Yes, it is possible to leave FN8 behind.
If you want to switch to the "old" FN7 interface, you can do so quite easily IF you are using ZFS only. If you are using other FS then it is "probably" not possible.
Caveat: you can go from FN8 to FN7 and keep all your data in ZFS formatted disks/volumes, but you CANNOT export and import the configuration. In other words, you will need to re-configure the Web interface from scratch.
Since FN7 is based on much more advanced versions of ZFS and Free BSD, it is possible to reverse back from FN7 to FN8 if you don't like it PROVIDED THAT YOU DID NOT UPGRADE ZFS.
Steps:
1 - Get the current FreeNAS 9S-9183 from: http://shell.peach.ne.jp/aoyama/archives/1940
(choose x32 or x64 as required)
2 - Burn the ISO image and boot into it
3 - Install FN7 "embedded" in a brand new USB stick
4 - Boot into the USB stick
5 - Goto the web interface
6 - Bring all your disks in from the "DISK" interface making SURE you select "ZFS storage pool device" WARNING: if you select anything else YOU WILL LOOSE ALL YOUR DATA!!!!
7 - Goto ZFS Configuration and do an import. FN7 will automatically recognize all your ZFS formatted disks/volumes/raids,etc and display the information. If OK, then press the Synchronize button.
DONE!
Strictly speaking, step #6 it is not supposed to be necessary. I just placed it there for completion purposes.
Once this is done, configure the FN7 interface to your heart's content.
One big advantage of FN7 is that you can also install the ZFS kernel config add-on which will take care of all those nasty ZFS out-of-memory crashes and issues! No more fiddling in the dark.
Oh, did I mentioned that it is stable? I mean STABLE!!!
Sure, not all the modules are working 100%, but it is a heck of more complete than FN8.
One thing though, I miss the fancy graphs in FN8, but I can live without them no swat.
IF you are commited to FN7 then you can upgrade to the new version of ZFS from the CLI (just type ZFS Status and follow the online instructions). If you do so, THIS IS A ONE WAY ONLY UPGRADE AND YOU CANNOT RETURN TO FN8 (for now).
Upgrade will give you significant benefits, including de-dupe!
If you want to return to FN8, simply shut down the server, unplug the FN7 USB dongle and insert the old FN8 dongle. Presto! No fuzz no mess.
If you want to switch to the "old" FN7 interface, you can do so quite easily IF you are using ZFS only. If you are using other FS then it is "probably" not possible.
Caveat: you can go from FN8 to FN7 and keep all your data in ZFS formatted disks/volumes, but you CANNOT export and import the configuration. In other words, you will need to re-configure the Web interface from scratch.
Since FN7 is based on much more advanced versions of ZFS and Free BSD, it is possible to reverse back from FN7 to FN8 if you don't like it PROVIDED THAT YOU DID NOT UPGRADE ZFS.
Steps:
1 - Get the current FreeNAS 9S-9183 from: http://shell.peach.ne.jp/aoyama/archives/1940
(choose x32 or x64 as required)
2 - Burn the ISO image and boot into it
3 - Install FN7 "embedded" in a brand new USB stick
4 - Boot into the USB stick
5 - Goto the web interface
6 - Bring all your disks in from the "DISK" interface making SURE you select "ZFS storage pool device" WARNING: if you select anything else YOU WILL LOOSE ALL YOUR DATA!!!!
7 - Goto ZFS Configuration and do an import. FN7 will automatically recognize all your ZFS formatted disks/volumes/raids,etc and display the information. If OK, then press the Synchronize button.
DONE!
Strictly speaking, step #6 it is not supposed to be necessary. I just placed it there for completion purposes.
Once this is done, configure the FN7 interface to your heart's content.
One big advantage of FN7 is that you can also install the ZFS kernel config add-on which will take care of all those nasty ZFS out-of-memory crashes and issues! No more fiddling in the dark.
Oh, did I mentioned that it is stable? I mean STABLE!!!
Sure, not all the modules are working 100%, but it is a heck of more complete than FN8.
One thing though, I miss the fancy graphs in FN8, but I can live without them no swat.
IF you are commited to FN7 then you can upgrade to the new version of ZFS from the CLI (just type ZFS Status and follow the online instructions). If you do so, THIS IS A ONE WAY ONLY UPGRADE AND YOU CANNOT RETURN TO FN8 (for now).
Upgrade will give you significant benefits, including de-dupe!
If you want to return to FN8, simply shut down the server, unplug the FN7 USB dongle and insert the old FN8 dongle. Presto! No fuzz no mess.