Best Safe Node hardware

I have an Odroid HC2 running now for the community network. https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-hc2-home-cloud-two/
I think it’s great for the SAFE Network. It’s more powerful than a Raspberry and is has an aluminium dock for a 3.5 SATA hdd that acts as a passive cooler as well.

7 Likes

Pine64 will also be one to watch, I think.

1 Like

I deep checked all options and Ondroid-HC2 looks very promising also for me. It has not best support and prices in Europe, but it is doing exactly what vault should do.

Nice product, shocking customer service. Never got my full rewards from their kickstarter campaign and very little response from them.

2 Likes

Are you interested in making and selling me one?

I like Odroid, still have my earlier ones, but next time I will look at open source hardware first.

See @Jonas’ post:

2 Likes

For those with slightly deeper pockets than the $150 mark I generally track, but still caring about hardware being Open Source (i.e. not “open to some llittle extend just enought to attract buyers” but OSHW certified!), I dearly recommend considering the $199 Helios: Helios4 - Your own private cloud

I believe it is the only available OSHW certified board using ECC memory chips.

5 Likes

I can help setting it up with a complete idiot guide :wink:
A basic setup (for testing) is not that difficult, and you need to gain some experience with it, because you probably want to use the device for the next Alpha tests as well. So you need to reinstall it yourself anyway. Having a good guide +some experience is better then.

But ordering is actually the most difficult part, because there are not many resellers:
https://www.hardkernel.com/distributors/
And shipping from Hardkernel (South Korea) is quite expensive, you need to order at least 2 devices for a decent price per unit. + you have to pay customs.

4 Likes

Just thought id leave this here for anyone still interested in low power/cost hardware solutions for farming.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.techrepublic.com/google-amp/pictures/cheap-raspberry-pi-alternatives-20-computers-that-cost-less-than-the-pi-3/

1 Like

Maybe some interesting ones in this list:

1 Like

At $8.49 on aliexpress the orange pi zero H2 is particularly interesting. It doesnt seem to have an onboard display output but it does have an ethernet port (critical component) and a usb 2.0 for an external harddrive.

https://www.techrepublic.com/pictures/cheap-raspberry-pi-alternatives-20-computers-that-cost-less-than-the-pi-3/2/

Its $12 cousin (orange pi lite) a few pages in has an hdmi output with a second usb port IIRC. Its the perfect package IMO. Combine a few of these with a gigabit ethernet switch a few usb micro cables, a USB power strip and you have a cheap farming cluster.

https://www.techrepublic.com/pictures/cheap-raspberry-pi-alternatives-20-computers-that-cost-less-than-the-pi-3/7/

1 Like

Are any of those below $20 total package? Power supply plus mainboard? I’m looking to spread vaults across several machines to minimise impact of system failure. Eggs in one basket ordeal.

Unfortunately the Orange pi lite requires a 5v 3a adapter and a heat sink for proper operation. This still keeps it below $20 but it would be ideal if it were powered through the micro usb port. Cheaper, smaller foot print, more reliable, and the ability to use spare micro usb cables if one were to fail.

No, most/all of them are more expensive than $20.

What are your plans for farming? All in one?

Not a lot of planning done yet (I just came across that article) and will be a modest ‘farm’ at my home.
I’ve already 2 Raspberry pi’s and another option could be to combine it with something else that has to be on the whole the time: Turris - Představení.

2 Likes

The omnia is pricey but seemingly worth it.

My plan is to find something like the Orange pi lite that supports micro usb power for under $20. At ~$130 for an 8GB external harddrive I can setup a raid 0 farm for ~$300 including gigabit switch with 8 ports. Adding a new farm every 2 months until I fill all 8. Totalling roughly $2400 and providing the network with 70 - 75TBs depending on near future drive capacities/price.

I predict we’ll be in beta before 2021. So its time for me to scope things out. :grin:

4 Likes

Some of the boards you guys linked supported PoE (power over Ethernet). If you go with one of those and get an Ethernet hub that supports PoE, no other power supplies would be needed.

Edit:. For example, TP-Link TL-SG1005P can provide 55W of power

5 Likes

Of course the other alternative is to get an old PC power supply and use it to power many boards. If you have 5 boards then its cheaper to just buy a PC power supply than to buy 5 of 3 (or 4) amp reliable supplies (many of the Chinese ones die too quickly).

6 Likes

The Ultimate Storage Monster: 32 SATA Ports On A Single Motherboard

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-motherboard-32-sata-ports,40408.html
Up to 448 TB with 32 14TB HDD
MB for $466.80.

4 Likes