Where is the trouble?
As always, new challenges arise from some scale. When we have one or two TrueNAS it's basically cool. We can log in to check something, change something. Although in practice, especially after integrating with Active Directory which manages users, it's unlikely we need to look there too often. I'm assuming, of course, that we have some kind of problem notification system so I'm skipping the inspection visits. But anyway, it's worth looking in there because sometimes there's some new trouble that we didn't anticipate and slipped by unnoticed.
TrueCommand
But back to TrueCommand. This is just such a concept of gathering in one console the statuses, alarms, resource states of all our TrueNAS Instances. Rather important is the information that TrueCommand supports TrueNAS CORE 12 + and TrueNAS SCALE instances and this is due to the need to support VPN Wireguard but about that later.
TrueCommand Cloud
The first option for deploying TrueCommand is the Cloud version. We simply register our TrueNAS in the panel at https://portal.ixsystems.com/ . In practice, IX Systems creates a dedicated TrueCommand instance for us at its site. It also creates a VPN server based on Wireguard to which the TrueCommand server is hooked up, we hook up our TrueNAS by entering the API key. We also plug in the computers that are supposed to have access to TueCommand. Through this VPN we have access to the TrueCommand and to the TrueNAS themselves, but to our TrueNAS no longer directly. So connecting to our TrueNAS through this VPN yes but to their services no longer.
This is a cool and relatively simple solution, in this version there is a need to pay fees, well they provide us with some piece of server some piece of VPN. The cost of such a solution depends on the number of disks attached to the supported TrueNAS Instances. It starts at $6 per month up to 30 disks. Then $10 for 50 disks and so on. If you commercially administer several TrueNAS then the cost does not seem to be a barrier.
The disadvantage of this solution is the objective lack of control over the VPN server i.e. really over who and how can access our TrueNAS. Admittedly, Wireguard is a solid VPN and we should use two-step verification to TrueCommand and to TrueNAS itself anyway. However, this has to be considered as a kind of risk. Remember that TrueCommand has full control and full access to our TrueNAS resources.
TrueCommand – self hosted
An alternative to the TrueCommand Cloud solution is to install it at home, on your resources. We can use containers for this, and in several ways. We can run it using classic docker. We can use the docker compose version, or if we use TrueNAS SCALE simply install it as one of the applications. Although I don't know if I would want the tool for administration and monitoring of multiple TrueNAS to be on one of them, but that's an individual decision.
In the case of keeping it at home ourselves, we have to make sure that our TureCommand container has access to our TrueNAS. Whether directly or through some VPN. Which can be a disadvantage because you have to configure it, but also an advantage giving us more control.
In this case, the solution is without charge up to 50 drives. If you want to support more than 50 drives then the license starts at $16 per month for 100 drives. Prices are current as of July 2023.
What's interesting, and in my opinion cool, is the TrueCommand License is not related to what version of TrueNAS we have. We can manage it with both Enterprice and unsupported versions. The only limit is the number of disks.
Summary
In my opinion, it is an interesting and useful solution, but as always with facilitation enter dangers. Therefore, as soon as you can always use 2FA.
Useful Links
TrueCommand Cloud account registration
https://portal.ixsystems.com/
About TrueCommand
Source to download kiontenere Truecommand
https://hub.docker.com/r/ixsystems/truecommand
If you would like to learn more about TrueNAS write to us. We will tell you how it works and why it is worth it?