From 042a67920d349dcf579a79f18a2df3da5cda7d30 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Derisis13 Date: Mon, 6 May 2024 20:46:13 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] post: home server host --- _posts/2024-05-06-host.md | 59 +++++++++++++++++++++ _site/feed.xml | 105 ++++++++++++++++++++------------------ _site/index.html | 12 ++--- 3 files changed, 119 insertions(+), 57 deletions(-) create mode 100644 _posts/2024-05-06-host.md diff --git a/_posts/2024-05-06-host.md b/_posts/2024-05-06-host.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5a42a17 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2024-05-06-host.md @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: "Host System" +tag: "home server" +--- + +_This post was supposed to be published in December 2023, but due to technical dificulties I didn't do it at the time. +It's remained an important part of my server writeup, even though some of it is no longer representative of my setup._ + +This is part one of my server writeup. +I'll go through the hardware choices I made so far and the operating system and core software components. +I'll also briefly mention how I started out as well as what upgrades I'm planning to make. +I didn't want to buy something new because of budget concerns, so my choice was dictated by what I already had. + +# The RockPro64 + +As the main platform running my home server, I choose the RockPro64, with 4GB of onboard memory. +In [part zero](https://derisis13.github.io/2023/12/08/statusquo.html) I already spoke about the hardware I'm replacing, this single-board computer should be more powerful than both combined. +I also experimented with a Chinese motherboard and an Intel i7-2670QM (a 2nd gen mobile i7) but I didn't find the extra performance to be useful ([benchmark](https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/cpu/16451184)), and the power draw was too much for my taste. +While my old setup used 20-21W combined, the x86 setup drew 35-36W on average while the RockPro64 drew 17-18W on average; all of them with two HDDs. +If I ever feel like running out of CPU performance I can still try overclocking the RK3399, I haven't experimented with this yet, but I hope the stock 1.42 GHz was a conservative choice. + +I bought this SBC in 2021 to experiment on (in some sense this computer taught me to use Linux), and sat abandoned since the end of the 2nd COVID wave in a cardboard box. +I ran it first in this cardboard box with two HDDs, but that couldn't be the permanent solution, so I adapted it to some ITX mounting holes (with a piece of FR4) and placed it inside the biggest case I could find at home. +This time I also included a bigger PCIe SATA card based on the ASM1166 and added two extra hard drives in RAID-6 (I'll talk about this decision in the next chapter). +Currently, the disks are 2x2TB and 2x1TB of spinning rust (for a total of 2TB pooled), but once the migration is complete it'll have 4x 3TB for 6TB usable storage. + +These parts are all spares I had lying around, they have bad sectors and they have strange read/write errors at the filesystem level that I attribute to them overloading the power supply. +This is a salvaged unit I pulled from a set-top box (same as [this one](https://ha5kfu.hu/2023/04/05/vfd-kijelzo-ujrahasznositasa/) I used in another project) and it can officially provide 1A@12V. +It was good enough when I started, but it seems I hit its limit. +I already ordered a USB-C PD charger with a trigger board that should give me 3x as much power and not be a shock- and fire hazard. + +The biggest limit of this setup is memory. +4GB is just not enough to run Linux, docker containers and spin up at least one virtual machine. +To make it just a little less critical (avoid the OOM killer) I added a 16GB microSD card as a swap partition - I have no idea how long it'll hold but it's cheap to replace. + +# OpenMediaVault + +On my x86 server, I used TrueNAS Scale, and while I was satisfied with ZFS and how it handled SMB shares, the way it complained as soon as I tried to touch the CLI was off-putting and I couldn't get used to its docker UI at all. +Additionally, it's not available on ARM as far as I know, so I couldn't use it even if I wanted to. + +So I installed Debian Bullseye and OpenMediaVault 6 on top (just like when I first bought the system). +Many in the self-hosting community find OMV a lesser, unprofessional experience (as opposed to TrueNAS or UnRaid) but I really like the balance it strikes between ease of use and how similar it feels to the CLI tools I'm used to. +With all of its plugins it offers a complete experience, and what's missing can be added from docker. +I currently have the plugins for system backups, borg backup, tgt (iSCSI target), wireguard, docker-compose, cputemp (installed by default), flashmemory (folder2ram, installed by default because I boot from eMMC) and kvm (although I no longer have a use for it). + +All in all it's a solid experience, OMV