nas News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

November 22, 2024November 22, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

ASUSTOR Flashstor Gen2 NAS features AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14, 10GbE networking, up to 12x NVMe SSD sockets

ASUSTOR Flashstor 6 Gen2 and Flashtor 6 Pro Gen2 are NAS systems based on AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14 quad-core processor with up to two 10GbE RJ45 ports and taking up to 6 or 12 M.2 NVMe SSDs respectively. The Flashstor Gen2 models are updated to the ASUSTOR Flashtor NAS launched last year with similar specifications including 10GbE and up to 12 M.2 SSDs, but based on a relatively low-end Intel Celeron N5105 quad-core Jasper Lake processor. The new Gen2 NAS family features a more powerful AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14 SoC, support for up to 64GB RAM with ECC, and USB4 ports. The downside is that it lacks video output, so it can’t be used for 4K/8K video consumption like its predecessor. Flashstor Gen2 NAS specifications: SoC – AMD Ryzen Embedded V3C14 quad-core/8-thread processor @ 2.3/3.8GHz; TDP: 15W System Memory Flashstor 6 Gen2 (FS6806X) – 8 GB DDR5-4800 Flashstor 12 Pro […]

November 13, 2024 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Protectli VP32XX – Alder Lake-N network appliances with dual 2.5GbE, NVMe and SATA storage options

The Protectli VP32XX is a family of Alder Lake-N network appliances for high-performance applications. This compact device comes in two variants: the VP3210, powered by a quad-core Intel N100 processor, and the VP3230, built around an eight-core Intel Core i3-N305 processor. Both support up to 16GB of DDR5 RAM and the company mentions that they have tested it with up to 48 GB. They also include 32GB of eMMC storage with dual 2.5GbE. Storage options include dual M.2 NVMe SSD slots and an expansion bay that supports up to four 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, making them ideal for NAS applications. Additionally, they have various I/O options, including HDMI, DisplayPort, multiple USB ports, and a PCIe slot, making them compatible with multimedia workstations or networking hubs. Protectli VP3200 specifications: Processor VP3210 – Intel Processor N100 quad-core Alder Lake-N processor @ up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel HD graphics @ 750 MHz; […]

October 2, 2024October 2, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 9 Comments

UnifyDrive UT2 – A compact NAS powered by Rockchip RK3588C with NVMe SSD support and AI-driven storage management (Crowdfunding)

The UnifyDrive UT2 is a compact network-attached storage (NAS) device powered by the Rockchip RK3588C processor. It supports WiFi 6, and Bluetooth, and has multiple ports for connectivity. Equipped with two M.2 2280 slots for PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs, it offers up to 16 TB of storage. The device can connect to networks via 2.5 GbE or WiFi and also function as a WiFi access point, allowing file transfers even without an internet connection. A built-in battery provides uninterruptible power supply (UPS) functionality, enabling continued operation when unplugged. Designed for both home and mobile use, the UnifyDrive UT2 offers AI-driven storage management in a portable form factor. Its versatile networking options allow remote access, backups, and on-the-go file transfers. Despite its size, it delivers robust functionality, serving as a full-featured NAS solution in a variety of settings. I didn’t find any significant differences between the Rockchip RK3588 and RK3588C. This […]

August 28, 2024August 28, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 26 Comments

NanoPi R3S – A low-cost Rockchip RK3566 SBC and dual gigabit Ethernet router

FriendlyELEC NanoPi R3S is a low-cost Rockchip RK3566 SBC and router with two gigabit Ethernet ports, a USB 3.0 host ports, a USB-C port for power and data, a microSD card slot, Reset and Mask buttons, and a few LEDs. It also features a MIPI DSI connector for people wanting to connect a display. Its design and size are similar to the NanoPi R5C dual 2.5GbE SBC and router, so it could be viewed as a low-cost alternative with dual GbE, no M.2 socket for WiFi & Bluetooth, only one USB 3.0 port, and no HDMI video output. The company promotes it as an inexpensive platform for IoT applications, basic NAS solutions, and so on. NanoPi R3S specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3566 CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A55 processor @ up to 2.0 GHz GPU – Arm Mali-G52 MP2 GPU NPU – 0.8 TOPS AI accelerator VPU 4Kp60 H.265/H.264/VP9 video decoder 1080p60 […]

August 18, 2024August 19, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 14 Comments

Radxa ROCK 5 ITX RK3588 mini-ITX motherboard review – Building an Arm PC and NAS with Debian KDE

