45Drives, a leader in open source storage solutions, announced a strategic partnership with Lime Technology, the makers of Unraid OS, to integrate Unraid into its 45HomeLab division. The collaboration will launch the 45HomeLab >< Unraid Signature Series, a 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 selected, built, and validated for 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 that prioritizes 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. 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 instead of being replaced as requirements change.”
The 45HomeLab >< Unraid Signature Series marks the first stage of the partnership, establishing a validated hardware foundation for Unraid users. 45HomeLab delivers premium, North American–manufactured homelab systems built on the enterprise heritage of 45Drives’ Enterprise division. These systems carry forward the same architectural philosophy, 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 integrated systems while gathering real-world feedback for future expansion.
Both companies are rooted in builder culture, serving hands-on users who value performance, transparency, and control. Drive expansion, new workloads, and changing use cases are expected. Hardware designed to last pairs naturally with software built to evolve on the same system for years. 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. More information about the partnership and pre-order sign-ups can be found at unraid.net/blog/45homelabxunraid.
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, developed in San Diego, California, and supported by a global community of users and contributors.