only adds to stock Debian and takes none of it away. +I think this pattern is not appreciated enough. + +# Summary + +I run a RockPro64 SBC with 4GB RAM, supported by some swap. +The performance is just enough for my use case, but it leaves not much space for future expansion, I have it pretty much maxed with the software I'll write about in the next parts. +Storage still needs to be upgraded (I still have to purchase the drives) and the PSU is at its limit, but a new one is on its way. + +I installed OpenMediaVault and I love how it only adds to Linux and takes nothing away. +It's a solid foundation for my storage and other services and I find it more convenient than TrueNAS Scale. + +In the next part, I'll write about the storage setup, from hard disks to folders. diff --git a/_site/feed.xml b/_site/feed.xml index e3504df..16e5029 100644 --- a/_site/feed.xml +++ b/_site/feed.xml @@ -1,4 +1,56 @@ -Jekyll2023-12-19T01:05:24+01:00http://localhost:4000/feed.xmlDerisis13’s temporary blogJust some nerd ramblingSingularity Feedback Loop2023-12-19T00:00:00+01:002023-12-19T00:00:00+01:00http://localhost:4000/2023/12/19/singularity<p>In this short essay, I’ll examine the idea of the Singularity Feedback Loop. +Jekyll2024-05-06T20:02:52+02:00http://localhost:4000/feed.xmlDerisis13’s temporary blogJust some nerd ramblingHost System2024-05-06T00:00:00+02:002024-05-06T00:00:00+02:00http://localhost:4000/2024/05/06/host<p><em>This post was supposed to be published in December 2023, but due to technical dificulties I didn’t do it at the time. +It’s remained an important part of my server writeup, even though some of it is no longer representative of my setup.</em></p> + +<p>This is part one of my server writeup. +I’ll go through the hardware choices I made so far and the operating system and core software components. +I’ll also briefly mention how I started out as well as what upgrades I’m planning to make. +I didn’t want to buy something new because of budget concerns, so my choice was dictated by what I already had.</p> + +<h1 id="the-rockpro64">The RockPro64</h1> + +<p>As the main platform running my home server, I choose the RockPro64, with 4GB of onboard memory. +In <a href="https://derisis13.github.io/2023/12/08/statusquo.html">part zero</a> I already spoke about the hardware I’m replacing, this single-board computer should be more powerful than both combined. +I also experimented with a Chinese motherboard and an Intel i7-2670QM (a 2nd gen mobile i7) but I didn’t find the extra performance to be useful (<a href="https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/cpu/16451184">benchmark</a>), and the power draw was too much for my taste. +While my old setup used 20-21W combined, the x86 setup drew 35-36W on average while the RockPro64 drew 17-18W on average; all of them with two HDDs. +If I ever feel like running out of CPU performance I can still try overclocking the RK3399, I haven’t experimented with this yet, but I hope the stock 1.42 GHz was a conservative choice.</p> + +<p>I bought this SBC in 2021 to experiment on (in some sense this computer taught me to use Linux), and sat abandoned since the end of the 2nd COVID wave in a cardboard box. +I ran it first in this cardboard box with two HDDs, but that couldn’t be the permanent solution, so I adapted it to some ITX mounting holes (with a piece of FR4) and placed it inside the biggest case I could find at home. +This time I also included a bigger PCIe SATA card based on the ASM1166 and added two extra hard drives in RAID-6 (I’ll talk about this decision in the next chapter). +Currently, the disks are 2x2TB and 2x1TB of spinning rust (for a total of 2TB pooled), but once the migration is complete it’ll have 4x 3TB for 6TB usable storage.</p> + +<p>These parts are all spares I had lying around, they have bad sectors and they have strange read/write errors at the filesystem level that I attribute to them overloading the power supply. +This is a salvaged unit I pulled from a set-top box (same as <a href="https://ha5kfu.hu/2023/04/05/vfd-kijelzo-ujrahasznositasa/">this one</a> I used in another project) and it can officially provide 1A@12V. +It was good enough when I started, but it seems I hit its limit. +I already ordered a USB-C PD charger with a trigger board that should give me 3x as much power and not be a shock- and fire hazard.</p> + +<p>The biggest limit of this setup is memory. +4GB is just not enough to run Linux, docker containers and spin up at least one virtual machine. +To make it just a little less critical (avoid the OOM killer) I added a 16GB microSD card as a swap partition - I have no idea how long it’ll hold but it’s cheap to replace.</p> + +<h1 id="openmediavault">OpenMediaVault</h1> + +<p>On my x86 server, I used TrueNAS Scale, and while I was satisfied with ZFS and how it handled SMB shares, the way it complained as soon as I tried to touch the CLI was off-putting and I couldn’t get used to its docker UI at all. +Additionally, it’s not available on ARM as far as I know, so I couldn’t use it even if I wanted to.