This thread is addressed to LimeTech, and hopefully will influence the unRAID 5.0 release.

 

I intend this post to be a list of add-on packages that address a functionality of unRAID that is so basic that the majority of users feel it should be bundled with the stock unRAID package.  These are add-on packages that will benefit most unRAID users, regardless of how technical or casual their use of unRAID may be.  These add-ons should address a widespread need, not particular compatibility issues or niche applications.  Many of these requests are parroted from elsewhere, I won't bother to link them all to this thread.

 

I feel the following add-ons and tweaks should be included in the stock release of unRAID:

• Rename 'Restore' Button - this mislabeled button is probably the #1 cause of unRAID users losing data.  This needs to be addressed ASAP, even prior to 5.0.
  
• Remove the global 'Format' Button - this dangerous button is probably the #2 cause of unRAID users losing data.  This also needs to be addressed ASAP, again prior to 5.0.  This issue is particularly exacerbated by the recent 'unformatted' bug in unRAID version 4.5.3.  This button should be replaced by individual 'format' buttons for each disk, preferably NOT on the main page.
  
• Powerdown - allows the user to cleanly power down their unRAID server by pressing the power button or ctrl-alt-del on the console. Powerdown add-on, PowerDown (wiki)
  
• E-Mail Notification - the unRAID server sends emails to the user informing them of the server's status (healthy, disk disabled (red ball), etc.).  unraid_notify, Script for Periodic Email Notification of unRAID status
  
• UPS Support - allows the unRAID server to 'talk' to a UPS (uninterruptible power supply, basically a large battery).  The benefit of this is that the UPS can initiate a clean power down when the battery is about to die.  This will save your parity data in the event of a sudden power loss.  Currently there is no stand-alone add-on for UPS support, but it is bundled in with unMenu, unMenu (wiki)
  
• Preclear - allows the unRAID server to 'burn in' a new disk before adding it to the parity-protected array.  This gives SMART a chance to fully evaluate a disk before it is trusted with data.  Also allows a disk to be added to the array with minimal downtime.  preclear_disk.sh
  
• SMART - evaluates disk health based on many parameters.  SMART can give you some notice before a disk dies.  Replacing a dying disk preemptively can help you minimize the time in which your array runs without parity protection.  SmartHistory
  
• Scheduled Parity Check - it is prudent to run a parity check every month.  A parity check ensures that your parity data can be read, which is crucial for disk rebuilds from parity.  Monthly Parity Check
  
• Option of Read-Only Parity Check or Read-and-Correct Parity Check - the current stock unRAID package only allows the user to perform a 'Read-and-Correct' Parity Check.  This check always trusts the data disks and changes the parity data if any discrepancies are found.  The risk here is if data on a data disk becomes corrupted, running a 'Read-and-Correct' Parity Check will overwrite the (good) parity data in favor of the (bad/corrupted) data-disk data.  This prevents any option of recovering the healthy data from Parity.  The proper method should be to first run a 'Read-Only Parity Check, then if errors are detected, the user would have the opportunity to check for data corruption themselves.  This isn't a perfect solution, since currently there is no way to know where the parity errors occurred.  Still, adding a 'Read-Only' Parity Check option to the default unRAID package is a step in the right direction.  Currently there is no stand-alone package for 'Read-Only' Parity Checks, but it is bundled with unMenu, unMenu (wiki)
  

 

A few add-ons that I considered but consciously chose not to add to this list:

• unMenu - at its base, unMenu is just a fancier, more attractive, more useful web interface for unRAID.  While it is definitely preferable to unRAID's standard web interface, it is just icing on the cake.  unMenu's true value comes from its other bundled functionalities, which I have mentioned above.
  
• unTorrent - while many users likely use their unRAID servers as seedboxes, I still consider this a niche application.  However, one point in its favor is that adding torrent functionality to stock unRAID would increase its competitiveness with other NAS solutions.
  
• Directory Caching - definitely useful, but it seems to be causing some problems lately, possibly because of unRAID's new 'spin up groups' feature.  Once it is stable again, I would recommend it for the list above.
  
• FTP - again, niche application.  unRAID comes stock with SMB and NFS, and this should be enough for the average user.  I understand that unRAID comes with FTP sort of half-configured, which is odd.  My vote is to either remove FTP completely from the stock unRAID package, and let users add it themselves if desired, OR to fix it so that it works out of the box.
  
