NexentaStor vs OpenNAS

NexentaStor is software-defined storage for enterprise applications, combining file services over NFS and SMB with block services over Fibre Channel and iSCSI. It is presented for databases, enterprise NAS, private cloud, virtual workloads, backup, and archives, and can scale from terabytes to petabytes. It runs on bare-metal hardware or as a virtual storage appliance in private-cloud and hyper-converged environments. Its perpetual license includes inline data reduction, unlimited snapshots, long-distance replication, and NexentaFusion management. Administrators can also use a VMware vCenter plugin or a self-documenting REST API. Named integrations or certifications include VMware, Microsoft, OpenStack, Commvault, Veeam, and NetBackup. Nexenta describes SMB 3 encryption and Windows-style access control lists for file storage, and a checksummed, self-healing filesystem for backup. Enterprise Edition includes scheduled replication for recovery point objectives of 15 minutes or longer; continuous replication requires an extra license. Pricing is on request, with a 45-day trial available after registration.

OpenNAS is a free NAS operating system for managing files, storage, containers, and virtual machines through a browser-based desktop on your own hardware. It is based on Alpine Linux, targets x86_64, and is licensed GPL-3.0-or-later. File Station handles uploads and downloads, previews for common media and document formats, ZIP operations, recycle-bin restoration, and expiring password-protected public links. Storage tools show S.M.A.R.T. health, RAID status, and per-volume usage, and support disk initialization and configurable storage for virtual machines and containers. Container Manager handles Docker containers and images, logs, resource statistics, and docker-compose stacks. KVM/QEMU virtual machines support ISO booting, qcow2 disks, and an in-browser noVNC console. Package Center offers one-click self-hosted services such as Jellyfin, Nextcloud, Pi-hole, Vaultwarden, Gitea, Home Assistant, Portainer, and Immich. File sharing supports SMB/CIFS, NFS, and AFP, with Time Machine targets. The Free plan is free. The current installer is version 0.9.0-beta.1 for x86_64 and supports UEFI and BIOS boot; it requires compatible 64-bit x86_64 hardware, at least 2 GB RAM, and an 8 GB or larger USB stick.