What are the gains of upgrading from FreeNas 11.3 to TrueNas Core 13.0?

TrueNAS General
1

Hi

I have a basic NAS running:
FreeNAS 11.3
MB: Intel S1200KP
CPU: Xeon E3 1225 v2
RAM: 8GB of ECC
Boot drive: 16GB USB Pen drive
2 x 1TB HDD mirrored

The USB drive is dying. I have backed up my config including keys

I also have some other HW:
MB: Supermicro X11SSL-F
CPU: Xeon E3 1200 v6
RAM: 16Gb ECC UDIMMs
Crucial BOX500 SSD

I can move everything to the new hardware.
But since I’m moving, I could just install TrueNas Core 13.0

Would there be any benefit in doing so? I just use the system as a very basic NAS, so no jails etc. partly due to lack of knowledge and lack of need

2

I’d think “running a supported OS” would count. FreeNAS has been unsupported for nearly five years now.

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3

Keeping up-to-date with FreeNAS/TrueNAS is no different to keeping up-to-date with your desktop OS. If you wish to stay up-to-date with security, bug fixes and features then updating is the obvious choice. If not then…

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4

There’s one important difference–older-than-current versions of TrueNAS become unsupported much more quickly than older-than-current versions of macOS or Windows. Windows 11 was released over three years ago, and MS is still patching Windows 10 (though that’s apparently about to end). But iX isn’t touching CORE 12, much less FreeNAS.

5

Indeed. But if not patching Win10 then you’d be in a similar boat however I think we’re on the same side here.

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6

Question about security updates…

If your server is not exposed to the internet, will that make a real difference? I’m sure i am overlooking simething but it it works, why break it? But like I said maybe i am missing something that I should see.

7

For air-gapped environments then there is an argument sure. Hell I met a guy tonight that’s still running a Nokia as his main phone.

8

Flip phones tend to remain charged a LOT longer than a smartphone. I like that aspect, and they are more difficult to accidentally damage. Oh yes, they cost less too. Hum… $150 flip phone or $1500 smartphone.

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9

Yeah my system is air-gappped.

But would be nice to get access via a VPN so maybe upgrading would be worthwhile then.

I’ve had it for years first on FreeNAS 7 then 11.3 since 2020. Not had any software issues.

Will look into upgrade process and hope it is easy.

10

Just wanted to say I upgraded to TrueNAS Core 13 without any issues.

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