Hi everybody

I have tested unRaid while trying to set it up on a friend and everything works fine now (thanks to the help from the forum members). i also have tested the basic version in my hardware which was not in the compatibility list. I liked it so i want to buy a pro key for myself. I had some questions which i sent to limetech but after 2 weeks i have got no answer (which is by itself a little unsettling). So i was hoping that some of you could answer them:

 

1. since each license is tied to a usb what happens if the usb malfunctions (which eventually it will as all hardware does. after all, we use unraid exactly because we want to be protected from eventual hardware failure)?

2. if limetech closes for some reason (which i hope it doesn't) what will happen to unRaid? As i said in question 1, the USB will eventually malfunction. Will that mean the end of my unRaid server?

3. from the moment i order a key (just the key, not a usb stick), how long does it take for them to email it back?

 

Thanks in advance

1. since each license is tied to a usb what happens if the usb malfunctions (which eventually it will as all hardware does. after all, we use unraid exactly because we want to be protected from eventual hardware failure)?

2. if limetech closes for some reason (which i hope it doesn't) what will happen to unRaid? As i said in question 1, the USB will eventually malfunction. Will that mean the end of my unRaid server?

3. from the moment i order a key (just the key, not a usb stick), how long does it take for them to email it back?

 

1. There is usually scope to renew your key against a new USB stick ID. I believe this is at the discretion of limetech but plenty of people have done it in the past. So long as it's genuine I'm sure it will be fine. Otherwise you have the option to buy a new key or to buy a spare key at a discount.

 

2. ...is the key question. There has been talk of the code being in escrow though what terms would be enacted should it be required I don't know. I also don't know if limetech simply shutting up shop would be enough to trigger this. Only they can answer I'm afraid.

 

3. It varies. Within a couple of days, usually same day. Though limetech isn't a 24/7/365 operation and so there can be delays.

 

There is a common theme at the moment with general queries and some support calls going unanswered. People do seem to still be getting license keys through regardless however.

 

This is a hot topic at the moment and whether or not that level of support is acceptable to you is your decision! At least you've encountered it pre-purchase and so can can make your purchase decision with that knowledge.

 

I should also add my answers above are correct as regards my own knowledge. Someone may come along and give you better info

 

Ultimately the definitive answer can only come from one place I'm afraid....

thanx for your answer boof

Just some thoughts:

 

1. There is usually scope to renew your key against a new USB stick ID. I believe this is at the discretion of limetech but plenty of people have done it in the past. So long as it's genuine I'm sure it will be fine. Otherwise you have the option to buy a new key or to buy a spare key at a discount.

 

it would be very annoying to have to pay again for the same software because the hardware malfunctioned. at the very least they could ask for the usb stick to be sent to them so they can verify it is the original (if that is possible hardwarewise)

 

2. ...is the key question. There has been talk of the code being in escrow though what terms would be enacted should it be required I don't know. I also don't know if limetech simply shutting up shop would be enough to trigger this. Only they can answer I'm afraid.

 

that's the thing, they dont answer. and this is an important question worth 100s of dollars (or euros in my case) to every user...

 

3. It varies. Within a couple of days, usually same day. Though limetech isn't a 24/7/365 operation and so there can be delays.

 

There is a common theme at the moment with general queries and some support calls going unanswered. People do seem to still be getting license keys through regardless however.

 

i dont want to be whiny, i understand that they are not a big business, but since they make a profit, they have some obligation (at least to customers, if not to prospective customers). if they get many emails it probably is because they have a big customer base, which means that maybe they should make some provisions for that. Especially if they decide to only answer to requests for keys...

 

This is a hot topic at the moment and whether or not that level of support is acceptable to you is your decision! At least you've encountered it pre-purchase and so can can make your purchase decision with that knowledge.

 

I should also add my answers above are correct as regards my own knowledge. Someone may come along and give you better info

 

Ultimately the definitive answer can only come from one place I'm afraid....

you are right of course,  but currently there is not a good alternative to unRaid, it is a monopoly

Plus, i like the unRaid community...

So, even though i can decide not to buy it, i don't have a viable alternative

boof pretty much some's it up. On the note on the second question, lets hope it never happens (Lime Technology being no more), but having said this, if it were to happen, the file format in which unraid is built on is ReiserFS, it is a widely, commonly used (depending on the distro) and is a well supported Linux file system. It can be easily mounted using basically any other Linux operating system. If in the instance that unraid was no more and in the same time your USB drive died to (heaven forbid this occurs though), you'd just simply fit a Optical drive to your unraid server, boot into a CD test distro like Ubuntu or Knoppix, mount all of the data disks and transfer all the data from your old unraid server onto another storage unit via a LAN connection, you would have to have a replacement server which is the same or is greater than your existing data disks used space combined. Hope this eases any fear which you might have about unraid. I have no doubt that unraid will go under as Tom is always inundated with new things, working on the upcoming version of the OS v5 and it seems his selling licences like got cakes. It is by far the best NAS soluting out these thus far for home and even commercial use too.

it would be very annoying to have to pay again for the same software because the hardware malfunctioned. at the very least they could ask for the usb stick to be sent to them so they can verify it is the original (if that is possible hardwarewise)

 

I agree, although from what I can gather this has never really been a problem for anyone. A replacement license has been issued. I've only seen comments on when it has happened I've never seen a comment from anyone saying it was refused.

