Installing software dependencies

Basic requirements

Microsoft Windows

Since the OpenNAS software has been developed using Microsoft software tools, a Microsoft Windows OS installation is required to run the OpenNAS (version 7 or latest). If you are not a Microsoft Windows user, a Virtual Machine could be useful to you.

The following software is needed to run OpenNAS properly:

• Microsft Windows OS: Windows 7, 8 or 10. Windows XP is not supported.

• Microsft .NET Framework: .NET Framework 4.5 or latest is needed. Click here to go to Microsoft Download Center. There, select the language and then click on the "Download" button. Once downloaded, the user has to install it manually.

Optional

Microsoft Windows

To contribute to the OpenNAS project development you will need to download and install the Visual Studio Community since it was the IDE that was used to develop OpenNAS.

• Microsoft Visual Studio Community: Version 2015 or latest. Click here to go to the Visual Studio website. Once there, click on "Download VS Community 2017" and install it. If you prefer an older version of the Visual Studio Community, please click here to go to "Visual Studio Older Versions" website.

FPGA tools

One of the main advantages that OpenNAS provides is the capability of automatically generating the NAS VHDL files with the NAS configuration and architecture that the user selected throughout the process and the different steps of the wizard. When generated, the NAS design has to be synthesized and implemented according to a target FPGA chip. The final result after those steps is the generation of a new file which is ready to be loaded into the FPGA-based board. To carry out this process, a specific toolset provided by the FPGA chip manufacturer is required. In our case, Xilinx FPGA chips have been selected. But we are working to provide support to Intel FPGA chips.

Xilinx tools

WARNING: depends on your FPGA chip, please select to install either ISE or Vivado.

• Xilinx ISE: Version 14.7. Click here to go to the Xilinx Downloads website. Once there, scroll down and search "ISE Design Suite - 14.7 Full Product Installation" section. Then, click on "Full DVD Single File Download Image" link, and the download will start.

• Xilinx Vivado: Any version. Click here to go to the Xilinx Downloads website.

• Xilinx iMPACT: Click here to go to Xilinx Downloads website. Once there, scroll down and search "Lab Tools - 14.7 Utilities" section. Then, click on "Windows 7/XP/Server and Linux" link, and the download will start.

• IMPORTANT!: if a license is required, you can ask for a student license by fixing a form in the Xilinx website.