</p> + +<p>So I installed Debian Bullseye and OpenMediaVault 6 on top (just like when I first bought the system). +Many in the self-hosting community find OMV a lesser, unprofessional experience (as opposed to TrueNAS or UnRaid) but I really like the balance it strikes between ease of use and how similar it feels to the CLI tools I’m used to. +With all of its plugins it offers a complete experience, and what’s missing can be added from docker. +I currently have the plugins for system backups, borg backup, tgt (iSCSI target), wireguard, docker-compose, cputemp (installed by default), flashmemory (folder2ram, installed by default because I boot from eMMC) and kvm (although I no longer have a use for it).</p> + +<p>All in all it’s a solid experience, OMV only adds to stock Debian and takes none of it away. +I think this pattern is not appreciated enough.</p> + +<h1 id="summary">Summary</h1> + +<p>I run a RockPro64 SBC with 4GB RAM, supported by some swap. +The performance is just enough for my use case, but it leaves not much space for future expansion, I have it pretty much maxed with the software I’ll write about in the next parts. +Storage still needs to be upgraded (I still have to purchase the drives) and the PSU is at its limit, but a new one is on its way.</p> + +<p>I installed OpenMediaVault and I love how it only adds to Linux and takes nothing away. +It’s a solid foundation for my storage and other services and I find it more convenient than TrueNAS Scale.</p> + +<p>In the next part, I’ll write about the storage setup, from hard disks to folders.</p>This post was supposed to be published in December 2023, but due to technical dificulties I didn’t do it at the time. It’s remained an important part of my server writeup, even though some of it is no longer representative of my setup.Singularity Feedback Loop2023-12-19T00:00:00+01:002023-12-19T00:00:00+01:00http://localhost:4000/2023/12/19/singularity<p>In this short essay, I’ll examine the idea of the Singularity Feedback Loop. I’ll touch on Trans- and Posthumanism (which I’ll shorten to Transhumanism) but the focus will be this discipline’s dreaded and awaited messiah: the Technological Singularity.</p> <h1 id="growth-and-singularity">Growth and Singularity</h1> @@ -31,56 +83,7 @@ This device would have provided its wielder eternal life (much like Transhumanis <p>Even though the alchemists never succeeded in their original goals (now we see why they didn’t even have a chance) their contribution to natural sciences is not negligible, and they had a comparable impact on the arts and literature. They never reached eternal life nor infinite wealth, but from their “failed” experiments came fragments of knowledge, on which modern science is built. -So I keep smiling at the Transhumanists - as long as their methods are kept clean, I want them to carry out their experiments, and even though they won’t succeed, we can still be grateful for their “failed” attempts.</p>In this short essay, I’ll examine the idea of the Singularity Feedback Loop. I’ll touch on Trans- and Posthumanism (which I’ll shorten to Transhumanism) but the focus will be this discipline’s dreaded and awaited messiah: the Technological Singularity.Host System2023-12-16T00:00:00+01:002023-12-16T00:00:00+01:00http://localhost:4000/2023/12/16/host<p>This is part one of my server writeup. -I’ll go through the hardware choices I made so far and the operating system and core software components. -I’ll also briefly mention how I started out as well as what upgrades I’m planning to make. -I didn’t want to buy something new because of budget concerns, so my choice was dictated by what I already had.</p> - -<h1 id="the-rockpro64">The RockPro64</h1> - -<p>As the main platform running my home server, I choose the RockPro64, with 4GB of onboard memory. -In <a href="https://derisis13.github.io/2023/12/08/statusquo.html">part zero</a> I already spoke about the hardware I’m replacing, this single-board computer should be more powerful than both combined. -I also experimented with a Chinese motherboard and an Intel i7-2670QM (a 2nd gen mobile i7) but I didn’t find the extra performance to be useful(<a href="https://browser.geekbench.com/v5/cpu/16451184">benchmark</a>), and the power draw was too much for my taste. -While my old setup used 20-21W combined, the x86 setup drew 35-36W on average while the RockPro64 drew 17-18W on average; all of them with two HDDs. -If I ever feel like running out of CPU performance I can still try overclocking the RK3399, I haven’t experimented with this yet, but I hope the stock 1.42 GHz was a conservative choice.