45Drives, a leader in open-source storage solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Lime Technology, Inc., the makers of Unraid OS. 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 will be jointly engineered by both teams, with hardware components selected, built, validated, and tested for tight integration with Unraid OS. An Unraid Lifetime license will come pre-installed on all systems, manufactured in the United States and Canada.
This partnership brings together two companies with over two decades of experience in designing durable, flexible infrastructure. Both organizations emphasize user control and adaptability, avoiding vendor lock-in. Dr. Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives, stated, "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. Together, we're giving builders and professionals a validated platform that can evolve with their needs."
The 45HomeLab >< Unraid Signature Series marks the first phase of the partnership, establishing a validated hardware foundation for Unraid users. 45HomeLab delivers premium, North American–manufactured systems built on the enterprise heritage of 45Drives' Enterprise division, featuring direct-wired design and long-term serviceability. Both 45HomeLab and Unraid have strong communities within the homelab space, and this initial phase allows them to gather real-world feedback for future expansion into professional and creative markets.
Both companies share a builder culture, serving hands-on users who value performance, transparency, and control. Unraid OS, created in 2005, enables users to combine storage devices of varying sizes while maintaining full control over data, applications, and virtualized workloads. The partnership ensures that hardware designed to last pairs naturally with software built to evolve. For more information and to be notified when pre-orders go live, visit Unraid's blog.
About 45Drives: 45Drives designs and manufactures open, high-performance storage and server solutions for builders, businesses, and institutions worldwide, focusing 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. The company is family-owned and operated, based in San Diego, California, and supported by a global community.