ROCK 5 ITX Review: Build Arm Computer NAS

In this review, I’ll show how I installed Debian on the ROCK 5 ITX mini-ITX motherboard powered by a Rockchip RK3588 octa-core Arm Cortex-A76/A55 processor, before building a computer/NAS with the Arm mini-ITX motherboard, testing various features and running benchmarks. In the first part of the review, we checked out the Radxa ROCK 5 ITX (Arm) and Jupiter (RISC-V) mini-ITX motherboards with specifications and unboxing, and the Auriga 6-Bay NAS mini-ITX chassis used in this review. I already built the computer with the Jupiter RISC-V mini-ITX motherboard, so here I simply switched the RISC-V motherboard with the Radxa ROCK 5 ITX Arm motherboard and installed a few SATA drives. Radxa ROCK 5 ITX first boot – A tricky start… Radxa provides getting started instructions on the documentation website which I mostly follow to hopefully boot within a few minutes. I had to prepare the hardware first. So I installed a […]

August 16, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 17 Comments

Radxa ROCK E20C “Mini Network Titan” features 2.0 GHz Rockchip RK3528A SoC, dual GbE, metal case

Radxa ROCK E20C, also “dubbed Mini Network Titan”, is a router with dual Gigabit Ethernet, a USB 2.0 host port, and a microSD card slot powered by a Rockchip RK3528A quad-core Cortex-A53 processor clocked at 2.0 GHz. Housed in a CNC aluminum alloy case, the ultra-compact fanless router is offered with 1GB to 4GB LPDDR4 memory, 8GB to 32GB eMMC flash, and also exposes two USB-C ports, one for power and the other for serial console access without having to tear down the device. Radxa ROCK E20C specifications: Processor – Rockchip RK3528A CPU – Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz GPU – Arm Mali-G450 GPU with support for OpenGL ES1.1, ES2.0, and OpenVG 1.1 APIs VPU H.264, H.265, and AVS2 decoder up to 4Kp60 H.264 and H.265 encoder up to 1080p60 NPU – 1 TOPS NPU (TBC) Memory – 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB LPDDR4 Storage 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB eMMC flash […]

July 18, 2024July 18, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 8 Comments

MW-100-NAS Intel N100 motherboard features six SATA ports, two M.2 PCIe sockets, 2.5GbE and 10GbE interfaces

The MW-100-NAS mini-ITX motherboard is powered by an Intel Processor N100 Alder Lake-N CPU and seems especially suited for NAS (networked-attached storage) applications with six SATA connectors, two M.2 Key-M sockets for NVMe drivers, one 10GbE port, and two 2.5GbE RJ45 jacks. The motherboard supports up to 32GB DDR5 memory, features HDMI and DisplayPort video output ports, a COM port header, and plenty of external and internal USB interfaces. It takes power from a standard ATX connector. NW-N100-NAS motherboard specifications: SoC – Intel Processor N100 quad-core Alder Lake-N processor @ up to 3.4 GHz (Turbo) with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel HD graphics @ up to 750 MHz; TDP: 6W System Memory – Up to 32GB DDR5-4800 via SO-DIMM socket Storage 2x M.2 sockets for NVMe SSDs onboard 6x SATA connectors MicroSD card slot Video Output – 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort Networking 2x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports via Intel i226-V controllers 1x […]

July 9, 2024July 9, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 16 Comments

QNAP unveils TS-432X and TS-632X Arm-based NAS with 10GbE networking, up to six SATA bays

QNAP has unveiled TS-432X 4-bay and TS-632X 6-bay Tower NAS systems that feature not only 2.5GbE ports but also one or two 10GbE SFP+ cages, as well as one PCIe Gen 3 x4 slot and are powered by an Annapurna Labs Alpine AL524 4-core 64-bit Arm processor. We had seen NAS with 10GbE networking before such as the QNAP HS-453DX and ASUSTOR FLASHSTOR, but those were powered by Intel processors. The new TS-432X and TS-632X NAS systems combine a 64-bit Arm processor and 10GbE networking in a way similar to the earlier QNAP TS-431X-2G-USARM powered by a dual-core 32-bit Arm CPU. QNAP TS-432X/TS-632X specifications: SoC – Annapurna Labs Alpine AL524 4-core 64-bit Arm processor @ up to 2.0 GHz System Memory – 4GB DDR4 (non-ECC), upgradeable up to 16GB DDR4 (ECC memory supported) via SO-DIMM socket Storage 512 MB flash with dual boot OS protection Drive bays TS-432X – […]