I've done searches but I'm a little confused. The purchase page makes it seem like when you buy plus or pro you basically get a key to put on your own thumb drive. Is this correct? Some of the forum posts made it sound like you purchase it and Tom sends you a thumb drive with the software on it.

 

Secondly what is the backup copy for? Aren't you really just buyiing 2 copies of the software? Is Tom saying that if your thumb drive were to bite the big one then you're SOL and you no longer have a license. That would be pretty crappy.

 

Third is there any kind of upgrade price to go from plus to pro if down the road you decide you need to go to more drives?

If you purchase a complete (i.e., pre-configured) server from lime-technology, it comes with a thumb drive.  For those of us who build our own boxes, however, you're buying the registration key needed to unlock the software to allow it to see additional (>3) drives.  During the purchase process, you supply Tom with your flash drive's GUID value (27 characters).  He, in turn, uses that value along with the level you've purchased (either Plus or Pro) to generate a unique registration key.  He then emails you back the key which you, in turn, load onto your own thumb drive.

 

The second copy is really just an insurance policy.  If, for any reason, your original thumb drive bites the dust, you can't just reload the software on a new thumb drive and expect it to work (since every GUID and hence every registration key is unique).  As a result, Tom offers users an ability to purchase a second registration key (uniquely matched to another thumb drive) for a discount.  I personally didn't buy one, but then again, that's my risk.

 

I can't speak to the upgrade price, as I went straight to Pro.

So are you saying that since we use our own thumb drive that if the drive gets fried we have to buy the software all over again? This would really suck. Not a very user friendly anti-piracy measure if that's the way it works.

I also have no problem with this scheme.

 

I have (personally) never had any flash memory ever go bad on me, not my MP3 player i've had for years and gets written to daily, nor the 32MB memory card for the digital camera i've had for 6 years that I let my kid play with.

 

I would think the main danger would be to accidental breakage because its poking out the front or back of the computer and it gets broken off at the connector...also easily solved by using a small USB extension cord then taping the flash drive flat or moving it inside the case.

$119 for 1 key and up to 12 drives

 

$149 for 2 keys, 1 backup or another un-RAID for a total of 24 drives.

 

$30 more for backup protection against a failed USB flash or for the ability to expand to another un-RAID later on is worth it when you are spending $119 in the first place. If the USB flash DOES happen to break, spending another $119 would be a disater.

In this post tom described his policy on Flash drives.

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=194.msg1296#msg1296

 

At the time he wrote that post, he showed he has some compassion for a customer with a failed drive by stating:

Reality is this: anyone who sends me an email saying their Flash went belly up, I'm just going to send them a new key (within reason).

Assuming he does not now feel like he is being taken advantage of, odds are you will be treated  fairly.

So are you saying that since we use our own thumb drive that if the drive gets fried we have to buy the software all over again? This would really suck. Not a very user friendly anti-piracy measure if that's the way it works.

 

If your Flash gets "fried" or eaten by your dog (has happened  ) we'll send you a new key.  Obviously there is an element of trust here, but we always give you the benefit of the doubt.

So are you saying that since we use our own thumb drive that if the drive gets fried we have to buy the software all over again? This would really suck. Not a very user friendly anti-piracy measure if that's the way it works.

 

If your Flash gets "fried" or eaten by your dog (has happened  ) we'll send you a new key.  Obviously there is an element of trust here, but we always give you the benefit of the doubt.

 

Sounds good. I hope I didn't come off sounding to harsh. Just wanted to understand how everything worked. By the way I've sent in my GUID and money so hope to get my key soon.

...snipped...

Third is there any kind of upgrade price to go from plus to pro if down the road you decide you need to go to more drives?

 

The original poster's third question was never answered, and is of particular interest to me.  I really want to financially support unRAID, I have completely bought into the concept and am very impressed by the current implementation, development progress, developer responsiveness, and user community.  However (most unfortunately!), I'm very budget constrained at the moment.  I would like to get the Plus version now, and the Pro + backup key version later.  Is there a policy for this as yet?

 

...  However (most unfortunately!), I'm very budget constrained at the moment.  I would like to get the Plus version now, and the Pro + backup key version later.  Is there a policy for this as yet?

 

 

No "official" way to upgrade 'Plus' to 'Pro', but we can make it happen.  Send me an email at [email protected]

...  However (most unfortunately!), I'm very budget constrained at the moment.  I would like to get the Plus version now, and the Pro + backup key version later.  Is there a policy for this as yet?

 

 

No "official" way to upgrade 'Plus' to 'Pro', but we can make it happen.  Send me an email at [email protected]

 

Tom,

 

I myself have been looking at implementing an Unraid server for over a year ago, yet have had a similar question/restraints as the user suggested with regard to the possibility of in the future being able to upgrade from plus to pro.

 

Would you still consider such an option?

 

Regards,

 

Alex

Tom,

 

I myself have been looking at implementing an Unraid server for over a year ago, yet have had a similar question/restraints as the user suggested with regard to the possibility of in the future being able to upgrade from plus to pro.

 

Would you still consider such an option?

 

Regards,

 

Alex

 

another with the same question. if it's possible, how much would it be to upgrade from plus to pro?  It would be great to have the two price points and no financial penalty to upgrade etc.