I would recommend figuring out a way to use multiple IPs.
Since they are used, small drives, i would recommend setting them up with raidz2, maybe 4x10-drive arrays.
StorJ permits to run 1 node per HDD, so I would recommend running 40 nodes.
Welcome to Storj!
Agree with your post but doubt this number unless your PC is ancient. The PSU power is not the power draw. A modern desktop only uses 450W when you are playing games but not when only idle with storj. my desktop for storj uses 60W with 3HDDs and my desktop for working uses 60W when idle with 1hdd.
It’s possible and we have had such a setup
@kevink yes, I didn`t measure it exactly I just compared the maximum possible power draw, and I bought my PC at 2015 so it is quite ancient.
You can run as much nodes as you want. But all of them will receive in summary as a one node - we select one random node from the /24 subnet for each piece of each segment of the file.
You can, but it’ll take a few centuries to fill up, if ever. At some point deletes will start to match incoming data and your node will stop filling up. Right now you get about 1TB per month, deletes are currently low, but even if you ignore deletes, that would take 400 months and assumes the ingress will remain the same. Multiple IP subnets would get this amount per subnet. But keep in mind that the intention is for data to be spread out geographically and there may be different ways to detect multiple nodes in the same location in the future.
I think the general comment is that it’s almost impossible to fill those 200TB within a reasonable timeframe (or it may never fill up).
for simplicity, I will split 200TB into 10 nodes with 20TB each (4TB HD x 5 per node)
so the next possible solution as many people mentioned is that I need to split it up into many IPs.
but here is the tricky part - how can I acquire many IPs.
Let’s say I subscribe to my provider for X USD per month.
I subscribe more with other providers in my area. Let’s say total 5 providers.
I will pay 5X with no utilization on that extra bandwidth and that is only half IPs I need.
I can’t possibly find 10 providers for sure. That 5X can also be expensive.
Another idea is using the 4G/5G internet sim. I think that may be cheaper?
any other ideas on getting that many IPs?
I really don’t think running a node on a 4G connection would be reliable/authorized/profitable…
My ISP in my country wouldn’t provide enough bandwidth anyway, and the cost would defeat the purpose of running a Node…
In reality you can run only one 20TB node, which could be filled with current estimation for two years.
Using 10 IPs from different /24 subnets should be expensive, to do not allow easily break requirements.
We do not want to have a big amount of data in one physical place. Any problem - with electricity, with ISP, with your server or network equipment - the network will lost a lot of data at once.
But different physical places are welcome!
There is no way your computer draws 450w without heavily overclocking your CPU or using a dedicated graphics card. And even then, Storj will never put enough load on any of the mentioned components to have the computer pull 450w
I think in short, what you’re trying to do is exactly what Storj Labs is trying to prevent. You’re trying to get as much data as possible in a single location, while Storj is an intentionally distributed network. I’m not saying there is no possible way you can get that done, but this centralization is something the developers of the network are actively working towards preventing. It’ll be inevitable that you run into a lot of obstacles along the way. Some of them already implemented and some of them undoubtedly added in the future. What works now, may not work later on.
Now I can discourage you from doing this, I can point to ToS that probably limits some of those things as well. But this system doesn’t work if it needs to rely on either of those to prevent people from doing what is not desired. So I’m not going to do that. Just decide for yourself whether you want to go against the grain by using multiple /24 IP subnets.
With all this said… start with one node on what you have right now. It’ll be a good idea to start asap to get some reputation and at least have the first node up and running. This experience will give you an indication of what you can expect and you can always expand later.
You’re right. I totally agree on what you’re saying.
There is always a dilemma.
On one hand, I want to utilize these HDs as much as I can within the rule.
On the other hand, I undermine the decentralization of the network.
Classic example would be GPU mining and other coins. Though I think balancing between capitalism and decentralization is very important.
In case of Bitcoin, I think incentive plays a bigger role than decentralization but that is a huge topic opening for debate.
I believe the so called ‘ingress’ limitation per IP prevent this centralization, so if the system balances itself there will probably be a soft limit of space I can utilize. perhaps 20TB as many mentioned per IP? and then I will not have additional utilization.
My node is new. For 3.5 days, I utilize only 8.7 GB. This probably takes ages to fill up.
If this is the case (which seem to be), I probably need to mix between Storj and other HD minable coins BHD may be? but I haven’t tried.
Did the Burst coin and that is a true scalability but it creates no value and not so good atm
I’ve made an estimator that is often used to determine what kind of earnings you can expect with a single /24 subnet. It’ll go over 20TB, but it’ll take time. At the current rate a little over 2 years.
It might help you decide what to do. But keep in mind this is based on recent network behavior and there is no guarantee that stays the same. I try to keep it up to date if there are significant changes in network behavior though.
My 18TB node has 15TB since last full wipe in beta so it doesn’t take years
Talk to friends and family to see if you can put a PI node in their house and then you have decentralized network of nodes. Up to you and them if you pay for elec/network usage.
I told my mom the node was so my wife could store pictures of the grandkid as a backup. Easy sell!
that was my idea, ask a few friends if they don’t mind hosting a small node.
I like the odroid HC2 because it’s self contained and perfect for that application. I’d just have to install it, redirect a few ports on their router and I can ssh into it from my place for maintenance.
Of course it increases the overhead cost because you need a system for each location.
I wouldn’t feel confortable asking some friends if they could host a Node so it gets me money…
Or revenues could be split with them, but it’s already quite low so I’m not sure they would be interested, especially if it’s paid in STORJ! And I would have to set up Storj transfers to them each month, and so on…
Damn, just thinking about it tires me 
yes of course an arrangement would be made, I’m pretty sure all of my friends would accept payments in beer haha
I would pair each one with a RPi, then give all of your friends and family a node for Christmas 