• VMware Server - definitely a niche application.  Widely used in this community, but not necessary for the average user.
  

 

A few points before I open this up to discussion:

1) I understand that what is 'widely useful' and what is 'niche' is open to interpretation in a big way.  Hence, I tried to imagine the add-ons that would have benefited me 'transparently' when I first discovered unRAID, a bit more than a year ago.  Basically, I chose add-ons that would increase unRAID's data protection features while minimally affecting user experience.

2) Most or all of the recommended add-ons above should have the option to be enabled or disabled.  If a user doesn't own a UPS, then they should be able to disable that function.  Same goes for E-Mail Notification and Scheduled Parity Checks, if a user wants to do all their maintenance manually.

3) I understand the big stumbling block from LimeTech's perspective will be supporting all of these unRAID features.  My proposed solution is to commission/hire the add-ons' author(s) to provide 'official LimeTech-sanctioned' support for these features.  This is the expensive but easy option.  An alternate solution could be for LimeTech to write their own versions of the above add-ons, but of course that would be far more time-consuming.

 

Alright.  Debate away....

I feel the following add-ons should be included in the stock release of unRAID:

• Powerdown - allows the user to cleanly power down their unRAID server by pressing the power button or ctrl-alt-del on the console. Powerdown add-on, PowerDown (wiki)
  
• E-Mail Notification - the unRAID server sends emails to the user informing them of the server's status (healthy, disk disabled (red ball), etc.).  unraid_notify, Script for Periodic Email Notification of unRAID status
  
• UPS Support - allows the unRAID server to 'talk' to a UPS (uninterruptible power supply, basically a large battery).  The benefit of this is that the UPS can initiate a clean power down when the battery is about to die.  This will save your parity data in the event of a sudden power loss.  Currently there is no stand-alone add-on for UPS support, but it is bundled in with unMenu, unMenu (wiki)
  
• Preclear - allows the unRAID server to 'burn in' a new disk before adding it to the parity-protected array.  This gives SMART a chance to fully evaluate a disk before it is trusted with data.  Also allows a disk to be added to the array with minimal downtime.  preclear_disk.sh
  
• SMART - evaluates disk health based on many parameters.  SMART can give you some notice before a disk dies.  Replacing a dying disk preemptively can help you minimize the time in which your array runs without parity protection.  SmartHistory
  
• Scheduled Parity Check - it is prudent to run a parity check every month.  A parity check ensures that your parity data can be read, which is crucial for disk rebuilds from parity.  Monthly Parity Check
  
• Option of Read-Only Parity Check or Read-and-Correct Parity Check - the current stock unRAID package only allows the user to perform a 'Read-and-Correct' Parity Check.  This check always trusts the data disks and changes the parity data if any discrepancies are found.  The risk here is if data on a data disk becomes corrupted, running a 'Read-and-Correct' Parity Check will overwrite the (good) parity data in favor of the (bad/corrupted) data-disk data.  This prevents any option of recovering the healthy data from Parity.  The proper method should be to first run a 'Read-Only Parity Check, then if errors are detected, the user would have the opportunity to check for data corruption themselves.  This isn't a perfect solution, since currently there is no way to know where the parity errors occurred.  Still, adding a 'Read-Only' Parity Check option to the default unRAID package is a step in the right direction.  Currently there is no stand-alone package for 'Read-Only' Parity Checks, but it is bundled with unMenu, unMenu (wiki)
  

 

I must be coming down with the flu or something, but I actually agree with your selection! 

 

Normally I advocate for the bare minimum, lean-and-mean server, to which I can add whatever I feel necessary.

But the things you listed above do indeed deserve to be in the stock unRAID!

 

>> FTP Server.

I think this is an absolute requirement. It's a file server. It needs ftp support. I thought we have it already.

 

>> Email Notification -

In it's first incarnation, I think we need at a minimum some MTA. ssmtp, esmtp, exim or something better.

Requires some thing to the front end to set the conf parameters.

 

>> UPS Support.

A very important feature.

Requires some thing to the front end to set the conf parameters.

 

 

>> VMware Server - definitely a niche application.  Widely used in this community, but not necessary for the average user.

it's my understanding that all we need are some hooks for drivers compiled into the kernel. Am I wrong?