 

that's the thing, they dont answer. and this is an important question worth 100s of dollars (or euros in my case) to every user...

 

Again I agree, and it's a hot topic (relatively for the forums anyway!) right now. If you do a forum search for 'escrow' I'm sure you'll find the thread where it was discussed. But there are alot of gaps in the detail..

 

i dont want to be whiny, i understand that they are not a big business, but since they make a profit, they have some obligation (at least to customers, if not to prospective customers). if they get many emails it probably is because they have a big customer base, which means that maybe they should make some provisions for that. Especially if they decide to only answer to requests for keys...

 

Again I'm in entire agreement

 

I've posted elsewhere that I've adjusted my personal view of limetech from being a company providing support to someones hobby which they happen to charge for and support being on best efforts. How accurate it is I have no idea, but I find it the best outlook.

 

I should also second unraideds sentiment that you can just mount your data elsewhere / from within any OS that supports reiserfs. So if limetech or unraid does go away you lose the 'product' but your data will be entirely safe. I should have made that clear in my original answer.

 

both unraided and boof, make good points and i guess what you both say probably sums up the conclusions all experienced users must have reached.

 

PS: i know i can mount my hdd's elsewhere if there is a problem with my unraid server. actually, i think for me this one of the biggest selling points. When people ask me for my advice for Drobo, i tell them i wouldn't use it even if it was for free (unless they gave me 5-6 drobos for free ). My concern isn't that i would automatically loose my data if limetech closed. I was just thinking that in that case, i would be left with no protection the moment my usb dies and no alternative. The escrow thing you both mention gives me some hope (btw, thanks for teaching me a new word (escrow), english in not my native language )

both unraided and boof, make good points and i guess what you both say probably sums up the conclusions all experienced users must have reached.

 

PS: i know i can mount my hdd's elsewhere if there is a problem with my unraid server. actually, i think for me this one of the biggest selling points. When people ask me for my advice for Drobo, i tell them i wouldn't use it even if it was for free (unless they gave me 5-6 drobos for free ). My concern isn't that i would automatically loose my data if limetech closed. I was just thinking that in that case, i would be left with no protection the moment my usb dies and no alternative. The escrow thing you both mention gives me some hope (btw, thanks for teaching me a new word (escrow), english in not my native language )

 

You've probably found it, but for anyone else the thread with comment from limetech regarding escrow is :

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=4768.0

 

As I said, light on detail on what will actually happen - after all the code being in 'someones' hands doesn't instantly make generating new licenses from USB id's happen overnight - but it's something.

 

Your English is excellent, if you hadn't mentioned it I would never have known otherwise.

 

as an FYI, The md driver code is available in source form on the unRAID distribution.

 

The closed source modules are emhttp (The control interface) and shfs, (the user filesystem)

 

In a worst case scenario, I'm sure it could be reverse engineered.

I think this has not been done out of respect for limetech.

as an FYI, The md driver code is available in source form on the unRAID distribution.

 

The closed source modules are emhttp (The control interface) and shfs, (the user filesystem)

 

In a worst case scenario, I'm sure it could be reverse engineered.

I think this has not been done out of respect for limetech.

I know I have the ability to re-create emhttp and shfs if needed.  I'm sure others do as well.

I do not, as stated, out of respect.  I'd rather see Tom's business succeed.

(besides... The re-creation effort would be huge...)

 

 

Or (if Tom goes out of bussiness) he can just realese a keygen that will generate a licence file for any keys.

 

I have no doubt that unraid will go under as Tom is always inundated with new things, working on the upcoming version of the OS v5 and it seems his selling licences like got cakes.

Was this a typo?

I have no doubt that unraid will go under as Tom is always inundated with new things, working on the upcoming version of the OS v5 and it seems his selling licences like got cakes.

Was this a typo?

based on the context of the rest of that post, it seems like a typo to me.

I meant to say that 'Lime Technology wil not got under', meaning he will not go out of busniess. It to me Tom is suceeding and it is doing well, very busy albeit but doing well.

1. since each license is tied to a usb what happens if the usb malfunctions (which eventually it will as all hardware does. after all, we use unraid exactly because we want to be protected from eventual hardware failure)?

 

Our usual answer is:  "If my flash drive dies or is lost, will I lose my license?" (the second link is more direct)