Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Rockstor VS SnapRAID

Compare Rockstor VS SnapRAID and see what are their differences

Rockstor logo Rockstor

Rockstor is a free and open source NAS (Network Attached Storage) operating system.

SnapRAID logo SnapRAID

A backup program for disk arrays. It stores parity information of your data and it recovers from up to six disk failures.
  • Rockstor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-01
  • SnapRAID Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-09

Rockstor features and specs

  • Btrfs File System
    Rockstor leverages the Btrfs (B-tree file system) which provides advanced features such as built-in RAID support, data deduplication, efficient snapshotting, and dynamic volume management.
  • User-friendly Interface
    Rockstor includes a web-based graphical user interface (GUI) that simplifies management and monitoring tasks, making it accessible even to users with limited command-line experience.
  • Docker Support
    Rockstor provides support for Docker containers, allowing users to run a wide variety of applications and services seamlessly within the Rockstor environment.
  • Custom Storage Solutions
    Rockstor allows for the building of custom storage solutions with specific needs like personal cloud storage, SMB/CIFS, and NFS fileshares.
  • Cost-effective
    Rockstor is an open-source project, making it a cost-effective option for those who need a robust NAS solution without the high price tag associated with commercial alternatives.

Possible disadvantages of Rockstor

  • Btrfs Stability Issues
    Despite its advanced features, Btrfs is still considered less stable and mature compared to other file systems such as ext4 or ZFS, potentially posing a risk for critical data.
  • Limited Enterprise Features
    Rockstor may lack some of the advanced enterprise features available in commercial NAS solutions, such as comprehensive professional support, active directory integration, and extensive scalability options.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    As with any open-source NAS solution, hardware compatibility can be an issue. There may be limited support for specific RAID controllers or network interface cards (NICs).
  • Performance Overhead
    Running Rockstor with the Btrfs file system can lead to performance overhead, especially on lower-end hardware or under heavy I/O loads.
  • User Community and Support
    Being an open-source project, the level of community support and available resources might not be as extensive or prompt as those offered by established commercial vendors.

SnapRAID features and specs

  • Data Protection
    SnapRAID provides data protection by offering redundancy through parity, which helps in recovering data in case of a drive failure.
  • Flexibility
    SnapRAID allows the use of disks of different sizes and types even after the initial setup, which is not common in traditional RAID systems.
  • Snapshot Storage
    SnapRAID uses snapshots to protect against accidental deletions and file system corruption, maintaining multiple points in time for recovery.
  • Read Performance
    Since SnapRAID is not a real-time RAID solution, it doesn't impact read performance. Data is read directly from the data disks.
  • No Drive Spanning
    Unlike traditional RAID systems, SnapRAID doesn't span files across multiple drives, which reduces complexity and the risk of data loss.

Possible disadvantages of SnapRAID

  • Not Real-Time
    SnapRAID is not a real-time RAID solution, meaning changes are not protected until a sync operation is performed.
  • No Write Performance Improvement
    SnapRAID does not improve write performance as traditional RAID systems do, since it doesn't stripe data across disks in real-time.
  • Manual Sync
    Users need to perform manual sync operations to update parity information, which can be cumbersome and requires regular maintenance.
  • Limited to Static Data
    SnapRAID is best suited for data that doesn't change often, such as media libraries, since frequent changes require constant sync operations.
  • No Real-Time Redundancy
    Real-time redundancy is not available, leaving the system vulnerable to data loss between sync operations.

Rockstor videos

Rockstor Linux NAS Software

More videos:

  • Review - Rockstor 3.9.1 NAS Storage Installation + Configuration + Overview on Oracle VirtualBox [2017]
  • Tutorial - How to Install Rockstor 3.8 NAS + Review + VMware Tools on VMware Workstation Tutorial [HD]

SnapRAID videos

Snapraid and Unionfs: Advanced Array Options on Openmediavault (Better than ZFS and Unraid)

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to setup Snapraid and DrivePool in Windows
  • Review - Part 5 - Perfect Media Server 2017 - Installing and Automating SnapRAID

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Rockstor and SnapRAID)
Cloud Storage
61 61%
39% 39
Cloud Computing
61 61%
39% 39
Storage
64 64%
36% 36
NAS Storage
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Rockstor and SnapRAID. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Rockstor and SnapRAID

