XIMETA (ndas) support

at ximeta.com there are ancient linux driver files for ndas technology.  ndas are network enclosures/HD that connect your harddrives to the network via ethernet.  they do not use tcp/ip and have their own protocol (lpx) that ximeta owns.  ximeta is not willing to update the drivers on the website.  I have digged around for months trying to help people stuck with ndas devices.  most of them are dual booting with windows to get around the problem but why should us mighty linux users have to settle for this work around? is there anyone out there who can develope drivers for ndas devices?  the ones at ximeta are way out of date and they have said that they have 'shifted' support over to the linux community.  who will take the mantle from here? I have tried posting an idea at ubunto for ndas built in support and they have said 'its not an ubunto problem'.  I would pay out of my own pocket to help my friends on this forum to get this done or would do it myself but I am no developer or programmer..just someone who wants to help.. since I have an ndas device.. i am willing to test for a developer. wouldn't it be wonderful if you connected your ethernet cable to a router or hub and linux automatically reconized the device??? what a wonderful world it would be.  a world with smarter penguins!:)

-esteban

Hi estaban! Hi everyone. I am working on this driver, though I too am not a programmer. (Maybe this project makes me to be one though:) ). I am happy if anyone would like to help as well! I will try to answer your questions:

1. … but why should us mighty linux users have to settle for this work around?
   There are current working NDAS versions and sources now in iocell networks' code repo, and the source codes are now hosting on github.
   
   
2. … is there anyone out there who can develope drivers for ndas devices?
   The new owner of NDAS is commited now to open the driver to GNU.
   I have limited time, so any help cleaning up code is needed.
   Mr. Kroah-Hartman of linux is waiting very patiently for the submission to linuxdriver project for review to add NDAS into the linux kernel.
   
   
3. … who will take the mantle from here?
   I am trying to learn about this, but it is all new to me. C, Drivers, and Open sourcing are nothing I have done before. Any help is greatly appreciated.
   
   
4. … wouldn't it be wonderful if you connected your ethernet cable to a router or hub and linux automatically reconized the device?
   It is quite nice backing up on the LAN to the NetDISKs from IOCELL. Pretty good speed for my use too. Around 45mbps for a big file.
   Auto-recognize will need much input and development though. It is a block device so it has the limits of RO for just one system now with the standard file systems. Surely simple scripting or a samba kind of hack in the backup scripts can overcome that though.

I do not know about link policy here but the main information is now here:

http://ndas4linux.iocellnetworks.com

https://github.com/iocellnetworks

There are some interesting features that were not released for Linux NDAS too. Includes a multi-user file system and the RAID parts that were disabled at some point in the past.

There is a also a cute, but very limited little web scripts and cloud project that was used to transform a router into a cloud. I am tinkering with that the most right now.

Thank you everyone, for your interest.