Feature request: A version of unRAID without the storage array features for a more basic/simple usage but still with containers and VMs


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unRAID is quite powerful. The more I use it and the more I read about other products, the more I see how uniquely positioned unRAID is.

 

While unRAID is primarely meant for storage, I think there is a good use-case for a version of unRAID that isn't heavy on storage features but still retains containers + VM feature (with passthrough capabilities).

 

Imagine you wanted a server to run containers + VMs on. Say it has disk for storage. Right now you don't have a lot of good options:

  • Proxmox containers are LXC and many Docker containers won't work out of the box
  • You could install Linux directly but then you have to manage the OS like updates, securing, etc...

 

You don't have these problems with unRAID. 

 

Yes, I know you can just use unRAID as-is but all the array stuff would be unnecessary bulk for this use-case. It would be cool if there was a version of unRAID that didn't have the array features, but still had everything else. 

 

Just a thought. I feel like if a version of unRAID like this existed, it might be a promising option for folks who don't need/want all the storage features.

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1 hour ago, IMTheNachoMan said:

unRAID is quite powerful. The more I use it and the more I read about other products, the more I see how uniquely positioned unRAID is.

 

While unRAID is primarely meant for storage, I think there is a good use-case for a version of unRAID that isn't heavy on storage features but still retains containers + VM feature (with passthrough capabilities).

 

Imagine you wanted a server to run containers + VMs on. Say it has disk for storage. Right now you don't have a lot of good options:

  • Proxmox containers are LXC and many Docker containers won't work out of the box
  • You could install Linux directly but then you have to manage the OS like updates, securing, etc...

 

You don't have these problems with unRAID. 

 

Yes, I know you can just use unRAID as-is but all the array stuff would be unnecessary bulk for this use-case. It would be cool if there was a version of unRAID that didn't have the array features, but still had everything else. 

 

Just a thought. I feel like if a version of unRAID like this existed, it might be a promising option for folks who don't need/want all the storage features.

As trurl said just use a small USB for disk1. I do this for one of my dev machines

 

image.thumb.png.bcd8ef7708a840849ae82227843d3a92.png

image.thumb.png.24a9d4d380e7a8c25157994c062c8769.png

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3 hours ago, trurl said:

You need some storage for dockers/VMs, and you can create pools as needed for this purpose. A single data disk in the array is required to start, but it doesn't have to be used at all and a USB flash drive could be used for that.

 

Yes. I know. But I still think there would be use/demand for a version that just mounts disks as normal disks, no pools, parity, cache, etc. I know you can disable all that but folks like me wouldn't mind a "cleaner" setup.

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Just now, trurl said:

You can assign disks to the array without any parity or other pools.

 

Yes, I know. I feel like I didn't do a good job of explaining.

 

I know you can do what I'm explaining with unRAID. But I still feel there is a use for a cleaner configuration. Just a managed Linux installation with a webUI and with container and VM support. IMHO

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2 minutes ago, trurl said:

What would you remove from Unraid? You have to have storage for the things you want to do. An array without parity can be that storage, and you have the webUI with container and VM support.

 

Remove all the array aspects of the web UI. Remove any of the associated array jobs like mover and what not -- like removed from the configs and files in the OS. I know I could disable these myself but my thought is a light weight version of unRAID would take care of it all.

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Just now, trurl said:

You don't even have to look at the Main page with the disks if you don't need to. Management Settings lets you specify a Start page. I always start at the Dashboard.

 

Yes. I get that. But I'm saying there are folks like me that would appreciate a super slim version that doesn't even have references/code for the other stuff.

 

It boots, auto mounts disks to standard mount points, and that's it. No storage management. Just containers + VMs.

 

But, now that I think about it, I'm thinking this might require more than a few code changes to unRAID core....

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Just now, IMTheNachoMan said:

Remove all the array aspects of the web UI.

You need some way to manage storage even if it is seldom used.

1 minute ago, trurl said:

You don't even have to look at the Main page with the disks if you don't need to. Management Settings lets you specify a Start page. I always start at the Dashboard.

 

1 minute ago, IMTheNachoMan said:

jobs like mover

If you have no pools mover is disabled. And you don't even have to have user shares. Disable them in Global Share Settings.

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  • 10 months later...

 

Sometimes I also share the same thoughts as you. I know that Unraid is, in a way, a form of software RAID. However, I don't use this feature and use it in the way SimonF uses it. The only difference is that I use hardware RAID. (Of course, both hardware and software RAID have their pros and cons.) Using HPE Smart Storage, I have created raid 5 logical storage drive. Unraid detected my hard drive as one 8TB logical drive. I have zero problems with installing vm, docker, apps, plugins vs so on. 

 

Actually, asking Unraid to remove this feature is completely contrary to the original purpose of Unraid. (A bit funny, but if you remove the RAID part, it will be left with just "UN" in its name 😂) Because all the other features of Unraid (VM, Docker, etc.) are essentially open-source software that can be installed on a plain Linux. But there is a difference, and that is Unraid has beautifully and user-friendly shaped all these features. They have done this in a really successful and commendable way. What I mean is, even if the RAID part of Unraid is removed, I'm sure many people will want to buy it for the convenience it offers.

 

Releasing such a version of Unraid would provide advantages to users.

 

1) Since this version is essentially composed of many open-source software, it can be sold at a more reasonable price. I'm sure many people would pay for a product that brings together all these features so successfully.

 

2) You won't need to stop the array to make some changes in Unraid settings. Because currently, you need to stop all VMs and Dockers every time you want to make some changes.

 

3) As you mentioned, some concepts will be simplified. No such as pools, parity, cache, aray, mover.

 

4) Maybe a performance increase? I'm not very sure about this, but Unraid is, after all, a kind of software RAID. I'm sure the RAID software is running in the background. Even if we don't use this feature, could removing it result in a performance increase? I wonder about that.

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

To be honest I would love this feature. I have link station n1, 4 nvme and 2 sata drives. I wish I can use them together in zfs pool. But to do so I need to update license as device come with basic version

Edited by J05u
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6 hours ago, J05u said:

. I wish I can use them together in zfs pool. But to do so I need to update license as device come with basic version

This will be possible when (as expected) the need to have at least 1 drive in the main array is removed.   You could also do it now by upgrading the licence and using a dummy flash drive as the required array drive.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 2/6/2024 at 12:34 PM, itimpi said:

This will be possible when (as expected) the need to have at least 1 drive in the main array is removed.   You could also do it now by upgrading the licence and using a dummy flash drive as the required array drive.

sure,  in my understanding when ssds getting cheap better remove that 1 disk in array requirement, and give a bit more freedom for users

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