 

Some of these may need to wait for 5.0 so that we can add them ourselves.

Perhaps if 5.0 has a template system for updating .conf files we can easily do this.

 

 

 

 

FWIW, If these add on packages are created as slackware install packages.

 

Then using some form of template system (unmenu methodology comes to mind).

You could drop an unmenu conf file somewhere on the flash, run a script that downloads and installs the package.

 

This would make it much easier for users to install and update.

 

In it's first incarnation, I think we need at a minimum some MTA. ssmtp, esmtp, exim or something better.  

 

Are you trying to say my email script isn't an MTA?  

 

I agree.   Any built-in email notification program should use a more robust MTA than my bash script.

 

Directory caching. Couldn't live without it.

In it's first incarnation, I think we need at a minimum some MTA. ssmtp, esmtp, exim or something better.  

 

Are you trying to say my email script isn't an MTA?  

 

I agree.   Any built-in email notification program should use a more robust MTA than my bash script.

 

Your script is good.. but somehow I think something like ssmtp is better in the long term.  

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION. 

 

 

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION. 

Yes!!!!!!!

Add to the description: DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION.  

Yes!!!!!!!

Add to the description: DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

Could I be so bold as to suggest a built-in help system of some kind, that explains some of the most important procedures for setting up new drives, file migration, drive health (relative to SMART status), and how to recover from a failed drive?  Digging through the online wiki and / or forums can be cumbersome, especially when you're freaked out of your mind because you think you destroyed all your family pictures.

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION.  

Yes!!!!!!!

Add to the description: DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

Could I be so bold as to suggest a built-in help system of some kind, that explains some of the most important procedures for setting up new drives, file migration, drive health (relative to SMART status), and how to recover from a failed drive?  Digging through the online wiki and / or forums can be cumbersome, especially when you're freaked out of your mind because you think you destroyed all your family pictures.

I would suggest that should not be part of unRAID, since when it is down, your help would be too.

The wiki can certainly be improved, and an on-line decision tree help possibly written, but I fear there are so many different situations with various hardware and errors that any on-line help will be a minimal help at all.

 

 

I must be coming down with the flu or something, but I actually agree with your selection! 

Quick, get some Vitamin C! 

 

>> FTP Server.

I think this is an absolute requirement. It's a file server. It needs ftp support. I thought we have it already.

How exactly is FTP useful for the average user?  I've been using my server for over a year and I haven't once had the need for FTP.

 

Directory caching. Couldn't live without it.

I see directory caching as more of an 'optimization' tweak, not a vital unRAID function.  While I would support it being made part of the stock unRAID package for the sake of power savings, I don't see it as necessary.  Simply put, it doesn't help protect your data in any way, which I think should be the primary focus of the unRAID stock package.

 

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION. 

Added to the top of the list, can't believe I forgot that one.  It isn't really an add-on, I suppose, but in some ways it is more important that the rest.  However, to my mind 'Set Initial Configuration' sounds too complex as well.  As an inexperienced unRAIDer, I'm not sure I would understand what that means.  I would propose instead renaming it to something simple like:

'Delete Parity Data'

Then in the description the reason why one may want to do this could be outlined.

 

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION. 

Yes!!!!!!!

Add to the description: DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

I agree with your description, but again, I don't agree with the new proposed button name.  I would name it 'Delete Parity Data' and add in a line to your description:

ONLY PRESS THIS BUTTON IF YOU WANT TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF DATA DISKS IN YOUR ARRAY.  DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

especially when you're freaked out of your mind because you think you destroyed all your family pictures.

 

You should still do backups of your important data!

Get rid of the global FORMAT button!

In the individual disk pages, where it says "File sytem type", that's a good place for format buttons.

 

Directory caching. Couldn't live without it.

I see directory caching as more of an 'optimization' tweak, not a vital unRAID function.

 

I too couldn't live without directory caching. I use my own version.

 

But I agree with Rajahal on this! (what's wrong with me? )  It's not for the stock unRAID.

 

However, to my mind 'Set Initial Configuration' sounds too complex as well.  As an inexperienced unRAIDer, I'm not sure I would understand what that means.  I would propose instead renaming it to something simple like:

'Delete Parity Data'

Then in the description the reason why one may want to do this could be outlined.

