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Re: [LUG] [External] ARM NAS+ platforms?

 

Well, that's quite the shopping list :)

I'm patiently waiting for the same thing as you, but I gave up and ended up with an 
Intel C2550 board: 
http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=C2550D4I#Specifications

(Yes, that's using one of the Intel CPUs that had a lifespan issue... ASRock were 
great and replaced it under extended warranty)


But, have a look on the Open Media Vault (OMV) forum for some ideas.... I'm 
currently using OMV on the Intel board (with lots of plugins, ClamAV scanning, etc) 
and also on a RasPi3 using the NextCloud Box that WD used to build...


As for an OS, as you like Arch and want to use ARM, have you tried going through the 
Arch Linux ARM table: https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms

A couple of column sorts and it gives: 
https://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv8/marvell/macchiatobin, but wandering over to 
their website gives more insight (ie additional USB 2.0 headers on the board)

Similarly Armbian has a hardware wiki for your shopping delight: 
https://docs.armbian.com/#supported-boards - I know the Rock64 got some good 
mentions in the OMV Forum, but I have no personal experience with them... just the 
OS (on a RasPi). See the Armbian Common Features / Performance Tweaks for some 
insight in to how they've optimised the OS for storage


So, some food for thought there...



-----Original Message-----
From: list [mailto:list-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mr meowski
Sent: 18 May 2018 20:22
To: list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [External] [LUG] ARM NAS+ platforms?

Whilst I'm at it, I've been meaning to ask this here for ages.

Anyone got a solid suggestion for a >RPi3 single board ARM computer suitable for a 
DIY NAS/multipurpose system? I've spent ages looking over the RPi, BananaPI, Pine64, 
Helios4 and countless other similar offerings trying to find the sweet spot for 
power/performance/size/capabilities.
I've bought (and sold) a lot of RPi based gadgets over the last few years - they 
make fantastic single use devices for VPN endpoints, 1 or 2 disk low-traffic 
NAS/backup machines, pihole adblockers, DIY Apple TimeCapsules, HTPCs, admin 
sandboxes, you name it. Where the RPis fall over is trying to push them a little bit 
further unsurprisingly - even my newest model 3 type B+ units are still fatally 
compromised for
ethernet+external disk throughput once you lean on them a little bit.

So I have a lengthy wish list for the 'perfect' (-ish) ARM board to start housing 
bigger and more capable systems: primarily multi-disk NAS but ideally they'd serve 
multiple simultaneous duties. If you're thinking it looks like I'm trying to spec a 
build to create a DIY NAS that outperforms but undercuts on price a commercial low 
end QNAP or Synology type NAS unit then congratulations, you've seen right through 
me. That's _exactly_ what I'm aiming to do. Out with the overpriced, underpowered 
and crappy proprietary OS driven rubbish on the NAS market and in with the ARM 
board, a bunch of COTS disks and a regular Linux OS:
I'll do all the rest of the config magic myself. I'm even ok to hack up the power 
delivery and 3D print a case if necessary.

For example, one of the best I've seen so far is the Helios4 but that was a 
crowd-funded thing that has sold out already, has zero availability and an entirely 
uncertain future: also a bit expensive for my liking.

https://www.open-electronics.org/helios4-the-1st-diy-arm-board-computer-designed-for-nas/
https://shop.kobol.io/

Typical usage case will be to act as a drop-in single-box solution for an entire OU: 
SOHO basically. I'd expect larger commercial entities or super heavy users like 
myself to shell out for 'proper' gear that can take the punishment. Small businesses 
would drop it in their network cabinet/cupboard and home users would probably tuck 
it in to their home entertainment stack by the TV. My 
"not-unreasonable-but-aiming-high-considering-it's-2018" wishlist also
includes:

1: ARM64, obviously
2: *must* run standard ARM Linux distros - Arch preferred, but also Debian. No 
custom-only hacked up board specific distros
3: Ideally, would also run BSD depending on my mood and the situation
4: at least 4 SATA ports, preferably more
5: at least 1 gigabit ethernet port, preferably more
6: multiple USB ports, preferably at least v3
7: USB > serial out would be nice
8: HDMI out, preferably at least v2.x for 4K capability
9: wifi (I'd settle for a wifi USB adaptor though)
10: enough power to run additional containerized services via docker/chroot/jails
11: ECC RAM (the Helios4 has/had it after all)
12: Bluetooth (again, I'd settle for a wifi USB adaptor though)
13: eMMC storage would be nice
14: separate audio out
15: low power! must be better than equivalent x86/64 solutions
16: low price! must beat out second hand commercial NASs or low end DIY
x86/64 competition (otherwise what's the point?)
17: durable - must be "set and forget" in terms of hardware. tuck it in a corner and 
ignore it for 2 or 3 years
18: quiet, if not completely silent (not including disk noise, that's another issue)
19: tough - has to withstand idiot users accidentally unplugging it without 
corrupting entire array for example
20: I could go on...

Now that admittedly looks like quite a shopping list, until you think that any old 
piece of crap 10 year old x64 motherboard + CPU found in the back of your cupboard 
can do all of that without breaking a sweat, and then some. But it will also be 
massive, ugly, noisy and will suck power from the wall 24/7. A cheap Ebay QNAP or 
Synology can do most of it but they're awful proprietary crap and are automatically 
out. A HP Microserver isn't that bad a fit, and I've even made several multi-purpose 
boxes on that platform but again: size, power requirements, price... and I hate HP 
Microservers. There are many specific low power SoC SKUs from Intel and AMD that 
target this exact market (e.g., Atom C3000) but the prices are crazy and 
availability poor. I can actually do almost everything with a trusty RPi, even an 
older model - base Arch install with docker containers for OpenVPN,
DNS+DHCP+firewall, Kodi HTPC, home automation, backup server, NAS,
TimeCapsule, etc, etc. It only falls apart when you want more disk + network.

From extensive research online I know I am far from the only person desperate for a 
multi-talented ARM SoC to step in to pick up the slack.
So, apologies for the lengthy post - anyone got any ideas?

Cheers
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