NASLite Network Attached Storage

Thanks, I'll do that over the next several days and post results.

My suggestions for consideration (Based on V2.02) and principally all to do with the webgui. (some are trivial i know )

• Show drive journal Status in web GUI
• Show overall HD space and % used accross all drives as one.
• More ACPI info. e.g. CPU temperature alarm
• Track RAM useage as it is a performance factor
• Show peak in and out NIC speeds seen (to gauge how fast transfers are).
• Show NIC speed and duplex settings on homepage.
• Break syslog up info diff logging levels and one overall e.g. user.warn kernel, user.notice kernel
• Include a page that you can copy and paste text of your complete system specs for use on the forum for support and bragging rights
• Entering IP address of server into your browser should take you right to http://IP/Status/index.htm and not browsing drives (prepared to bet 99% of people want the stats page and not the drives). I understand the reasoning but its like 4 clicks to get to the admin section.
• Should probably add link to the license from "© 2006 Server Elements - All Rights Reserved" already in every page footer.
• I know this is nit picking but....if you browse the NAS contents using HTTP you see your own data but the "© 2006 Server Elements - All Rights Reserved" on the page. My data... your company copyright statement. Nit picking i know
• IP Comment (Option 5 in console) is missing from homepage
• Add rss page to allow you to use an RSS client to see network stats etc. etc
• Network Status page needs some more words as it confusing at first glance (as opposed to all other pages being well laid out and obvious.
• Each webpage should show the server name in the title (for when you manage more than one NAS). I realise its in the url if you dont use IP to access the webpage but i reckon this would be nicer.

My thoughts:

Show drive journal Status in web GUI
That info is available in full on the individual disk pages where the filesystem header is displayed.

Show overall HD space and % used across all drives as one.
Perhaps local disks only since severe capacity errors will be introduced in the case of remote storage mounts.

More ACPI info. e.g. CPU temperature alarm
Different CPUs have different operating temps. How do you know what the proper operating temp of the host CPU is and when it’s exceeded without a lookup table. Lookup tables are evil
EDIT: I'll need to take a closer look at this before dismissing it. A lookup may not be necessary at all.

Track RAM usage, as it is a performance factor
Under normal conditions NASLite will peg the RAM at 90%+ full time, so monitoring that’s rather meaningless.

Show peak in and out NIC speeds seen (to gauge how fast transfers are).
That would require full-time real-time monitoring of NIC traffic – costly for less capable machines. That’s best performed on the client end.

Show NIC speed and duplex settings on homepage.
Why? That’s on the System page.
EDIT: Network Status not System...

Break syslog up info diff logging levels and one overall e.g. user.warn kernel, user.notice kernel
A well tuned machine will see little change of the syslog content. I don’t see a good reason to do that.

Include a page that you can copy and paste text of your complete system specs for use on the forum for support and bragging rights Smile
The syslog fits that purpose fully and in complete detail.

Entering IP address of server into your browser should take you right to http://IP/Status/index.htm and not browsing drives (prepared to bet 99% of people want the stats page and not the drives). I understand the reasoning but its like 4 clicks to get to the admin section.
Not sure that’s the case. However it may be beneficial to include a link somewhere on the interface, reducing that to a single click.

Should probably add link to the license from "© 2006 Server Elements - All Rights Reserved" already in every page footer.
Not necessary. I’m sure people are aware of the terms.

I know this is nit picking but....if you browse the NAS contents using HTTP you see your own data but the "© 2006 Server Elements - All Rights Reserved" on the page. My data... your company copyright statement. Nit picking i know.
OK. “NASLite-2 - © 2006…”

IP Comment (Option 5 in console) is missing from homepage
OK.

Add rss page to allow you to use an RSS client to see network stats etc. etc
OK. Not a bad idea so we’ll give it some thought.

Network Status page needs some more words as it confusing at first glance (as opposed to all other pages being well laid out and obvious.
Particular suggestions?

Each webpage should show the server name in the title (for when you manage more than one NAS). I realise its in the url if you dont use IP to access the webpage but i reckon this would be nicer.
OK.

v2.03

Show drive journal Status in web GUI
That info is available in full on the individual disk pages where the filesystem header is displayed.
Fat: Understood. Its just hidden away when it could be shown more clearly on the page using up very little space.

Show overall HD space and % used across all drives as one.
Perhaps local disks only since severe capacity errors will be introduced in the case of remote storage mounts.
Fat: I agree, it is logical to have local disks only

More ACPI info. e.g. CPU temperature alarm
Different CPUs have different operating temps. How do you know what the proper operating temp of the host CPU is and when it’s exceeded without a lookup table. Lookup tables are evil
EDIT: I'll need to take a closer look at this before dismissing it. A lookup may not be necessary at all.
Fat: Just as drive capacity can be defined so could other alarms. This goes in the "nice to have list".

