openfiler is a "storage OS" that talks iscsi(block) and samba(file). sort of nas or maybe cheap san (via iscsi, not fc).

openfiler is centos based, and includes many packages that can be used to serve disks to users.

installation is easy, either get the iso or the vmware appliance

If you're in a hurry, the vmware appliance will get you up to speed in 5 minutes.

openfiler has a web based interface to manage disks, volumes, permissions, etc. That makes administration easy.

If you have a windows client, you can get the iscsi initiator and mount exported iscsi targets.

Connecting to the openfiler iscsi target is easy enough. It's using it that may escape first time users (like me).

Here's how one might do it.

Now what does openfiler give me? Well, a place to store stuff and also the ability to snapshot, just in case.

Replication is in the works and scheduled for Q3 06. Or so I heard.