Rockstor Reviews

9 Of The Best FreeNAS Alternatives For Your Storage Needs
Rockstor is another excellent FreeNAS alternatives that come with a framework that can provide you with an open-source arrangement. The cost is reasonable, and it also provides you with a cloud server framework.
Top 7 FreeNas Alternative For Your PC
Rockstor is the free OS system released in GPL2 license & oriented to the NAS servers. This platform is based on CentOS 7, where Rockstor is added in the form of the additional RPMs, and the Anaconda installer is modified to make this the direct installation procedure. It is easy to install on basic hardware and virtualized with no issues.
Top 15 Best TrueNAS Alternatives In 2022
Users may quickly establish a reliable storage platform with the help of Rockstor’s four basic solutions, which come in the forms of personal cloud servers, SMB cloud servers, standard NAS servers, and custom solutions.
15 FreeNAS Alternatives 2020 | Best Storage Operating System
Rockstor is a free NAS management system and the best alternative to FreeNAS in 2020. It is an open-source, CentOS-based program and you can install it on any community hardware without advanced system requirements.The private cloud-based server system has a user-friendly, web-based UI that provides a secure shelter for information, online sharing provision, and snapshot...
15 Best FreeNas alternatives in 2020
This is based on Linux and BTRFS. This is provided with web UI that makes scheduling snapshots and replicating shares on single click. You can manage everything very easily with Rockstor’s web UI. This is why this is one of the best alternative to FreeNas in this list.

SnapRAID Reviews

9 Of The Best FreeNAS Alternatives For Your Storage Needs
SnapRAID is another of the FreeNAS alternatives that enable you to store information and then provide you with a secure backup. The best part about this app is that it works effortlessly with both Linux and Windows.
15 FreeNAS Alternatives 2020 | Best Storage Operating System
You should know that SnapRAID is an excellent file server system for small businesses enabling users for effective data management without affecting the internal structures. We highly recommend SnapRAID to SMBs owners.
15 Best FreeNas alternatives in 2020
If you may feel a need to backup all your data then you won’t find the best tool than SnapRAID which is one of the best alternatives to Freenas. It is a type of useful backup program for all types of disk arrays which can store huge data of information. Yes, you can also recover the entire data up to 6 disk failures just with the help of this alternative to Freenas. You...
10 Best FreeNas alternatives in 2020
This FreeNas alternative is reinforcement the management program that stores the halfway data of any information and, later on, makes them ready to recuperate back the information from up to six information disappointments. SnapRAID is, for the most part, intended for the home media communities to make these clients ready to deal with their information successfully with the...
Source: omy9.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Rockstor seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 times 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.

Rockstor mentions (4)

  • Does the NAS market really suck or did I miss something?
    I see everyone talking about FreeNAS and TrueNAS but what about RockStor? https://rockstor.com/ I've been using their free version for about two years now and so far rock solid (bar the irritating nag screen everytime I go to the dashboard). Source: over 2 years ago
  • RAID ZFS etc, what to use when not buying all disks at once
    There are OSes (like unraid or RockStor) that give you a GUI for some things, but those are strictly optional. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Why is Amahi not a popular home server solution?
    Rockstor is another one that rarely gets talked about. I never used it, but it looks interesting and might be good if someone wants a WebUI for managing btrfs. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • NAS with BRTFS?
    If you're planning to make your own btrfs-based NAS, then you might find Rockstor interesting. Altought not perfect, I've been using it for a long time with zero issues. Source: about 4 years ago

SnapRAID mentions (0)

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

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Rockstor and SnapRAID, you can also consider the following products

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

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

XigmaNAS - File Sharing, OS & Utilities, and Security & Privacy

Amahi - Amahi is a media, home and app server software known for its easy-to-use user interface. Amahi has the best media, backup and web apps for small networks.

Unraid - Simplicity. Flexibility. Scalability. Modularity. Unraid empowers you to build the system you’ve always wanted using your preferred hardware, software, and operating systems.

PetaSAN - PetaSAN is an open source Scale-Out SAN solution offering massive scalability and performance.