Feature request: Expose ZFS/RAIDZ/Snapshot Management and Enhance exFAT Lifecycle in Storage Control Panel (5-Bay NAS Scenario)

Operating System ZimaOS
1

Background & User Scenario

I am currently setting up ZimaOS on a 5-bay NAS hardware platform (Minisforum N5). My current and future storage architecture requires a flexible mix of filesystems managed directly through the Web UI Dashboard rather than the CLI:

  1. Active Storage: Utilizing RAID 5 (Btrfs) or transitioning to ZFS / RAIDZ for advanced data integrity.
  2. Cold Storage (5th Bay + External USB4): Utilizing exFAT for standalone internal SATA and external drives to ensure cross-platform portability (macOS/Windows) for disaster recovery.

The Request

Since ZimaOS already has underlying support for ZFS, the core limitation is the lack of GUI implementation in the Storage Control Panel. I would like to formally request exposing these capabilities, along with full exFAT lifecycle management, in the Web UI.

Proposed Feature Enhancements

1. Bring ZFS, RAIDZ & Snapshots to the Control Panel GUI

Since the ZFS backend is already supported, please expose the following in the Storage UI:

  • Pool & Dataset Management: A visual wizard to create, import, and monitor ZFS pools.
  • RAIDZ Support: Native creation of RAIDZ1, RAIDZ2, and RAIDZ3 for multi-bay hardware setups, complete with Resilvering status display.
  • Snapshot & Restore Lifecycle: * Automated snapshot scheduling (hourly/daily/weekly) with custom retention policies.
    • Graphical snapshot browser allowing individual file/folder recovery or full-volume Rollback.

2. Full exFAT Lifecycle Management for Internal/External Drives

While ZimaOS can read exFAT, users cannot format drives to exFAT via the Web UI.

  • Allow users to select a single internal SATA drive (e.g., the 5th bay) or an external USB4/USB drive and format/wipe it as exFAT directly from the Storage Panel.
  • This enables a bulletproof cold storage workflow where data can be backed up locally and read instantly on a Mac or Windows PC if the primary array fails.

3. Graphical Rsync Manager Integration

  • A scheduled backup wizard with a Cron-style interface to automate data replication from the primary Btrfs/ZFS pool into the exFAT cold storage.

Why this is a Game-Changer for ZimaOS

Exposing ZFS/RAIDZ GUI and unlocking internal exFAT formatting will make ZimaOS the most flexible, maker-friendly NAS OS on the market, completely setting it apart from the rigid constraints of traditional platforms like Synology DSM.

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