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XtreemFS

xtreemfs.org

Free plan WindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hosted
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Spec score 7.3 #15 of 24 in Storage Replication Software

What it is

XtreemFS is a free, fault-tolerant distributed file system for general-purpose storage, available for Linux, macOS, Windows and self-hosted deployments. Files are replicated across storage servers, with automatic failover to a backup replica if the primary fails. Full or partial read-only replicas support immutable files and can be used to create caches across datacenters. The project says an installation can grow to thousands of storage and metadata servers by adding or removing storage servers. POSIX compatibility makes it usable as an NFS replacement. SSL and X.509 certificate support are built in, and the site says XtreemFS can run over the internet without a VPN. A Hadoop client supports use as an HDFS replacement. Listed uses include filer replacement, HPC and Hadoop clusters, VM block storage and cross-branch sharing. Linux distribution packages and precompiled Windows and Mac OS X clients are available. The FAQ says a single volume may hold up to tens of millions of files, with no known limits stated for volumes and services. The project is open source under a BSD license and is developed by Zuse Institute Berlin.

Spec sheet

Purpose
XtreemFS is a fault-tolerant distributed file system for general-purpose storage.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Deployment
The project provides Linux distribution packages and precompiled client packages for Windows and Mac OS X.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Security
It has built-in SSL and X.509 certificate support, and the site says it can run over the internet without a VPN.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Support
Users can ask questions on the public mailing list and report bugs through the GitHub bug tracker.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Compatibility
XtreemFS offers POSIX compatibility and can be used as a drop-in replacement for NFS.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Developer
The site says XtreemFS is developed as an open-source project by Zuse Institute Berlin.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Hadoop
A Hadoop client is available for using XtreemFS as an HDFS replacement.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Limit
The FAQ says a single volume may contain up to tens of millions of files; it reports no known limits for the number of volumes and services.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Read-only replicas
It supports full and partial read-only replicas for immutable files, which can be used to build a cache across datacenters.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Replication
It replicates files across storage servers and can automatically fail over to a backup replica if the primary fails.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Scalability
The site says an installation can scale to thousands of storage and metadata servers by adding or removing storage servers.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org
Use cases
The site lists filer replacement, HPC and Hadoop clusters, VM block storage, and cross-branch data sharing as use cases.Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org

Plans and prices

XtreemFS Free Open-source BSD license · free of charge Read 30 Sep 2026 · xtreemfs.org

Every XtreemFS plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Automatic failover to backup file replicas
  • Supports full and partial read-only replicas
  • POSIX compatible and usable as NFS replacement
  • SSL and X.509 certificate support
  • Free under an open-source BSD license

Limits

  • Single volume holds up to tens of millions of files
  • Support is through a public mailing list and GitHub bug tracker

Who it suits

XtreemFS suits organizations seeking self-hosted distributed storage with replication and failover, including HPC, Hadoop, virtual machine storage or cross-branch use cases. It may also fit teams that need POSIX compatibility or read-only replicas for immutable data.

Verdict

XtreemFS offers distributed storage with replication, failover and several deployment use cases without a software charge. Consider the stated per-volume file capacity and community-based support channels when assessing fit.

Where Specifiction places it

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