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Re: [LUG] ARM NAS+ platforms?

 

On Tue, 22 May 2018, Tom via list wrote:

On 22/05/18 02:28, Kai Hendry wrote:
https://www.board-db.org/compare/259,226,251/

After trying raspberry PI ARM boards for some time, I've personally come to
the realization you need to get an Intel machine. It's not about the CPU or
Architecture. It's about their SATA disk interface / NICs being able to
perform to sane gigabit levels without any fuss.

This is why I recently bought a second hand HP Proliant Microserver Gen8.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phioD0faHQ8

The latest PiB+ can do 350Mbps or so on its NIC.

That's not the/an issue. (Nor does it realyl help)

The issue with the Pi is that it's made to a $35 budget.

So for your $35 you're only going to get one USB channel. The first device on the USB is the hub, the 2nd is the Ethernet. (And if you can get 350Mb/sec then you have better benchmarks than me - I only got ~320Mb/sec)

Thus; if you conect disks to that USB it's sharing that single channel with the Ethernet.

For a SOHO system then using the on-board Wi-Fi can give you an advantage - but only marginal and you'd better have good access points.

Another thing to remember (or maybe you never knew) is that USB is half-duplex. Reading fom USB storage and sending to USB Ethernet is somewhat sub-optimal.

There are some better (much better!) ARM "server" type boards. They are also much higher priced.

Right now I'm sticking to x86. I still typically use little Atom systems for SOHO use - low power (< 15 watts) and native SATA ports.

ARM is there right now - for a price - and if that price is right for you, then go for it, but it'll take a while to get a good "server class" ARM system that's as affordable as a little x86 system.

Gordon

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