 

Rename the RESTORE button - SET INITIAL CONFIGURATION. 

Yes!!!!!!!

Add to the description: DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

I agree with your description, but again, I don't agree with the new proposed button name.  I would name it 'Delete Parity Data' and add in a line to your description:

ONLY PRESS THIS BUTTON IF YOU WANT TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF DATA DISKS IN YOUR ARRAY.  DO NOT USE IF YOU INTEND TO RECONSTRUCT THE CONTENTS OF A FAILED DRIVE ONTO A REPLACEMENT, AS PRESSING THIS BUTTON IMMEDIATELY INVALIDATES PARITY. IF YOU INVALIDATE PARITY, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE PARITY TO RECONSTRUCT AN OLD DISK's CONTENTS.

My first instinct was to disagree, but after thinking about it about 5 seconds more, that is an excellent label for the button.  It will be far less likely to be pressed in a panic situation.

 

I might even suggest a combination of ideas...

Delete Existing Parity Data and Disk Configuration.

 

Yes, it is longer, but more accurate, and perhaps as unlikely to be pressed when a disk has failed.

Joe L.

Delete Existing Parity Data and Disk Configuration.

 

I suggest: DO NOT PRESS THIS BUTTON!

+1!  In any machine it's always handy to have one "DO NOT PRESS THIS BUTTON!" button!   

 

>> FTP Server.

I think this is an absolute requirement. It's a file server. It needs ftp support. I thought we have it already.

How exactly is FTP useful for the average user?  I've been using my server for over a year and I haven't once had the need for FTP.

 

In any file server you purchase today, it will have a basic ftp server.

Even Novell has an ftp server. In a pinch not every client can do SMB or NFS.

I think if it isn't there as part of the base, we'll have allot more support questions for it.

If I did not have ssh, I would have to use ftp and in a pinch I use it allot.

I can't mount smb or nfs over my firewall to work.

But I can easily proxy in with basic ftp and get files/to from the server.

There was a request for it, (multiple) now it's there, it should not be removed.

Get rid of the global FORMAT button!

In the individual disk pages, where it says "File sytem type", that's a good place for format buttons.

 

 

I could not agree more!

I would suggest that should not be part of unRAID, since when it is down, your help would be too.

The wiki can certainly be improved, and an on-line decision tree help possibly written, but I fear there are so many different situations with various hardware and errors that any on-line help will be a minimal help at all.

My suggestion involved basic tasks to do on a healthy unRAID server that is running.  Is it reasonable to ask a layman to look through the wiki when adding a new drive so that they know to preclear it first?

I would suggest that should not be part of unRAID, since when it is down, your help would be too.

The wiki can certainly be improved, and an on-line decision tree help possibly written, but I fear there are so many different situations with various hardware and errors that any on-line help will be a minimal help at all.

My suggestion involved basic tasks to do on a healthy unRAID server that is running.  Is it reasonable to ask a layman to look through the wiki when adding a new drive so that they know to preclear it first?

It is not critical to clear a drive, it is just a good practice.  unRAID will clear the disk for you... It will not exercise the disk to alert you of early problems, but clearing it will write to all the sectors, and the first parity check will read them all.

Although I selected a specific example, my suggestion is more broad scoped than that.  Perhaps a different perspective.  Most software has built-in help that is available offline, as well as supplimental online support.  If the intention is to make unRAID more broadly acceptable, then making it more intuitive for the average user should involve some kind of basic direction, including "check the wiki".

Although I selected a specific example, my suggestion is more broad scoped than that.  Perhaps a different perspective.  Most software has built-in help that is available offline, as well as supplimental online support.  If the intention is to make unRAID more broadly acceptable, then making it more intuitive for the average user should involve some kind of basic direction, including "check the wiki".

A window's style help file would probably do it, or a PDF file...

In a world where all things are not possible or at least not right away I'd say changing the format button and making the shutdown safe are many times more important than adding ftp and preclear.  In my opinion, a great raid solution doesn't make it easy to corrupt or destroy data.  Changing the button text is so easy it could be done without any regression testing.  And replacing the normal shutdown could be done with the new safe shutdown method.

Both of those should be put in a patch and distributed.  The rest could probably be addons in unRAID 5.0.