DIY NAS: Intel Atom and VIA C7 Platforms Tested

SmallNetBuilder built two DIY NAS systems using an MSI Wind PC and a VIA ARTiGO A2000 Barebone Storage Server. [article link]

MSI Wind PC Specs:

• Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor
• MSI custom w/ Intel 945GC North Bridge, ICH7 South Bridge motherboard
• pqi 1 GB DDR2 533 SO-DIMM RAM
• Hitachi Deskstar HDS721680PLA380, 80GB 7200RPM 3.0 Gb/s SATA 8MB HDD
• Realtek 8111C (on board) Ethernet

VIA ARTiGO A2000 Specs:

• VIA 1.5GHz C7-D processor
• VIA custom w/ VIA VX800 Unified Digital Media IGP chipset motherboard
• Transcend 1 GB DDR2 667 SO-DIMM
• Hitachi Deskstar HDS721680PLA380, 80GB 7200RPM 3.0 Gb/s SATA 8MB HDD
• VIA VT6130 (on board) Ethernet

Both had the same operating system: Ubuntu Server 8.10 Operating system, + mdadm + Webmin, on 2 GB USB Flash drive.

The two DIY NAS setups were compared to the following:

• NETGEAR ReadyNAS Pro (Intel E2160 Dual-Core)
• Thecus M3800 Stream Box (AMD LX800 Geode)
• Cisco/Linksys Media Hub (Marvell 88F5182 "Orion" Soc)

(A How To guide for setting up a DIY NAS using Ubuntu Server can be found at SmallNetBuilder: Build Your Own Atom-based NAS - Part 2)

On Performance:

"I don't think I'm going to declare a clear winner here between the VIA C7 and Intel Atom. It looks that they are pretty evenly matched for performance and generally in the same class as the Geode LX800." [SmallNetBuilder]

"So if you're looking for a low-cost way to build a dual-drive NAS, you can choose a motherboard using an Intel Atom, VIA C7 or AMD Geode CPU and be pretty certain of getting better than 2X the performance you can get from any (current) off-the-shelf NAS." [SmallNetBuilder]

On Ease and Flexibility of Setup:

"... the MSI Wind PC is clearly a more cost effective way to build a two-drive NAS capable of producing write and read speeds in the 30 - 40 MB/s range than the ARTiGO A2000. As I write this, you can pick one up for around $140, while the going rate for the A2000 is $299. I think that for the extra $150 or so, I can live with having to kludge in the second drive." [SmallNetBuilder]

SmallNetBuilder's Rule of Thumb for Classifying NASes:

• Marvell Orion based NASes will generally produce throughput in the mid-to-high teen MB/s
• NASes using the VIA C7, Intel Atom or AMD Geode will provide read/write performance in the 30 - 40 MB/s range
• When you move up to NASes based on Intel Celeron or Dual-Core or Freescale MPC854XE, you can see speeds of at least 50 MB/s and more like 70 MB/s.

If you are looking to put a NAS on your network, a cost-effective way would be to use a system with the Intel Atom, VIA C7, or AMD Geode. You could go the barebone route, such as what SmallNetworkBuilder did, or build it from scratch, letting you choose the components individually, and have the personlized look of your future DIY NAS.

IceRocket : diy nas, intel atom, via c7

VIA Artigo A2000 - Storage-Oriented Compact Barebone PC

The VIA Artigo A2000 (US$299) is a storage-oriented compact barebone PC which features low power consumption, low noise, and compact form factor.

Features:

• 1.5GHz VIA C7-D processor
• VIA VX800 Unified Digital Media IGP chipset
• 1 x DDR2 SO-DIMM Socket (up to 2 GB)
• 2 x 3.5" SATA-II HDD support
• 1 x CompactFlash socket (supports DMA mode) bootable SSD
• 3 x USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front panel)
• 1 x Gigabit RJ-45 LAN port with LED
• Built-in high definition audio controller
• 1 x MIC/Line-in + 1 x Line-out audio ports
• 1 x VGA port
• 8 cm low-noise ball-bearing fan
• 100~240 V AC/DC adapter
• dimensions: 135 x 115 x 259 mm

The Artigo A2000 was tested to work with the following operating systems:

• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Ubuntu 8.04
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 with Service Pack 2

Just install some RAM, 1 or 2 SATA HDDs, connect it to your home network, and you will already have a compact, power-efficient home media storage mini-server.

IceRocket : a2000, artigo, barebone pc, mini server, via

Best Energy-Saving Processor: Intel Atom or Via Nano?

Currently, there are two legitimate players competing for the Low-Power Energy Saving platform: the Intel Atom (with the Intel 945G chipset) and the Via Nano (with the Via CN896 chipset).

Tom's Hardware compared the Atom and Nano, and mixed a non-production AMD Athlon 64 2000+ (with the AMD 780G chipset) as well.

"Intel's Atom has one definite advantage over the two other solutions-the power requirement stays within very controllable boundaries, which means that the delta between idle power and peak power is very small. If you know your performance requirements then you can be sure that Atom will be the lowest power solution, although not necessarily the most efficient one when more performance is required. The VIA device benefits from its integrated random number generator and hardware encryption support, which is both favorable for networking and security appliances." [Tom's Hardware | Atom, Athlon, or Nano? Energy-Savers Compared]

For best performance and best features, the VIA platform was the clear winner, but unfortunately, has a significantly higher peak power.

Tom's Hardware suggests that desktop users should look at other options, such as a mainstream chipset paired with a low-end dual-core processor. Going this route could probably give you a compromise of low-power consumption, better efficiency, and some flexibility (you can change the processor since it is NOT soldered on to the motherboard).

Technorati : 780g, 945G, CN896, amd, athlon, atom, efficient, energy, intel, nano, via

Build Your Own Nettop

With netbooks becoming popular nowadays, the desktop counterpart (known as the nettop) is also coming out of the shadows. We have pre-built nettops offered by different companies, but for the DIY crowd and/or enthusiasts, building your own is usually more rewarding.

Zonbu - The First Zero-Emission Computer

Zonbu is the first environmentally responsible computer without the hassle and high price. It is a Linux PC that comes preloaded with a tweaked Gentoo-based Linux OS and great open source software.

"Starting at $99 and with plans at $12.95 a month, Zonbu is the low-cost, zero-maintenance computer. And it includes over $2,000 worth of pre-installed applications. It's so affordable and trouble-free, in fact, that everyone in the family can have one. Add one to the kids' room, your workshop hideaway, the family room or your vacation home." [Zonbu.com]

The machine features a 1.2GHz VIA processor and chipset, 512MB RAM, 4GB Flash-based local storage, up to 1400 x 1050 graphics with MPEG2 acceleration, keyboard & mouse ports, 6 USB ports, and 10/100MB Ethernet. It uses the 4GB CF card for its OS and local cache, instead of a hard drive. The monthly subscription, as I understand, is for the Amazon S3 online storage.

Thanks to Joel for the tip.

Technorati : environment, green, linux, pc, zonbu