8 alpha vs 7.5, did I make a mistake?

[MattRPSB]

Hello!

So I'm very new to all this and wanted a little side project while at work so I started this up. I've been having a lot of minor troubles with 8alpha2(Ubuntu) and I'm wondering if it's me or should I just go to 7.4.

First thing I'm trying to do is set up SMART predictive failure reporting. There is a template and I've installed smartmontools(Win), but they don't want to talk no matter what I do. All the checks I was advised to do come back as working, though. The other issue is going to be we want to install this on our camera servers at each site and I'm pretty sure they're raided and that's another small hurdle to monitor.

Second is the same thing but for Dell Servers(Win). I added OMSA templates I found, but that too isn't really wanting to work. I was told the templates are built into full releases but since this is an alpha the templates aren't all there and a lot of what you find isn't going to match the formatting 8 requires.

So it's been a bit of a headache and a lot of searching for answers and implementation tests that aren't really panning out. So at the end I guess my real question is before I get even deeper into this, should I revert to the latest stable 7.4 and try again? Or is 8 going to come out of alpha soon and maybe help alleviate some of my struggling here? haha.

It could also VERY likely be I'm seeing bad advice, I swear some of these answers look like AI generated because one definitely referenced me to upgrade to 8.0 stable and gave me a bunch of steps to do so and then when I looked elsewhere, there is no 8.0 stable haha.

[PavelZ]

Alpha versions are designed for enthusiasts and those who like to test new things.

Templates are included in all versions.

[MattRPSB]

Alpha versions are designed for enthusiasts and those who like to test new things.

Templates are included in all versions.

haha I felt like that applied to me, but maybe not. I'm not well versed in Linux at all so maybe trying to tackle two unfamiliar systems at once even with help was a bit ambitious. Thanks for answering the template question. I see there's an appliance version that you just plop into VMware and get it going. I may just try that out instead.

[irontmp]

Hello!

So I'm very new to all this and wanted a little side project while at work so I started this up. I've been having a lot of minor troubles with 8alpha2(Ubuntu) and I'm wondering if it's me or should I just go to 7.4.

First thing I'm trying to do is set up SMART predictive failure reporting. There is a template and I've installed smartmontools(Win), but they don't want to talk no matter what I do. All the checks I was advised to do come back as working, though. The other issue is going to be we want to install this on our camera servers at each site and I'm pretty sure they're raided and that's another small hurdle to monitor.

Second is the same thing but for Dell Servers(Win). I added OMSA templates I found, but that too isn't really wanting to work. I was told the templates are built into full releases but since this is an alpha the templates aren't all there and a lot of what you find isn't going to match the formatting 8 requires.

So it's been a bit of a headache and a lot of searching for answers and implementation tests that aren't really panning out. Even like a home renovation Mississauga, it feels like small details keep popping up unexpectedly. So at the end I guess my real question is before I get even deeper into this, should I revert to the latest stable 7.4 and try again? Or is 8 going to come out of alpha soon and maybe help alleviate some of my struggling here? haha.

It could also VERY likely be I'm seeing bad advice, I swear some of these answers look like AI generated because one definitely referenced me to upgrade to 8.0 stable and gave me a bunch of steps to do so and then when I looked elsewhere, there is no 8.0 stable haha.

Hi! Based on what you’re experiencing, it’s normal. Alpha releases like 8alpha2 often have incomplete features and missing templates, which explains why SMART reporting and OMSA aren’t working as expected. For a side project where you want things to actually function, I’d recommend reverting to 7.4 stable. It’s much more reliable, the templates are complete, and integrations like smartmontools and OMSA are documented. Once 8 leaves alpha, upgrading will be smoother, but for now, sticking with 7.4 will save you a lot of frustration and let you focus on getting things set up properly.