas computer also does not have the email/notification function operating, never is used to access the internet.

System configuration: My network consists of several computers all running a mix of Windows XP, 7 or 10, as well as printers and android or imac devices. Only one actually computer (named T3400) does any file backups...the others are considered non-critical and the data if any, is copied to external usb drives.

My driving considerations for this post: At the moment, the way I have gotten Freenas to work requires that I do the following from Windows: START > type in the IP address of 192.xxx.xxx.xxx, and the Freenas computer appears in the network section of the windows explore. At this point in my learning how to use Freenas, the shares have no owner, and allow guest access (no passwords). In fact at this moment, I am doing a copy (just in case I have to start over) of the first data from an external usb drive to Freenas volume FreeNAS01.

Questions: (1) Since the Freenas is not visible to other computers (until I actually link to the computer via the IP address), could I do more to improve my method of operation? With no prior experience with a network storage option, I have no idea if I am creating the most efficient/secure procedure. (2) Are there any settings in Freenas to maximize transfer rates or is that something that is hardware/windows controlled?

System:
Freenas: PE840, 8mB RAM. two-2 gB volumes mirrored, static IP
Network PC: Dell T3400 workstation with Windows 7, dhcp IP
Network: all devices are gigabyte capable. All network devices are connected to a gigabyte router via cat5e cabling

Thank you.
Craig

 

[russnas]

other computers in the network will be able to see if you add cifs in sharing. browse able to network clients.,

you should read the manual as that will explain it alot better, wont take long

http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas.html

to improve performance its mostly hardware (cpu,Ram),

 

[Craig Kawahara]

Thank you russnas. I am going thru the manual...but at 300 pages long, it's not that simple. One starts on page one and has to work thru it sequentially.

To get back to your response, share has been created, one per volume. As stated, my current set-up does not show the two shares by default, I have to type in the IP to actually get the two shares to appear under the network section of the windows explorer. Your reply seems to imply that I should not have to do this the IP connect. Is this correct, that I should not have to type in the IP? This is one of the unwritten questions as to whether I have the best set-up. Perhaps this is due to not using the create ZFS option? Many things yet to understand.

There are several videos on youtube also, but for older Freenas versions.

 

[depasseg]

Using the IP address is indicative of the clients not being in the same domain or workgroup as the server. Have you confirmed that they are setup correctly.

 

[Craig Kawahara]

Hello depasseg. Sorry for not responding sooner...did not know there was a response to my inquiry.
If the second computer can reach the internet and the email reaches the user, I have to assume that the ip numbers are correctly assigned. It is dhcp.

 

[depasseg]

It's not an IP addressing issue, it is a windows networking issue. If windows devices aren't in the same workgroup or domain, then the windows broadcast announcements are ignored, and you won't be able to rely on the windows computer name getting resolved to an IP address.

 

[Craig Kawahara]

Ah ha! That was something I had not remembered. Thank you, that may be it. In my case, that may inadvertently be a good way to keep the Freenas isolated. Will give this aspect a good going over. Thanks again.