45Drives, a leader in open-source storage solutions, announced a strategic partnership with Lime Technology, Inc., the creators of Unraid OS, to integrate Unraid into the 45HomeLab division. The collaboration will launch the 45HomeLab >< Unraid Signature Series, a line of servers purpose-built for self-hosters and homelab enthusiasts, available in Spring 2026. These systems are jointly engineered by both teams, with hardware carefully selected and tested for tight integration with Unraid OS. An Unraid Lifetime license will be pre-installed on all systems, manufactured in 45Drives facilities in the United States and Canada.
Both companies share over two decades of experience designing infrastructure that prioritizes durability, flexibility, and user control. Dr. Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives, stated, “This strategic partnership reflects how we think about infrastructure across all 45Drives divisions. 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 of the partnership focuses on the 45HomeLab >< Unraid Signature Series, establishing a validated hardware foundation for Unraid users. 45HomeLab delivers premium, North American–manufactured homelab systems built on the enterprise heritage of 45Drives, carrying forward the same architectural philosophy, direct-wired design, and long-term serviceability standards used in enterprise deployments. 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 real-world feedback for future expansion.
Both organizations are rooted in builder culture, serving hands-on users who value performance, transparency, and control. Unraid OS, created in 2005 by Lime Technology, enables users to combine storage devices of varying sizes while maintaining full control over data, applications, and virtualized workloads. The partnership reinforces the belief that storage and compute platforms should remain open and adaptable over time, supporting growth without vendor lock-in.
Discover more about the partnership and sign up for pre-order notifications at unraid.net/blog/45homelabxunraid.