Track RAM usage, as it is a performance factor
Under normal conditions NASLite will peg the RAM at 90%+ full time, so monitoring that’s rather meaningless.
Fat: Thats not my experience i have already seen quite considerable differences in RAM useage hence this feature request. Let me monitor it more closely so i am not talking out of turn. Is there any way to track when >100% real RAM is used i.e. paging?

Show peak in and out NIC speeds seen (to gauge how fast transfers are).
That would require full-time real-time monitoring of NIC traffic – costly for less capable machines. That’s best performed on the client end.

Fat: Fair enough i just assumed it could be done in the same way as the traffic useage is currentl done. Still would be nice to have the option to activate this as a test etc

Show NIC speed and duplex settings on homepage.
Why? That’s on the System page.
EDIT: Network Status not System...
Fat: Yup, but its just one of those nice summary things like IP and subnet thats good to see.

Break syslog up info diff logging levels and one overall e.g. user.warn kernel, user.notice kernel
A well tuned machine will see little change of the syslog content. I don’t see a good reason to do that.
Fat: For neatnes only. Understood if it breaks the work vs. gain barried

Include a page that you can copy and paste text of your complete system specs for use on the forum for support and bragging rights Smile
The syslog fits that purpose fully and in complete detail.
Fat: Indeed, however it not n00b friendly. NasLite install and usage is n00b friendly... syslog definately is not. i.e. a mix of skill levels for the product

Entering IP address of server into your browser should take you right to http://IP/Status/index.htm and not browsing drives (prepared to bet 99% of people want the stats page and not the drives). I understand the reasoning but its like 4 clicks to get to the admin section.
Not sure that’s the case. However it may be beneficial to include a link somewhere on the interface, reducing that to a single click.
Fat: Signle click would be a great compromise.

Should probably add link to the license from "© 2006 Server Elements - All Rights Reserved" already in every page footer.
Not necessary. I’m sure people are aware of the terms.
Fat: Understood

I know this is nit picking but....if you browse the NAS contents using HTTP you see your own data but the "© 2006 Server Elements - All Rights Reserved" on the page. My data... your company copyright statement. Nit picking i know.
OK. “NASLite-2 - © 2006…”
Fat: I appologise for the nature of that one

IP Comment (Option 5 in console) is missing from homepage
OK.
Fat: Thanks

Add rss page to allow you to use an RSS client to see network stats etc. etc
OK. Not a bad idea so we’ll give it some thought.
Fat: Great

Network Status page needs some more words as it confusing at first glance (as opposed to all other pages being well laid out and obvious.
Particular suggestions?
Fat: Need to ponder that one. Will get back to you.

Each webpage should show the server name in the title (for when you manage more than one NAS). I realise its in the url if you dont use IP to access the webpage but i reckon this would be nicer.
OK.
Fat: Great

Thanks for taking the time to reply in so much detail.

v2.03

Picky picky picky!

lol yeah...

but in my defence its the trivial stuff that gets missed during dev due to snow blindness after hundred hours looking at the same thing

Ah!, I understand

FEATREQ:
More control over HD drive spindown.
My BIOS is not doing it with SMART off, and the BIOS wouldn't control drives on a HBA anyway would it? (like a RAID)?

Too bad SMART couldn't be kicked on when the Storage.HTML is loaded, then unloaded so drives could power down after so long...

Request control of beep codes.

My test server filled up >95% on one drives last night at 4am and then promptly woke the whole house hold up until i got up and deablt with it.

Turn the capacity alarm off then.

yes i could do that but i dont want to lose the indication.

Would it be possible to do some sort of exponentially increasing alarm

e.g.

alarm 1
alarm 2 30 mins
alarm 3 60mins
alarm 3 120 mins

?

All monitoring events are handled during status generation. Simply set the status screen generation to a lower frequency. Complicating matters with trivial settings is not a good strategy.

I understand your reasoning but i would neither want to:

A: turn off early warning alarms
B: want to see grossly out of date status pages

just because occasionally my NAS box goes beep code crazy. i.e. compromise features i want running correctly 100% of the time to accomodate a rare, albeit very annoying, feature.

If it was in a server room then i would agree with you but i suspect most users will be sleeping within a room or two of the beeping box.

Anyhow just an idea with my "home user" hat on.

Cheers