OpenMediaVault

Overview

OpenMediaVault (OMV) is a Debian-based network-attached storage (NAS) operating system that provides a powerful web-based management interface. It is an ideal solution for turning a LeMaker Banana Pi into a low-power, always-on home or small office file server. The Banana Pi is particularly well-suited for this role thanks to its onboard SATA 2.0 connector, which provides native hard drive connectivity without the overhead and reliability concerns of USB-to-SATA adapters.

Why Banana Pi for NAS

The LeMaker Banana Pi stands out among single-board computers for NAS applications because of its combination of Gigabit Ethernet and native SATA. The Allwinner A20 dual-core processor provides sufficient processing power for file serving, and the 1 GB RAM handles SMB and NFS file sharing operations comfortably. The low power consumption of approximately 5 watts under load makes it economical to run continuously. Other LeMaker boards can also run OMV using external USB drives, though performance and reliability will be reduced compared to the SATA-connected Banana Pi configuration.

Installation

Download the OpenMediaVault image specifically built for the Banana Pi from the LeMaker downloads page or the official OMV community images repository. Flash the image to a microSD card using Etcher, Win32DiskImager, or the dd command. Insert the SD card, connect a SATA hard drive to the onboard SATA connector (ensure external power for 3.5-inch drives), connect an Ethernet cable, and power on the board. The system will boot and obtain an IP address via DHCP. Locate the board's IP address through your router's admin page or by running nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24 from another machine on the same network.

Web Interface Access

Open a web browser and navigate to the Banana Pi's IP address on port 80 (for example, http://192.168.1.50). The default login credentials are username admin and password openmediavault. Change the admin password immediately after first login by navigating to System, then General Settings, then Web Administrator Password. The web interface provides comprehensive management of all NAS functionality including storage, networking, services, and user accounts without requiring command-line access.

Storage Configuration

Navigate to Storage, then Disks to verify that your SATA drive is detected. Go to Storage, then File Systems to create a new filesystem on the drive. Select EXT4 for best Linux compatibility or XFS for large file workloads. After the filesystem is created and mounted, navigate to Storage, then Shared Folders to define folder shares. Create separate shared folders for different purposes such as documents, media, backups, and public files. Assign appropriate permissions to each shared folder based on your user access requirements.

Network File Sharing

Enable SMB/CIFS under Services for Windows and macOS file sharing. Add shares by selecting the shared folders you created earlier. Configure workgroup name, guest access policy, and per-share permissions. For Linux clients and advanced setups, enable NFS under Services and configure exports with appropriate client access rules and mount options. FTP and SFTP services are also available for remote file transfer. Test connectivity from each client platform to verify shares are accessible and permissions are working as expected.

Plugins and Extensions

OMV supports a plugin system that extends functionality beyond basic file sharing. Popular plugins include the OMV-Extras repository which adds Docker, Portainer, and additional filesystem support. The USB Backup plugin enables scheduled backups to external USB drives. The SNMP plugin provides network monitoring integration. Install plugins through the web interface under System, then Plugins. Keep plugins updated regularly for security patches and new features.

Backup Strategies

Implement a reliable backup strategy to protect your data. Use the Rsync service built into OMV for scheduled local and remote backups. Configure cron jobs for automated nightly backups to a secondary USB drive. For offsite backup, consider using Rsync over SSH to a remote server. Monitor disk health through the S.M.A.R.T. monitoring built into the OMV web interface, which provides early warnings of potential drive failures.

Performance Tuning

For optimal NAS performance on the Banana Pi, ensure the SATA drive is directly connected to the onboard port rather than through a USB adapter. Use wired Gigabit Ethernet for maximum throughput, which typically reaches 40-60 MB/s for large sequential file transfers. Adjust the SMB configuration to use larger buffer sizes for improved throughput with large files. Disable unnecessary services to free up CPU and memory resources for file serving.

Related Pages

For board-specific documentation, see the LeMaker Banana Pro page. Visit LeMaker Home for product information and downloads.

Author: LeMaker Documentation Team
Last updated: 2026-02-10