PetaSAN
What PetaSAN is
PetaSAN is an open-source, scale-out software-defined storage solution licensed under AGPL 3. It uses the Ceph storage engine and Consul service mesh platform to provide storage through iSCSI, CIFS/SMB, NFS, and S3. Capacity can be expanded by adding nodes without disrupting service, and PetaSAN describes its storage as multi-node active/active and highly available. Graphical interfaces are intended to help administrators who are not Linux specialists install and operate the system. The maker lists VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, scale-out file systems, big data analytics, database servers, and large-capacity backups as use cases. Its capabilities include storage pools, user management, and snapshots. PetaSAN is available for Linux in self-hosted deployments with web management. The self-support option is free, and the maker also offers professional support plans and engineering consultation for storage infrastructure design, network architecture, and hardware selection. The downloads page lists version 4.1.0, dated February 18, 2026, with kernel 6.12 and UI performance in its description. Release 3.3.0 added OSD encryption using Linux dm-crypt and an HTTPS deployment wizard.
Who it suits
PetaSAN suits organizations seeking self-hosted storage for workloads such as virtualization, databases, analytics, or backups. Its graphical interfaces are intended to support administrators who are not Linux specialists.
What it does well
- Supports iSCSI, CIFS/SMB, NFS, and S3
- Capacity can grow by adding nodes without service disruption
- Describes multi-node active/active storage
- Includes graphical management interfaces
- Free self-support option
What to know first
- Self-support is the free support model
- Professional support plans are separate offerings
- Self-hosted Linux deployment
Limits
The free plan is a self-support option. Professional support plans and engineering consultation are offered separately.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| PetaSAN (self-support) | Open-source storage platform · self-support model | Free |
As petasan.org lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the PetaSAN website.
- Review the downloads page for the listed release.
- Prepare a Linux, self-hosted deployment.
- Use the graphical interfaces to install and operate the platform.
- Choose self-support or ask the maker about professional support.
Verdict
PetaSAN combines scale-out storage with several storage protocols and graphical management. The free option is self-supported; professional support and engineering consultation are also offered.
Questions
Is PetaSAN free?
Yes. Its self-support plan is listed as free.
Is PetaSAN open source?
Yes. It is open-source software licensed under AGPL 3.
What platforms does it support?
The listed platforms are Linux, self-hosted, and web.
Which storage protocols does PetaSAN provide?
It provides iSCSI, CIFS/SMB, NFS, and S3 storage services.
Does PetaSAN offer paid support?
The maker offers professional support plans and engineering consultation in addition to free self-support.
Facts from PetaSAN's own pages
- Authentication
- The maker's Windows MPIO guide describes securing an iSCSI disk with username and password using CHAP authentication. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Availability
- PetaSAN describes its storage as multi-node active/active and highly available. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Consultation
- The maker offers engineering consultation for storage infrastructure design, network architecture, and hardware selection. · petasan.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Management
- The product includes graphical interfaces intended to let non-Linux administrators install and operate it. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Protocols
- It provides storage services using iSCSI, CIFS/SMB, NFS, and S3 protocols. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Release
- The downloads page lists version 4.1.0, dated February 18, 2026, with kernel 6.12 and UI performance in its description. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Scale-out
- Storage capacity can be expanded by adding nodes without disrupting service. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- Release 3.3.0 added OSD encryption using Linux dm-crypt and a deployment wizard using HTTPS. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Storage engine
- PetaSAN uses the Ceph storage engine and Consul service mesh platform. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The maker says PetaSAN can be used free through self-support and offers professional support plans from its team. · petasan.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- The maker lists VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, scale-out file systems, big data analytics, database servers, and large-capacity backups as use cases. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
- What it does
- PetaSAN is an open-source scale-out software-defined storage solution licensed under AGPL 3. · petasan.org, 7 Oct 2026
Where PetaSAN stands on Freedom251
- NAS Software#9 of 21