Managing storage infrastructure can be challenging, especially for those without extensive command-line experience. The complexity of setup, the risk of errors, and the time-consuming nature of tasks often make the process both frustrating and inefficient.
Typically, users rely on one of two approaches for storage management: command-line tools or GUI tools. Command-line tools offer unmatched power, control, and flexibility but come with a steep learning curve and require consistent use to maintain proficiency. On the other hand, GUI tools are easier to navigate but lack tight integration with hardware and command-line workflows, resulting in inefficiencies.
Now, imagine a solution that combines the best of both worlds—a powerful, user-friendly graphical interface that perfectly synchronizes with the command line.
Enter Houston UI: the powerful storage administration system that combines the simplicity of a graphical interface with the power, control, and flexibility of command-line operations. Tightly integrated with 45Drives servers, Houston UI allows you to monitor servers and manage hard drives through a single, intuitive dashboard, making storage management easy and efficient.
This screenshot provides an overview of key metrics, including system health (security updates, last login), resource usage (CPU and memory), system information (model, uptime), and configuration settings (hostname, domain, and cryptographic policies). A sidebar menu offers quick access to logs, storage, networking, virtual machines, and 45Drives-specific tools for streamlined server management.
This screenshot displays the Disks section of Houston UI, providing a detailed view of the storage system on a 45Drives server. The Disk Viewer visually represents the drive layout, with the option to enable ZFS animations for enhanced clarity. The panel allows users to select individual disks for detailed information. Below, the server summary highlights key details, including the model (Storinator-F8X1-Enhanced-S), disk count (16), total storage capacity (92.15 TB), average disk temperature, and HBA status. This interface simplifies managing and monitoring disk performance and health.
This screenshot displays the Motherboard section of the Houston UI, providing a detailed visual representation of the server's motherboard layout. It features the Supermicro X12SPL-F model, showing key components like CPU slots, RAM slots, PCIe slots, and connectors. The interactive diagram allows users to better understand hardware configurations and facilitates system maintenance or upgrades. The sidebar menu remains accessible for navigation to other system management tools.
This screenshot shows the System section of Houston UI, providing an overview of the Storinator F8X1 Enhanced-S server. The main panel displays key system details, including the model, chassis size, serial number, motherboard type, and motherboard serial, alongside a 3D render of the device. Below, the PCI section lists hardware resources such as slot types, availability, bus addresses, and card details. The interface is designed to offer a clear and organized view of system hardware for effective management.
This screenshot displays the ZFS section of the Houston UI, showcasing a dashboard for managing ZFS storage pools. The interface highlights one pool named tank, which is currently online and empty. Detailed statistics include the used space (21.11 MiB), free space (9.09 TiB), and reserved space (10%). It also confirms no errors or scrub/resilver data are found and notes that trim is not supported on specific HDDs. The navigation bar provides options to view Pools and File Systems, enabling efficient ZFS storage management.
This screenshot shows the Identities section of the Houston UI, focusing on user and group management. The interface highlights two main categories: Users and Groups, with options to explore and manage them further. Below, the User Login History provides detailed session data, including the username, session start and end times, time logged in, IP address, TTY, and authentication result. This section is essential for tracking access and maintaining system security. The date filter allows users to review login activities for specific periods.
This screenshot shows the File Sharing section of the Houston UI, focused on Samba configuration. The Global Configuration panel allows users to set server details, including the server description, workgroup name, log level, and toggle options like optimizing shares for macOS. The Share Configuration section lists defined shares, such as sambashare with its path /tank/samba, along with options to edit or delete the share. Additionally, an Import/Export Config section is visible for managing configurations, streamlining file-sharing setup across systems. The navigation bar provides access to other file-sharing protocols like NFS and iSCSI.
This screenshot shows the Navigator section of the Houston UI, providing a file management interface for the server. The main panel displays the directory structure starting at the root (/) level, with standard system directories such as bin, etc, home, var, and more. On the right panel, detailed metadata for the selected folder is shown, including permissions (Mode), owner, group, size, and timestamps for access, modification, and creation. The top toolbar includes options for navigation, searching directories, and actions such as creating, deleting, or editing files and folders. This interface simplifies file management tasks on the server.
