Ek-Hou-Van-Braai

TrueNAS build system going closed source

Readme updated today:

This repository is no longer actively maintained. The TrueNAS build system previously hosted here has been moved to an internal infrastructure. This transition was necessary to meet new security requirements, including support for Secure Boot and related platform integrity features that require tighter control over the build and signing pipeline. No further updates, pull requests, or issues will be accepted. Existing content is preserved here for historical reference only.

https://github.com/truenas/scale-build

Wondering if this is just the first step towards doing a minio in the future.

GitHub - truenas/scale-build: TrueNAS SCALE Build System

TrueNAS SCALE Build System. Contribute to truenas/scale-build development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub
Mar 9 at 11:47pmWeb
Show threadyaroto98Mar 10

Always blaming security bullshit. I anxiously await a community fork.

Next step is requiring a subscription.

Show threadinfeeeeeMar 10
Volker Theile (lead dev of FreeNAS 2006-2009) maintaines OpenMediaVault, based on debian, version 8 was released recently. Not a drop in replacement, and it has its own quirks, but no evil company in the background
Show threadBCsvenMar 10
I’m running an early version of that on a 16 year old ARM board NAS, the NAS has 256MB of RAM and OpenMediaVault runs great on it.
Show threadskoell13Mar 10
I love it so much that I donaged twice to the project. There are also some easter-eggs hidden in the software, like quotes from Dune.
Show threadquick_snailMar 10
Looks like no zfs support?
Show threadtimbuck2themoonMar 10

I question why this gets recommended so much when we discuss truenas.

Without a doubt zfs is one of if not THE reason to go truenas. It does so much more for you than other filesystems.

I guess OMV at least has btrfs but not the same thing.

Show threadinfeeeeeMar 10

ZFS is in the omv extras repo: wiki.omv-extras.org/doku.php?id=omv8%3Aomv8_plugi…

As it’s just plain debian under the hood you can use any basic debian stuff, e.g. I use zfs-auto-snapshot from apt, and the zfs plugin can list and manage the snapshots perfectly.

omv8:omv8_plugins:zfs [omv-extras.org]

Show threadtimbuck2themoonMar 11
Ahhh that is good to know. Thank you.
Show threadDamageMar 10
I have it on my installation, you’ve got to replace the kernel with the proxmox one, it’s fairly easily done by installing a plugin
Show threadinfeeeeeMar 10
Since omv 7 it works with the default kernel, you can install the proxmox one though if you want that.
Show threadDamageMar 10
Weird, some time ago it booted with the default kernel by mistake and it couldn’t see my zfs pool
Show threadinfeeeeeMar 10

From the docs:

The Standard Debian Kernel (selectable) can be used for ZFS. However, since ZFS kernel modules are not installed in the Debian kernel by default, they must be built by the ZFS plugin when it is installed. While this process works, building the modules is a long process that requires continuous access to online repos. Accordingly, the potential for a build error exists. For this reason, while the Standard Kernel is very usable for ZFS, it is not ideal.

Show threadinfeeeeeMar 10
It’s not in there by default, you have to install the omv extras plugin, from there you can install zfs: wiki.omv-extras.org/doku.php?id=omv8%3Aomv8_plugi…
omv8:omv8_plugins:zfs [omv-extras.org]

Show threadSnot FlickermanMar 10

Security through obscurity isn’t security.

There goes my excuse for not giving up and just paying for Unraid.

Show threadComradeMiaoMar 10
Unraid pay system switch made me never want to use them
Show threadAppoxoMar 10

And Unraid is OSS?
So my option are (potentially both) closed source storage software bjt one needs to be paid?

Well…I know what I’ll not choose.

Show threadDataCrimeMar 10
Odd choice of timing… I wonder if they are sitting on a cache of hard drives.
Show threadryannathansMar 10
Truenas went to shit when they killed BSD support, the OS it was founded on
Show threadlnxtx (xe/xem/xyr)Mar 10
TIL. Now it’s based on Debian.
Show threadTechnoguyficationMar 10

I ordered a TrueNAS system from iXsystems a few years ago, and the reasoning they gave me is that Linux has better driver support, especially for home users.

Whether that was actually the reason, I have no clue. But that’s what they said.

Show threadryannathansMar 10
The reason they gave me is people can run apps with docker on Linux, and docker isn’t compatible with FreeBSD jails…
Show threadSteveTechMar 10

I found a post on the forum:

forums.truenas.com/t/…/64313

This is only their old build system which they weren’t using themselves, the rest of the OS will remain open source. However they also said some worrying stuff about including “proprietary pieces of the OS”.

Scale-build git repo going closed source

I gave a pretty concrete example in another thread about how we did that for CORE just a few short years ago. At the time we needed a FIPS certified SSL implementation. We couldn’t use the open source version, so we shipped a closed one we licensed. So yes, reasons like this do exist and sometimes thats the best option, even if its not our preferred one at the time.

TrueNAS Community Forums
Show threadEk-Hou-Van-BraaiMar 10

In a years time will the public be able to build trueNAS for themselves without developing their own build tools?

