One of my nodes is full so I was going to grab another RPi4 and spin up a new node but apparently that’s not happening. I don’t pay attention to hardware market unless I am ready to buy something and from the 2 mins worth of searching I did it appears the RPi4 is end of manufacturing and sold only at scalpers prices and the rumor of a RPi5 in 2023 seems to be pushed out.
Anyone here a hardware news follower and have better or different news/details?
I dont think they stopped making rpi4 but since covid happened everything got delayed so supply has slowed but demand hasnt. as for rpi5 I doubt thats coming anytime soon maybe 2024.
what’s your current RPi4 setup look like? 4GB or 8GB model by chance? Both USB3 ports used? if not then I’d just grab another external hard drive and use the same RPi for the next node.
I know when I was running nodes on RPi’s, I typically used one per node, but that was usually because I was usb-booting from an SSD, so both USB3 ports used with the SSD and HDD…
If you’re comfortable enough with other linux distros, like ubuntu, there are a lot of alternatives out there. A couple of years ago, I ended up migrating four of my nodes to an Odroid H2+. It has a 4x PCIe 2.0 nvme slot, so I use a WD blue nvme SSD as the boot drive, I shucked two node HDDs from the external enclosures (WD Elements) and connected to the H2+ via the onboard SATA 3.0 connections, and then used the two USB3 ports to connect two more WD Elements external drives. Hardkernel makes/made a nice acrylic case that holds the two bare metal HDDs and computer. So four nodes on one box.
The H2+, which was obsoleted over COVID, runs on an Intel J4115 (quad core) so it’s an x86 processor, and has two SODIMM slots, which I loaded with 2x 8GB RAM. Plus it has 2x 2.5gbps ethernet ports. So quite a bit more powerful than a raspberry pi…
Here’s a picture of that setup in my rack.
It works really well, albeit a bit over kill just for nodes. But it runs rock solid.
Long story short, you could look at some of the Odroid single board computers. They have some really “lite” ones that could run “server” based OS options, and then some beefed up ones like the “H” line up, which they just came out with an upgraded H3/H3+ line up, that can run full windows. Also, not to be confused with the “HC” lineup.
Although, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also point you to this recent thread where Storj specifically states that it would/could be in the best interest of SNOs to not purchase new hardware JUST for storj nodes. SNO's please don't buy anything
Although, they’re really just pointing out the risks when it comes to ROI expectations. To be honest, over the years when I was using RPis…I probably purchased 7 or 8 of them…some used for Storj at one point, and now none of them being used for Storj. Actually most are sitting around collecting dust. I’m perfectly fine with that. Actually, I just purchased some PiKVM boards from geekworm and am using a couple of these RPi4s to run those in servers.
I have Odroids, Banana Pi, Orange Pi, Rock Pi, Pine, Rpi3 and Rpi4, Latte Pandas, a few other SBC’s I have forgotten. NAS devices, a few PC’s reconfigured into Linux machines, and probably like… 8 Windows boxes. Plus a few Chromebooks.
With the SBC’s I use them exclusively as test devices for Storj configurations… Some have been running for years both on v2 as well as v3. They are not all running though, many I test and then break down and reconfigure into other tests. I will likely repurpose some now to run as a Satellite and donate some to the Community.
God, I wish the RPI5 would come out this year.
How many nodes do you run on your RPi4?
Is it a 4GB?
If so you can run 4 on it without a pb, and if you’re ready to ignore ToS (which I cannot recommend doing even though I technicall do…) I’m sure it can handle way more than that CPU and RAM wise, so long as disks can keep up (as in… If they are CMR).
Valid points people have posted. I will have to give some consideration to dual node options as it is a Pi4 4gb but the node is at a remote location I don’t frequent so that is why I was considering installing additional hardware instead of expanding current. I can basically fully config at home and make a quick visit instead of spending hours doing the config locally.
I’m successfully running 3 nodes on a single RPi3. The drives are in a 3-bay USB3 dock. Just for reference on “how many nodes can you run on X?”
I dont think it goes against TOS since its 1 node per core anyways and some run alot more then that per core. Since different performance levels of cpus are different.
Hi guys
Does anybody runs RPi with Geekworm plates X830 or something like these?
What a current maker, model and revision with 3.5 HHD support that I could buy without any pain on a market?
It’s really hard to find with affordable price current X832 backplane.
There are sold out on Aliexpress for 40$ and the other market places are overpriced them.
Just trying to figure out what plates I can use with RPi.
pi’s have gotten really expensive right? another option is getting a used corporate mini PC (dell or HP or lenovo etc). They are often quite cheap and more powerful than a pi.
Personally I use a homebuilt home server with regular desktop CPU and it has 8 drives inside and doesn’t break a sweat from a CPU perspective.
Use usb to sata adapters. They are plentiful and very cheap.
I have built the box in an apartment building so it’s not too much place in here:)
And already have two RPi with X830, that I’ve bought about 3 years ago.
Planning to barebone and stack them in future.
So I think about something small and stakcable to use this space more optimal.
The home appartment installment is closed chapter - there is alot of noise from HDD in a night, I’ve noticed this by occasional so don’t want to go this way.
And I’ve got a dedicated space for primary installation, but got ceiled with multiple node traffic splitting, high energy and internet cost and nessesarity to have an alternate airfield if something goes wrong.
the smallest micro business pc’s only use about 1L of space so they might fit, but I hear you, that is small.
I have used it since 2019 until 2023 when the SD card is died and I’m far away to fix it.
So, a very good HW. It has an USB-SATA adapter which didn’t have any headache for me. I also purchased their case with a fan, everything fit very well and they also provided a good power supply, never have had a problem.
it was written in some other topics that the node operator should not use USB-SATA linkage to avoid problems with the node or I’m confused with that?
How do you runs the system if you’re not running it on SD card?
Depends on HW quality. This one is pretty good and robust. You will have a USB-SATA adapter anyway - most of HDDs are made with SATA. My Pi3B+ doesn’t have an integrated SATA, so USB was the only way to connect a HDD, I used 2TB 3.5".
I have a smart plug, so when the card is died and I was unable to connect to my Pi via SSH, I tried to power off/on, but it didn’t become alive. Now this location is far away and I do not have a possibility to reach it anytime soon, so I just switched it off.
but you’re still running system on SD card or there is some othere options?
Sorry but what is HW?
And what HW you can recommend with your experience?
I’m looking for 8Tb+ (better 12+) HDD running solutions, to have an ability to switch the disks seamlessly between locations.
I mean physical movement of HDD between the post and server room to avoid (if possibly) node data transfers via LAN (it takes alot of time as I’ve posted in the other topic).
Yes, I used an SD card. RPi3B+ didn’t have an option to boot from the USB drive. Perhaps more fresh revisions can do, I do not know.
At the moment I do not have any SoC anymore.
Hardware. Just piece of electronics. For RPi the geekworm doing a nice hardware, so if you use Pi, they are good to be used.
I wouldn’t recommend any hardware, because it’s intended to use only the existing ones. The only hardware which I purchased was this Pi, the box, the HDD and the plate. All other nodes are running on an already used hardware which was online anyway.
Yep, they’re nice.
But as I’ve said before there is no Geekworm/Suptronics hardware on a market with affordable price.
There is a small pack of resellers with price range 70-150$ for 1 unit of X832 (just a plate to attach RPi and HDD), but it’s overprice.
So just trying to find the different cases/practices and asking for advice there:)
