XigmaNAS

Lore & Background

XigmaNAS originated from the FreeNAS 0.7 branch, which was end-of-life'd in late 2011 after the FreeNAS name was legally acquired by iXsystems, Inc. The founder of FreeNAS, Olivier Cochard-Labbé, donated the original FreeNAS source code to the NAS4Free project. With support from former developers Daisuke Aoyama and Michael Zoon, the project carried on the original FreeNAS code base while FreeNAS 8.x.y and up became a software fork with a new rewritten code base. In 2018, the project applied for the XigmaNAS trademark to protect the brand prior to the release of v11.2.

The software is based on the latest release of FreeBSD and is free software under the Simplified BSD license. It was developed from the original FreeNAS 7 code and updated to work with current FreeBSD releases while preserving FreeNAS's original m0n0wall/PHP architecture. XigmaNAS introduced experimental support for the ARM architecture and supports a wide range of protocols including SMB, AFP, NFS, FTP, iSCSI, and rsync, all configurable through its web interface.

XigmaNAS is installable on almost any boot medium including LiveCD, Compact Flash, USB flash drives, SSDs, and hard drives. The preferred installation method is embedded installation onto a USB stick or Compact Flash card, where the OS loads into system memory to minimize writes to the drive. As of version 11.0, XigmaNAS no longer supports x86-32, but version 10.3 continues to receive updates.

Reader's Guide

XigmaNAS represents a significant continuation of the original FreeNAS legacy after the name was acquired by iXsystems. Its development preserved the m0n0wall/PHP architecture and the original code base, allowing users of the legacy FreeNAS 0.7 branch to continue receiving updates under a new name. The project's recognition on SourceForge as 'Community Choice' Project of the Month twice indicates sustained community interest. By supporting multiple architectures including ARM and providing a full web management interface, XigmaNAS offers a flexible NAS solution for diverse hardware. Its embedded installation method, designed for USB sticks and Compact Flash cards, emphasizes energy efficiency and ease of updating through the web interface. The inclusion of protocols such as SMB, AFP, NFS, and iSCSI, along with services like Syncthing and VirtualBox management, positions XigmaNAS as a comprehensive storage platform for both home and small office environments.

Did You Know?

• The project was elected SourceForge 'Community Choice' Project of the Month in August 2015 and March 2017.
• XigmaNAS is based on FreeBSD and uses the Simplified BSD license.
• The preferred installation method loads the OS into system memory to reduce writes to the boot drive.