If not then the TrueNAS is no longer Open Source as people can’t practically build it for themselves

(or verify that during the build some code wasn’t injected)

Show threadEk-Hou-Van-BraaiMar 10

According to their own documentation: https://github.com/truenas/scale-build

The TrueNAS build system previously hosted here has been moved to an internal infrastructure.

This doesn’t sound like they are no longer using the build tool, they are simply not open-sourcing it anymore.

GitHub - truenas/scale-build: TrueNAS SCALE Build System

TrueNAS SCALE Build System. Contribute to truenas/scale-build development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub
Show threadLordChaos82Mar 10
@Ek-Hou-Van-Braai @SteveTech So are they hosting the source code outside of github on their own platform or is it not going to be available at all?
Show threadEk-Hou-Van-BraaiMar 10

Afaik they are hosting their code on their own closed source internal system.

So it will no longer be Open-Source

Show threadLordChaos82Mar 10
@Ek-Hou-Van-Braai That sucks. So where does that leave us opensource advocates? What opensource Nas options do we have now?
Show threadIratePirateMar 10

OpenMediaVault. CasaOS. There may be others.

No drop-in replacements fir everything TrueNAS did, but at least something.

Show threadDecronymMar 10

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:

Fewer Letters More Letters Git Popular version control system, primarily for code NAS Network-Attached Storage PIA Private Internet Access brand of VPN VPN Virtual Private Network ZFS Solaris/Linux filesystem focusing on data integrity

5 acronyms in this thread; the most compressed thread commented on today has 15 acronyms.

[Thread #153 for this comm, first seen 10th Mar 2026, 00:40] [FAQ] [Full list] [Contact] [Source code]

Decronym

Show threadquick_snailMar 10
Good bot
Show threadtabularMar 10
Are they lying about secure boot being a reason or can I go back to thinking SB is part of Microsoft’s EEE attack on software freedom?
Show threadfrongtMar 10

It can be a bit of both.

I don’t think secureboot is an attack on freedom exactly (and it’s certainly not an instance of EEE), but I definitely think it shouldn’t be Microsoft holding the keys.

Show threadhoshikarakitaridiaMar 10

Literally today Chris Titus released a video where he emphasized that no one should be using secure boot because the default backend is Microsoft and no one changes their secure boot config.

If that’s true there’s an argument that the name “secure boot” is hardly detachable from the defaults and thus that name is kid of burnt and shouldn’t be recommended out of an abundance of caution for new users.

Show threadSaeranaMar 10
Do you know the name of this video? I keep trying to search for a secure boot video by Chris Titus released today/yesterday but I’m not finding anything.
Show threadd3lta19Mar 10
It was in his reaction video to LTT trying it Linux again
Show threadhoshikarakitaridiaMar 11
yeah that’s the one
Show threaddeafboyMar 10
So… nobody changes the default settings, therefore everyone should change the default settings… to the wrong option?
Show threadAndresMar 10

@tabular @Ek-Hou-Van-Braai They are lying. Debian supports Secure Boot and remains open.

Although "related platform integrity" stuff might be something they're being forced to include by a government agency or paid to include by another company.

Show threadnixxMar 10

XigmaNAS is still being developed and is a fork of the original FreeNAS code before iX acquired the name.

There are alternatives

Show threadquick_snailMar 10
Link to article?
Show threadvodkaMar 10
There’s a link to the github page that has the depreciation notice right there…?
Show threadDamageMar 10
So glad I went with OpenMediaVault so many years ago
Show threaddeafboyMar 10
Why are they always coming up with some kind of bullshit excuse? :D
Show threadgoferking (he/him)Mar 10

Oh so they are going to use the Puppet excuse to move away from open source?

we must move to have our code internal only for now. Totally just for security reasons nothing to do with us also changing licensing to make it harder for those building things for us

no don’t bring up the security incident we’re referring to that shows us as the issue not having code visible! (ie they cheaped out on people/set up and vendor had keys visible)

Show threadmagic_smokeMar 10

Been running my own storage boxes off of rocky for years simply for the ease of integration of samba + freeipa.

Especially being able to use ipasam.so to allow password authentication for shares on machines that aren’t easy/reasonable to use kerberos keytabs from (think android clients, and off domain boxes)

Show threadLucidNightmareMar 10
Damn man. Technology kinda fucking sucks now. Everything I use is imploding in on itself. Yay!
Show threadanalogMar 11

Not Proxmox! Use it for free at home, but buy it for your business if you can! (But they never force you to)

/hoping it doesn’t bite the dust too

Show threadCloudstash4d ago
They have a solid business plan. Its a model for all projects that are meant to stay alive for an unforseen future.
Show threadnjordomirMar 10
Uggh, I just got to the point where I’m as familiar with TrueNAS as my old Synology, but I want to move towards more freedom. TrueNAS beats Synology, but where is this going?
Show threadjamoMar 10

@njordomir @Ek-Hou-Van-Braai

Just standard enshitification in the line of RHEL and co methinks.

Debain and Gentoo a fairly safe bet if you don't want those kinda surprises.