[kwlug-disc] Interesting hardware: ARM, Ceph, server-per-hdd

[Mikalai Birukou]

> Cool appliance for sure.
> But trying to find the pricing of it online using some Google dorking
> turns up nothing.
> Not a good sign. It's probably an ARM and a leg.

These guys are from Taiwan? First model 200 was with ARM on 32 bits, 2GB 
RAM per node. Never model 400 is on ARM 64 bits with 4GB RAM per node. 
It doesn't seem like a fluke. I was walking around net, and one of the 
resellers, from who I found this, had configuration that said around 
$5,990 for base, i.e. without hdds. When you press on configure, it 
shows Base Config price on top of which is reseller is pushing its 
pricey hdds :) . 
https://store.avantek.co.uk/mars-400-ceph-storage-appliance.html

There is an additional licensing for their UI to Ceph via browser, if 
you need it.

With, currently at newegg.ca, $559 for 14TB, WD Red Plus, already CMR 
drive, server plus drives work out to $93.4 per TB. Only external 
switches and cables are needed for whole esthetics.

My feeling is that this server better be used strictly for OSDs, while 
plenty of common hardware can work as other parts of Ceph complex. Price 
and performance wise.

With 14TB HDD sizes, rebuilding is a chore. May be it better to have 
dedicated cpu, buses and lan?

>>> Interesting use of many ARM servers:
>>> https://www.ambedded.com.tw/en/product/ceph-storage-appliance.html
>>>
>>> Its a one hdd per ARM server board model, with eight in 1U.
>> And there is even a presentation way back from 2017! In Boston:
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rY3yrE2ysQ&feature=emb_logo