Learn NAS - Installation & Initial Configuration

#Introduction

Hardware was planned in episode 3. Now it's time for the installation and initial configuration of both major NAS platforms: TrueNAS SCALE and OpenMediaVault. Episode 4 covers the install process from the ISO, boot environments, first storage pool and network setup, right up to logging into the Web UI.

Although both platforms are Debian-based, their installation flows differ significantly. TrueNAS SCALE steers you toward creating a ZFS pool during installation, while OpenMediaVault is more like a regular Debian install followed by web-based configuration.

By the end of this episode, both of your platforms will be running with a static IP, a first storage pool, and a Web UI ready for the episodes that follow.

#Installing TrueNAS SCALE

#Booting from the ISO and the Install Process

Download the TrueNAS SCALE ISO from the official site, create a bootable USB, then boot. Choose the option to install to the system disk (not the data disk). TrueNAS SCALE uses a boot environment based on ZFS, making system upgrades and rollbacks very easy.

During the install, you'll be asked to choose the target disk and set a root password. When finished, the system reboots and shows the Console Setup Menu with an IP assigned via DHCP.

1) Configure Network Interfaces
2) Configure Global Settings
3) Manage Disks

This menu manages networking, global settings, and disks before you access the Web UI.

#Configuring a Static IP

DHCP isn't ideal for a server. Set a static IP through the Console Setup Menu or the Web UI after logging in. Make sure the IP, gateway, and DNS are configured correctly.

1) Configure Network Interfaces
Select interface -> Configure
IP Address: 192.168.1.100/24

Replace 192.168.1.100/24 with your subnet. Use the same IP/netmask pattern when configuring networking in episode 8.

#Setting Up Your First Storage Pool

#Creating a ZFS Pool in the Web UI

Log into the TrueNAS SCALE Web UI and open Storage > Create Pool. Add your data disks as a vdev. For this episode, use a single mirror or a simple RAIDZ1.

zpool create tank mirror sdb sdc

The zpool create tank mirror sdb sdc command creates a tank pool from two mirrored disks. Verify the result:

zpool status tank

The output should show state: ONLINE. This is an important moment: your first storage pool is alive.

#Installing OpenMediaVault

#Debian-Based Install

OpenMediaVault is installed from an ISO that already bundles the Debian installer. The process is standard: choose a language, partition the system disk, and create a user. After reboot, the web interface is reached through the IP address with the default admin user.

Open your browser to http://IP-NAS, log in with the admin user and the password created during installation. This takes you to the OMV Workbench, the main management interface.

#Initial Configuration and the Plugin System

In Workbench, the first steps are to set the hostname, network interface, and time. Next, install the plugins you need through System > Plugins. The OMV plugin ecosystem includes OMV-extra, Docker, and various monitoring tools.

apt update
apt upgrade

The apt update and apt upgrade commands keep the Debian base up to date. This routine patching habit will be covered in depth in episode 15.

#Comparing Web UIs and Configuration Flows

The two platforms offer different flows:

• TrueNAS SCALE: a modern UI focused on ZFS pools, datasets, and shares; all core configuration goes through the Web UI with a CLI option.
• OpenMediaVault: a light, plugin-based Workbench; storage configuration is more manual but flexible across filesystems.

The same principle applies to both: create a storage pool or filesystem, then serve it through a share. The difference is that TrueNAS forces ZFS from the start, while OMV leaves the filesystem choice open.

#Verifying the Installation

Before moving on, make sure the following checklist is complete:

• TrueNAS SCALE or OpenMediaVault installed and rebooting normally.
• Static IP configured and reachable from the browser.
• Storage pool (ZFS) or first filesystem created.
• Web UI login succeeds with a changed password.
• System base updates completed.

If everything runs, your lab is officially a NAS ready for further configuration. Use zpool status to monitor pool health whenever you start a lab session.

#Closing

In this episode 4 you installed both NAS platforms, configured a static IP, created your first storage pool, and understood the differences between TrueNAS SCALE's and OpenMediaVault's configuration flows along with their plugin systems.

Key takeaways:

• TrueNAS SCALE uses a ZFS boot environment, making upgrades safe.
• A static IP must be configured for a NAS server.
• Your first ZFS pool is created with zpool create and verified with zpool status.
• OpenMediaVault uses Workbench and a plugin ecosystem.
• Change the default password and enable HTTPS from the start.

In the next episode, episode 5, we'll compare the ZFS filesystem versus ext4 and btrfs — from RAIDZ, mirrors, copy-on-write, snapshots, checksums, to when to choose each. Your pool exists; now it's time to understand the engine behind it.