This screenshot shows the Navigator section of the Houston UI, providing a file management interface for the server. The main panel displays the directory structure starting at the root (/) level, with standard system directories such as bin, etc, home, var, and more. On the right panel, detailed metadata for the selected folder is shown, including permissions (Mode), owner, group, size, and timestamps for access, modification, and creation. The top toolbar includes options for navigation, searching directories, and actions such as creating, deleting, or editing files and folders. This interface simplifies file management tasks on the server.
This screenshot shows the Benchmarks section of the Houston UI, providing a tool for testing storage performance. The selected benchmark tool is FIO, configured to measure Max Throughput. Parameters include a file size of 1 GiB, an I/O depth of 16, a runtime of 2 seconds, and a test path set to /tank/Dozer. The progress bar indicates the test is 100% completed, and the results are visualized in a chart showing bandwidth metrics for reads, writes, random reads, and random writes (in MB/s). Users can download the results in formats like XLSX and customize the chart output. This feature enables detailed performance analysis of storage systems.
This screenshot shows the Terminal section of the Houston UI, providing users with direct command-line access to the server. The interface displays a terminal prompt (root@f8x1-rnd) where users can execute shell commands. The top-right options allow customization of the terminal, including font size adjustments, appearance themes (currently set to "Black"), and a reset button to restore defaults. This feature enables advanced system administration tasks directly from the browser without needing an external SSH client.
This screenshot shows the Storage Devices section of Houston UI, providing an overview of the server's storage management. At the top, real-time read and write performance metrics are displayed in graph format. The Filesystems section lists mounted file systems, their mount points (/boot/efi and /), and their storage utilization. Below, the NFS Mounts section indicates that no NFS mounts are currently set up. The Storage Logs section provides detailed logs of recent storage-related events for monitoring. On the right, the Devices panel lists RAID devices and their details, while the Drives section provides a breakdown of connected drives with their sizes and identifiers. This interface offers a comprehensive view of storage status and activity.
This screenshot displays the Ceph Deploy section of Houston UI, showcasing a visual workflow for deploying and managing a Ceph storage cluster. The diagram outlines key steps and components, starting with Pre-Configuration, followed by Ansible Configuration and Ceph Core setup. It branches out to services such as CephFS, RGW Service, NFS, SMB, Load Balancing, and iSCSI Service, ultimately leading to the Dashboard. Each step is represented by a locked icon, indicating restricted access or incomplete setup. This interface provides a clear, modular approach to configuring and deploying Ceph storage solutions.
Houston UI works directly with your 45Drives storage server, offering a simple and easy-to-use alternative to complicated command-line tools. Its tight integration with hardware makes even advanced setups straightforward, so you can optimize your storage system without needing specialized technical skills.
With Houston UI, you can handle tasks like assigning disks, creating storage pools, and fine-tuning performance—all from one central dashboard. Important details like disk health, performance metrics, and storage usage are clearly displayed, making it easy to keep your system running at its best.
Single Pane of Glass:
Single point of view for streamlined system management.
Open-Source Foundation:
Built on the Cockpit Project for a robust and transparent base.
ZFS Storage Management:
Intuitive UI for easy setup, monitoring, and administration.
Task Scheduler:
Automate tasks like snapshots, backups, scrubbing, and more
Built-In File Explorer:
Fully-featured file explorer to easily traverse and modify your file and folder structure.
Active Directory Integration:
Ability to join an Active Directory domain for seamless permission management.
Tightly-Integrated with 45Drives Hardware:
Seamless compatibility with hardware insights for optimal performance.
Network Management:
Comprehensive UI to configure network settings and enhance security.
Regular Updates:
Stay current with the latest module additions and improvements.
Virtual Machine Management:
Easily create and manage virtual machines.
In recent months, Houston UI has been updated with new features and modules, including ZFS and iSCSI, giving administrators enhanced control over their storage infrastructure.
To learn more about these updates, watch these videos where our technical experts provide an in-depth look.
45Drives delivers enterprise storage and virtualization solutions that combine the reliability, simplicity, and seamless integration of legacy vendors with the flexibility, innovation, and freedom of open-source technologies—free from the risks of vendor lock-in or project uncertainties.
Our modular, mass-custom approach ensures solutions that are highly tailored to your needs yet feel as effortless as off-the-shelf options. This unique model enables us to provide the convenience of a one-stop-shop and the assurance of a single point of accountability.
Enter your information below to schedule a demo with one of our experts, tailored specifically to your needs.
We’ll walk you through Houston UI in action, focusing on how it can address your unique use case.
Zack Perry
Data Storage Specialist
Alex McEachern
Data Storage Specialist