</p> - -<p>I bought this SBC in 2021 to experiment on (in some sense this computer taught me to use Linux), and sat abandoned since the end of the 2nd COVID wave in a cardboard box. -I ran it first in this cardboard box with two HDDs, but that couldn’t be the permanent solution, so I adapted it to some ITX mounting holes (with a piece of FR4) and placed it inside the biggest case I could find at home. -This time I also included a bigger PCIe SATA card based on the ASM1166 and added two extra hard drives in RAID-6 (I’ll talk about this decision in the next chapter). -Currently, the disks are 2x2TB and 2x1TB of spinning rust (for a total of 2TB pooled), but once the migration is complete it’ll have 4x 3TB for 6TB usable storage.</p> - -<p>These parts are all spares I had lying around, they have bad sectors and they have strange read/write errors at the filesystem level that I attribute to them overloading the power supply. -This is a salvaged unit I pulled from a set-top box (same as <a href="https://ha5kfu.hu/404">this one</a> I used in another project) and it can officially provide 1A@12V. -It was good enough when I started, but it seems I hit its limit. -I already ordered a USB-C PD charger with a trigger board that should give me 3x as much power and not be a shock- and fire hazard.</p> - -<p>The biggest limit of this setup is memory. -4GB is just not enough to run Linux, docker containers and spin up at least one virtual machine. -To make it just a little less critical (avoid the OOM killer) I added a 16GB microSD card as a swap partition - I have no idea how long it’ll hold but it’s cheap to replace.</p> - -<h1 id="openmediavault">OpenMediaVault</h1> - -<p>On my x86 server, I used TrueNAS Scale, and while I was satisfied with ZFS and how it handled SMB shares, the way it complained as soon as I tried to touch the CLI was off-putting and I couldn’t get used to its docker UI at all. -Additionally, it’s not available on ARM as far as I know, so I couldn’t use it even if I wanted to.</p> - -<p>So I installed Debian Bullseye and OpenMediaVault 6 on top (just like when I first bought the system). -Many in the self-hosting community find OMV a lesser, unprofessional experience (as opposed to TrueNAS or UnRaid) but I really like the balance it strikes between ease of use and how similar it feels to the CLI tools I’m used to. -With all of its plugins it offers a complete experience, and what’s missing can be added from docker. -I currently have the plugins for system backups, borg backup, tgt (iSCSI target), wireguard, docker-compose, cputemp (installed by default), flashmemory (folder2ram, installed by default because I boot from eMMC) and kvm (although I no longer have a use for it).</p> - -<p>All in all it’s a solid experience, OMV only adds to stock Debian and takes none of it away. -I think this pattern is not appreciated enough.</p> - -<h1 id="summary">Summary</h1> - -<p>I run a RockPro64 SBC with 4GB RAM, supported by some swap. -The performance is just enough for my use case, but it leaves not much space for future expansion, I have it pretty much maxed with the software I’ll write about in the next parts. -Storage still needs to be upgraded (I still have to purchase the drives) and the PSU is at its limit, but a new one is on its way.</p> - -<p>I installed OpenMediaVault and I love how it only adds to Linux and takes nothing away. -It’s a solid foundation for my storage and other services and I find it more convenient than TrueNAS Scale.</p> - -<p>In the next part, I’ll write about the storage setup, from hard disks to folders.</p>This is part one of my server writeup. I’ll go through the hardware choices I made so far and the operating system and core software components. I’ll also briefly mention how I started out as well as what upgrades I’m planning to make. I didn’t want to buy something new because of budget concerns, so my choice was dictated by what I already had.Server Setup Part 0 - Status Quo2023-12-08T00:00:00+01:002023-12-08T00:00:00+01:00http://localhost:4000/2023/12/08/statusquo<p>Since August I’ve been upgrading my home server setup. +So I keep smiling at the Transhumanists - as long as their methods are kept clean, I want them to carry out their experiments, and even though they won’t succeed, we can still be grateful for their “failed” attempts.</p>In this short essay, I’ll examine the idea of the Singularity Feedback Loop. I’ll touch on Trans- and Posthumanism (which I’ll shorten to Transhumanism) but the focus will be this discipline’s dreaded and awaited messiah: the Technological Singularity.Server Setup Part 0 - Status Quo2023-12-08T00:00:00+01:002023-12-08T00:00:00+01:00http://localhost:4000/2023/12/08/statusquo<p>Since August I’ve been upgrading my home server setup. It’s not yet 100% complete, but most of the architectural decisions are already behind me. I wish to document this process so that others can learn from it and as a reminder for myself if I ever forget how I did something. This is part zero of my writeup, which’ll be about the hardware and software used prior to the upgrade. diff --git a/_site/index.html b/_site/index.html index c82166e..676df4a 100644 --- a/_site/index.html +++ b/_site/index.html @@ -38,16 +38,16 @@

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