Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Samba VS unRAID Server

Compare Samba VS unRAID Server and see what are their differences

Samba logo Samba

Samba serves as an open source alternative to the traditional domain controller offered by Microsoft.

unRAID Server logo unRAID Server

A scalable, consumer-oriented, server operating system.
  • Samba Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29
  • unRAID Server Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-31

Samba features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Samba allows file and print sharing between computers running Windows and Unix-like systems such as Linux, enhancing interoperability across different platforms.
  • Active Directory Support
    Samba provides Active Directory support, enabling Linux servers to seamlessly join and participate in Windows network domains, including authentication and directory services.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Samba is cost-effective and provides the flexibility to modify and utilize the software according to organizational needs, with a supportive user and developer community.
  • Wide Adoption
    Samba is widely adopted and trusted in enterprise environments for providing reliable file and print services across various operating systems.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Samba has extensive documentation and community-contributed resources that help users effectively set up and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of Samba

  • Complex Configuration
    Samba configuration can be complex and may require a thorough understanding of both Windows and Linux networking concepts to set up and maintain correctly.
  • Performance Overhead
    Due to protocol translation between different systems, there may be performance overheads in certain environments, impacting speed and efficiency.
  • Security Risks
    As with any network service, misconfiguration or lack of updates can expose Samba to security vulnerabilities, requiring careful management and regular updates.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Samba services can be resource-intensive, requiring sufficient hardware resources to maintain optimal performance, especially in larger network environments.
  • Occasional Compatibility Issues
    While Samba strives for compatibility, there may occasionally be issues with newer Windows features or complex Active Directory environments.

unRAID Server features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    unRAID provides a user-friendly web interface that simplifies the process of setting up and managing a NAS, making it accessible even for users without a deep technical background.
  • Flexible Storage Management
    It supports a mix of drive sizes and allows users to add drives as needed without rebuilding the entire array, offering significant flexibility in storage expansion.
  • Data Protection
    unRAID uses a parity drive system to protect against data loss. It allows recovery of data if one drive fails, similar to traditional RAID setups, but with more drive flexibility.
  • Docker and Virtual Machine Support
    Supports running Docker containers and virtual machines, enabling additional services and software to run directly on the server.
  • Energy Efficient
    Spins down drives that are not in use, reducing power consumption and extending the lifespan of the drives.

Possible disadvantages of unRAID Server

  • Cost
    Unlike some open-source alternatives, unRAID is not free and requires purchasing a license based on the number of attached storage devices.
  • Limited RAID Configurations
    Does not support some RAID levels (like RAID 5 or 6) natively, which can be a limitation for users seeking those specific features.
  • Single Parity Disk Limitation
    By default provides single or dual parity options, and users needing more robust redundancy need to consider this limitation.
  • Performance
    Write speeds to the array can be slower compared to traditional RAID configurations due to the parity calculations, which might affect large write operations.
  • Community-driven Support
    While there is an active user community, official support might not be as immediate or extensive as commercial solutions.

Samba videos

Samba OG 3 Month Review | Uncomfortable?

More videos:

  • Review - (Best Value Indoor Shoe) Adidas Samba Classic - Review + On Feet
  • Review - Adidas Samba Classic Indoor - Unboxing + On Feet

unRAID Server videos

No unRAID Server videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Samba and unRAID Server)
Cloud Computing
68 68%
32% 32
Storage
0 0%
100% 100
Identity And Access Management
Identity Provider
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Samba and unRAID Server

Samba Reviews

We have no reviews of Samba yet.
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unRAID Server Reviews

15 Best FreeNas alternatives in 2020
One of the special features of unRAID Server is that it boots from a USB device and it can store memory up to 38TB. UnRAID Server can be used in any IT companies and big corporates where there are large sized files and folders. It has both registered and unregistered versions. This server runs perfectly on any operating system such as Windows, Apple, Linux, Mac,and UNIX. It...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Samba seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Samba mentions (1)

  • Samba 4.16 broken?
    Well, it's the first Samba release in the ports since 4.13, and it isn't marked as broken. I'm not sure why you'd look on the samba.org site to see if the FreeBSD port has defects, or why you'd give me a link link to the Samba wiki for 4.13 when I'm very clearly asking about 4.16. Source: over 2 years ago

unRAID Server mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of unRAID Server yet. Tracking of unRAID Server recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Samba and unRAID Server, you can also consider the following products

FreeIPA - FreeIPA is an integrated security information management solution combining Linux (Fedora), 389...

OpenMediaVault - OpenMediaVault is the next generation network attached storage (NAS) solution based on Debian Linux.

OpenLDAP - OpenLDAP Software is an open source implementation of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

SnapRAID - A backup program for disk arrays. It stores parity information of your data and it recovers from up to six disk failures.

Zentyal - Linux directory, domain, mail, gateway and infrastructure server for SMBs.

TrueNAS Core - TrueNAS Core (formerly FreeNAS) is a storage operating system strong and robust enough to meet the needs of enterprise level businesses.