The Road to 1.0

Written By Jonathan Panozzo

With the launch of the HexOS beta and early access program, we are taking this moment to highlight the features we are delivering now, and what we have slated to get us to our 1.0 release in 2025.

Beta 1 Features

Our first release is focused on providing a streamlined user experience for setup and configuration and laying the framework for what’s to come. The main features of Beta 1 include:

Setup and configuration wizard

  • Configure your home server in minutes with ease.

  • Analyze system health, with warnings for SMR HDDs.

  • Auto-configure storage pools to safeguard against device failures.

  • Securely manage your server remotely via Command Deck.

Storage device management

  • Detect error states and conditions and report through the dashboard

  • Highlight individual storage devices and their respective faults

  • Replace devices from storage pools due to failure or preventative maintenance

  • Expand pools as little as one device at a time

Folders and users

  • Create and share folders over your local network.

  • Easily manage permissions for secure access.

Apps

  • One-click deploy Immich as a personal photo library app.

  • One-click deploy Plex as a home media server.

  • Automatic folder creation for app storage.

Dashboard / UI

  • Access key statistics like CPU, memory, network, and storage usage at a glance.

  • Monitor storage health and see alerts for errors or degraded pools.

  • Manage multiple servers from a single, unified interface.

  • Enjoy mobile-responsive design for effortless navigation on any device.

Coming Soon

Our upcoming Virtual Machine (VM) Manager aims to simplify traditional and hybrid VM setups. Imagine creating a Windows desktop VM or a dedicated media player with ease—combining physical and virtual hardware for unique use cases.

We’re also planning on making the storage wizard more customizable and adding SMART testing options during setup.

2025 Major Features

Snapshots and Replication

Looking at what’s coming next for HexOS—it’s something truly exciting. As we step into the new year, we’re focusing on two revolutionary concepts: snapshots and replication. Snapshots are like magic bookmarks for your data, capturing moments in time you can revisit whenever you need. They’re not just a safety net; they’re a game-changer, especially for applications and virtual machines. And replication? It’s how we make syncing data between HexOS systems smarter and more seamless. Starting on your local network is just the beginning—because what’s next is something transformative.

Introducing buddy backups. Imagine replicating encrypted data securely, not just across your home, but over the internet. It could be to another system you own, or even better—to a buddy’s system. Think about it: you help each other save money, protect your data, and elevate your backup strategy. This isn’t just a feature—it’s a new way of thinking about collaboration, community, and the future of your digital life.

Local UI/UX

One area in which we have received a lot of feedback has been in regards to a local UI/UX. While we still believe this is the right solution for initial server setup/configuration and for most remote access needs, we have decided to make a Local UI/UX and we are committed to delivering this with our 1.0 release. This means that even during Command Deck maintenance windows, you will still have access to the HexOS UI for system management.

Apps

The goal of apps on HexOS is to enable users to deploy them with minimal effort. This means automatically creating folders, assigning permissions, and taking other actions to optimize the user experience for any given app. We’ve started with Immich and Plex as powerful examples. Our goal for 2025 is to expand the catalog exponentially through partnerships with vendors, container authors, and developers.

Other Features

While the major features get all the glory, we have a bunch of minor features we want to incorporate as well including:

  • Email and eventually SMS alerts to important events on your system including unexpected downtime, device failures, and more.

  • Automatic recommendations for newly added hardware; applies to storage devices, graphics, and other peripheral controllers.

  • A data import wizard to simplify copying data from direct and network-attached storage devices

  • To supplement buddy backups, an integrated cloud-based backup offering using TrueNAS/StorJ

1.0 is Just the Beginning

At HexOS, we envision a future where home servers empower individuals to protect and manage their most valuable data independently. With community collaboration, we aim to build a knowledge base of hardware insights, enabling everyone to benefit from shared experiences and best practices. There’s much more in store, and we’ll continue to share as we go.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we’re shaping the future of home server technology.

Jonathan Panozzo
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The Magic Behind HexOS