Backing up Files with FreeNAS (Free Network Attached Storage)

Do you have this requirement?
File server where it is replicated, on a given time, to a USB external hard disk and to a remote server.
This is a Network Attached Storage in theory. 

If you have a big budget, you could look on the list of manufacturers of this one here.
And choose what you prefer, try EMC, NetworkAppliance(NetApp), or the new 5320 NAS of Sun? Or you may opt to buy pre-owned equipments, if you have only enough budget, try visiting smartechconsulting or berkcom But if youre company falls under Small and Medium Business, you might want to
consider, some free open-source alternatives.

I learned about FreeNAS last year where Im looking for a network attached storage my company could use. Just last month, January 2007, I had an opportunity installing it. 
Thus, I have installed it to a PC where 
it having 2(two) Hard Disks with more than 200 Gb each.

Installation is simple:
1.) Plug in your CD(burned with FreeNAS ISO).
2.) Restart your PC and make sure it boots on CD by tweaking in the BIOS.
3.) Once you get in to the menu, configure your PC by connecting to the network
and assign network interfaces followed by setting up of Lan IP address.

If you have multiple NICs installed in your PC, Follow these tips
1.) Choose one NIC where you have to connect the UTP cable.
2.) Go a shell and fire up "ifconfig" command. You'll determine the connected 
NIC if the status is active/associated, see the following(i intentionally edited inet6 and ether):

bge0: flags=8843 mtu 1500
options=1b
inet6 ffff::fff:ffff:ffff:ffff%bge0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x1
ether ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
status: no carrier

If you have configured and connected FreeNAS to the network, just open your favorite browser
and type in the address such as http://192.168.0.1(only an example, dont follow).

With FreeNAS, you have choices of CIFS(SMB), SSH, FTP and others. You could also replicate your computer with another attached storage, or with another remote server using RSYNC. 

If this FreeNAS is located inside an internal network and you want FreeNAS to be reached via internet, I suggest you port forward tcp 873 to the server you intend to sync, as for this discussion, our network attached server. 
If you want your remote users to transfer files securely, use SCP (WinSCP for users of Windows), provided tcp port 22 is forwarded to the FreeNAS, and it is also enabled on the server. I assume your using a firewall/router on your network and it has port forwarding, NAT features.

FreeNAS has the capability of having a wireless network interface, Software Raid and a lot more! Please do visit their official website at http://www.freenas.org. By the way, FreeNAS has been discussed in TechRepublic, awarded "Project of the Month, January 2007" by SourceForge.net.

Go get it!