FreeNAS is an open source data storage and sharing operating system utilizing the ZFS file system. It was first created in 2005 and has continued developing new features through 2016 such as file sharing over SMB/NFS/AFP, a web interface for management, data protection like snapshots and replication, encryption capabilities, and plugins. The document outlines what FreeNAS is, its history of development since 2005, its key features for file sharing, data protection, and extensibility through plugins.