ARM Linux inexpensive/small file server with SATA support?
I have been wondering for a while if there is some option out there for a small and inexpensive ARM server. Mainly file server - but it could be put to some other uses as well. I'm talking about something which would slot below the Intel Atom boards in terms of energy usage and price - for those projects where the power of Linux is needed - but not the full CPU strength of the Atom - where something slower will do.
I have been looking into either using one of the wifi routers with OpenWRT on them, or one of the other similar platforms (RPi, WD TV etc.) for the purpose. In terms of power consumption, CPU speed and price, these options are pretty spot on. The biggest drawback as far as I can work out seems to be that none of them have SATA support. For me, a server which has to act as a file server as well, without SATA support is a no-no. I have used USB for file storage over the years, and as a permanent fixture, with root partition and storage partitions on it is: a. A bit too flimsy and unstable, subject to the quality of implementation of the USB chip and driver, and the amount of power provided etc. b. Does not support SMART and the hardware monitoring this brings. Point b. is the stickiest point really - as without a way to monitor constantly the health of the hard-disk, the device wouldn't be suitable for even the smallest or least significant file server. Am I missing something in my analysis - or is there some ARM based, commodity device out there which could be put to good use as a Linux file server? |
Why do you "need" the monitoring?
- peace of mind? - high usage / commercial interests? With most ARM devices you're dealing with storage over a network, or through USB. So which ever of those options gives you what you want I guess. I've been looking at a cubieboard 2 myself. But I'm not really in the market atm, so I can wait for better options. Not quite an atom, but dual core and 64 bit, which is new-ish for ARM based things. Plus 1GB of RAM, which is more than double RPi spec wise. |
Quote:
|
No data storage that I know of is permanent. I wouldn't trust any of them to hold a message for a hundred years. Punch cards might come close, but hardly a model of efficiency. At least we have 3D printers now. One step closer to stone tablet grade data storage.
ARM motherboard option - AR6MXQ / i.MX6 1x sata port Something I stumbled on that has a SATA connector. Most everything else with SATA and ARM is meant to be rack mounted in a server room. With multiple power supplies, dozens of SATA drives, and just as many CPUs. |
Quote:
Quote:
|
It looks like that ARM board is being used pre-bundled and cased by this place.
http://utilite-computer.com Kind of pricy for me, but the SSD it has is probably most of that price. |
|
Without eSATA and RTC battery for the first two options - only the third option would be useful for a server, really. Shame, as the first option, with the slower processor, without the GPU and HDMI, but with the eSata and RTC battery would have been a really interesting proposition for a low power server.
|
I have used a Tonidoplug2 for this works very well added 250GB HDD runs samba and OpenVPN etc
|
This may be of interest: cubietruck. It has a sata port.
|
Thanks propofol. At 49USD, the cubieboard 1 with SATA is actually quite an attractive proposition. Do you have one and if yes, have you had any issues with it? It would be interesting to know if, out of the box, it is compatible with one of the ARM flavours of Slack.
|
Quote:
Regards, Stefan |
I've just stumbled over another cheap ARM board with SATA - the Olimex Lime:
https://www.olimex.com/Products/OLin...ource-hardware It is slightly cheaper than the cubietruck (€30). I'd be curious if anybody here has any experience of these things - specially how reliable and robust they are. It would also be interesting to find out if, at least in theory, based on specs, Slackware has some chance of running on one of them one day. |
I have a CuBox-i. It has a SATA port, as well as USB, etc. I have full Debian desktop running on it, and the only downsides I've found are that some apps I want to use have no ARM ports. Pretty much all the Debian packages are available for ARM, but a couple of proprietary third-party apps like Dropbox and Teamviewer don't. If you don't need those, then the CuBox-i should work for you. I bought the i4Pro, because I wanted the extra memory and processor power for desktop use, but the cheaper models should work for a server. Debian certainly will run on most armhf devices, and it should be possible to run distros like Slackware, Arch, etc without much trouble.
|
Thanks for that - quite interesting. I noticed that only the two most expensive ones (i2Ultra and i4Pro) have SATA support. At $105 and $125, it is unfortunately fanless Intel Atom motherboard territory - even if one factors in the extra price for the RAM. Also, when taking into account the power supply for the HDD etc., the overall power consumption will most likely be quite similar. Though the CuBox-i is a lot smaller in size.
|
Wonder if this will come with a sata. http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardTre
|
Well - there is nothing in the specs to suggest so. Otherwise, it would be quite an amazing little motherboard. On the other hand, considering the actual target market, I'm not sure many people who use Arduinos would need the SATA - and it might add significantly to the costs. Personally I would have preferred to have no HDMI, but to have SATA instead!
It is a real shame the new Arduino Galileo doesn't have SATA. Now, talk about a missed opportunity there! I know the intended target market is different, but if they would have added SATA, you would have had all of a sudden a tiny x86 board at 60USD with SATA. I can't think of anything to beat that on x86 at that price point. Or at least they could have made the mini-PCIe slot mSATA compatible - so at least it could take SSD's. |
http://www.wandboard.org/ lists SATA
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:59 PM. |