45Drives, a leader in open-source storage solutions, announced a strategic partnership with Lime Technology, Inc., the makers of Unraid OS, to integrate Unraid into its 45HomeLab division. The collaboration will introduce the 45HomeLab × Unraid Signature Series, a new line of servers purpose-built for self-hosters and homelab enthusiasts, launching in Spring 2026. These systems are jointly engineered by both teams, with hardware components selected, built, validated, and tested to ensure tight integration with Unraid OS. An Unraid Lifetime license will come pre-installed on all systems, manufactured in the United States and Canada.
The partnership brings together two companies with over two decades of experience designing infrastructure prioritizing durability, flexibility, and user control. Both organizations share a belief that storage and compute platforms should remain open and adaptable over time, supporting growth without vendor lock-in. “This strategic partnership reflects how we think about infrastructure across all 45Drives divisions,” said Dr. Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives. “We design systems to be owned, expanded, and adapted over many years. The open-source Linux based foundation of Unraid OS aligns closely with that philosophy.”
Tiffany Jones, CEO of Lime Technology, added, “Unraid was created to give people long-term freedom over their hardware and their data. That philosophy aligns closely with how 45Drives approaches infrastructure. Together, we’re giving builders and professionals a validated platform that can evolve with their needs.”
Phase One launches through 45HomeLab, delivering premium, North American–manufactured systems built on the enterprise heritage of 45Drives’ Enterprise division. These systems carry forward direct-wired design and long-term serviceability standards used in enterprise deployments, tailored for advanced home users. Both 45HomeLab and Unraid have built strong communities within the homelab space, and this initial phase allows the companies to deliver tightly integrated systems while gathering feedback for future expansion into professional markets.
Both companies are rooted in builder culture, serving hands-on users who value performance, transparency, and control. Unraid OS was created in 2005 and enables users to combine storage devices of varying sizes while maintaining full control over data, applications, and virtualized workloads. For more details and to sign up for pre-order notifications, visit unraid.net/blog/45homelabxunraid.
About 45Drives: 45Drives designs and manufactures open, high-performance storage and server solutions with a focus on transparency, open-source principles, and long-term ownership. About Lime Technology, Inc.: Founded in 2005, Lime Technology is the creator of Unraid OS, a flexible NAS operating system developed in San Diego and supported by a global community.
