Overview

Windows Server

Stacks532

Followers208

Votes0

FreeNAS

Stacks36

Followers45

Votes4

FreeNAS vs Windows Server : What are the differences?

Introduction

FreeNAS and Windows Server are both operating systems that offer different features and capabilities. While FreeNAS is an open-source operating system based on FreeBSD, Windows Server is a proprietary operating system developed by Microsoft. In this article, we will explore the key differences between FreeNAS and Windows Server.

Storage Management: One major difference between FreeNAS and Windows Server is the approach to storage management. FreeNAS is built with a focus on providing advanced storage management capabilities, such as ZFS filesystem, RAID support, and snapshot replication. On the other hand, Windows Server offers storage management features like Storage Spaces and Storage Replica, but they are not as advanced as the ones in FreeNAS.
Cost: Another significant difference between FreeNAS and Windows Server is the cost. FreeNAS is open-source software, which means it is available for free to use and can be downloaded from the website. In contrast, Windows Server is a commercial product that requires a license to use, and the cost can vary depending on the edition and number of users.
Hardware Support: FreeNAS is known for its wide range of hardware support, as it can run on almost any PC hardware configuration. It provides compatibility with various hardware devices, including consumer-grade components. On the other hand, Windows Server has specific hardware requirements and may not work on every PC. It is designed to run on server-class hardware and is optimized for enterprise environments.
Ecosystem: FreeNAS has a strong community support and a wide range of plugins and extensions available, making it easy to find additional features and functionality. It has a dedicated community that actively contributes to its development and provides support to users. Windows Server, being a Microsoft product, has a vast ecosystem with a wide range of third-party software and services that integrate well with the operating system.
User Interface: The user interface is another area where FreeNAS and Windows Server differ. FreeNAS provides a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) that is easy to use and navigate. It offers a simplified management experience for storage and network settings. In contrast, Windows Server offers a more traditional desktop-based GUI, which provides a comprehensive set of tools and options but may require more technical expertise to navigate and configure.
Application Support: Windows Server has extensive support for running various enterprise applications. It is compatible with a wide range of software and services, including Microsoft's own products such as SQL Server and Exchange Server. FreeNAS, on the other hand, is more focused on storage and file serving capabilities and may not have the same level of support for enterprise applications.

In Summary, FreeNAS and Windows Server differ in terms of storage management capabilities, cost, hardware support, ecosystem, user interface, and application support.

🔥 Trending in Infrastructure as a Service on StackShare

Google Drive Infrastructure As A Service

A safe place for all your files

Try it View Docs Alternatives

Try

10

70.4k

Detailed Comparison

Windows Server	FreeNAS
It is a brand name for a group of server operating systems released by Microsoft. It includes all Windows operating systems, Increase security, evolve your data center, and innovate faster with Microsoft Windows Server, the cloud-ready operating system.	It is the simplest way to create a centralized and easily accessible place for your data. Use it with ZFS to protect, store, backup, all of your data. It is used everywhere, for the home, small business, and the enterprise.
-	File Sharing; Web Interface; Data Protection; Snapshots; Replication; Encryption
Statistics
Stacks 532	Stacks 36
Followers 208	Followers 45
Votes 0	Votes 4
Pros & Cons
Cons 1 License needed 1 Not open source	Pros 2 Very Stable 2 Easy to install
Integrations
No integrations available	Zapier Supergiant Ambari SlickStack strongDM Foxpass

What are some alternatives to Windows Server , FreeNAS?

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’. It also means ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’. The Ubuntu operating system brings the spirit of Ubuntu to the world of computers.

Debian

Debian systems currently use the Linux kernel or the FreeBSD kernel. Linux is a piece of software started by Linus Torvalds and supported by thousands of programmers worldwide. FreeBSD is an operating system including a kernel and other software.

Arch Linux

A lightweight and flexible Linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.

Fedora

Fedora is a Linux-based operating system that provides users with access to the latest free and open source software, in a stable, secure and easy to manage form. Fedora is the largest of many free software creations of the Fedora Project. Because of its predominance, the word "Fedora" is often used interchangeably to mean both the Fedora Project and the Fedora operating system.

Linux Mint

The purpose of Linux Mint is to produce a modern, elegant and comfortable operating system which is both powerful and easy to use.

CentOS

The CentOS Project is a community-driven free software effort focused on delivering a robust open source ecosystem. For users, we offer a consistent manageable platform that suits a wide variety of deployments. For open source communities, we offer a solid, predictable base to build upon, along with extensive resources to build, test, release, and maintain their code.

Linux

A clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

CoreOS

It is designed for security, consistency, and reliability. Instead of installing packages via yum or apt, it uses Linux containers to manage your services at a higher level of abstraction. A single service's code and all dependencies are packaged within a container that can be run on one or many machines.

Gentoo Linux

It is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need.