Future plans to support installation on SSD

[gustsant]

Hello,

 

I would like to check to see if there are any plans to support installation on an SSD instead of USB. If so, would it be possible to subscribe to the enhancement so I could be notified when implemented?

 

I don't mind at all paying for a license or two but I cannot bring myself to install a server on a USB driver, this is just not happening.

 

Thanks in advance

[JonathanM]

No, because Unraid doesn't install on a USB, it installs itself into RAM from archives on the USB at boot time. It uses the USB as persistent storage for configuration changes, and licensing, but it installs and runs purely in RAM.

[kizer]

Think of it like this. 

Machine boots up off USB

Copies its OS to RAM

Never has to access USB again unless you save a configuration then it writes to both Ram and USB

Turn off machine and it repeats the above again on reboot

 

While your idea of SSD sounds sound, but is there really a speed increase? Security Increase? Reliability Increase? Maybe on Boot only, but nothing beyond that. 

Also while not using SSD it doesn't take up a sata connection or affect your license because your not giving up a slot and uses minimal power.  

 

I like the added security if I'm hacked and somebody installs something on to my system. On reboot its erased since its in RAM unless of course the hacker understands how unraid works then they would either target the USB or in your case the SSD. 

 

As for reliability my USB has been plugged into my machine since 2009. I have backups of it just incase it dies, but plugging away since 2009.

 

 

[Hoopster]

33 minutes ago, gustsant said:

any plans to support installation on an SSD instead of USB.

Doing this would negate/diminish one of the main advantages of unRAID; portability of the OS/License.  As it is now, you can easily upgrade hardware or move the OS to a completely different machine since the license is tied to the GUID of the USB flash drive.  Of course, you could argue that you could simply remove an SSD and place it in a different machine as well but this is not as convenient as a simple USB flash drive swap.

 

This has been debated a few times in these forums and yours is not the first request to make it possible to install the OS source files on an SSD (it will load in RAM regardless of source); however, there has never been any indication that this will be a future option for all of the reasons stated in the posts above.  The USB flash drive model has proven to work very well and there is no reason to fix what is not broken

 

Of course, this may be a non-starter for you but before you make that decision you should try the free 30-day trial of unRAID on a USB flash drive to get a better feel for how this works.

[kizer]

4 hours ago, Hoopster said:

Of course, this may be a non-starter for you but before you make that decision you should try the free 30-day trial of unRAID on a USB flash drive to get a better feel for how this works.

 

100% agree. 

 

If you have a Spare PC and a single drive or two give it a spin for 30 days. Install the Community App plugin and see what you can do with it. If your not satisfied then no harm other than some of your time.