Feature requests for HC3 (wish list)

[larstobi]

I'm enjoying my stacks of ODROID-HC2 very much. It's a great platform for building highly available and highly performant storage clusters for the home.

Pros (keep doing):

• Stackable
• Low 54 USD price per HDD slot
• High throughput with 1 Gbps per HDD
• Horizontally scalable storage (with the right software, i.e. seaweedfs, ceph et.al.)

Cons (improve upon):

• 32-bit CPU
  • Low bariety of OS support (not that many distros makers release ARM 32-bit Linux distros)
  • No OS with atomic updates supports it (i.e. Fedora CoreOS)

3 things missing to make it even better:

1. ARM64 CPU (Would open up OS support to Flatcar Linux, AWS BottleRocket, Ubuntu Core and soon Fedora CoreOS)
   • OS-es with atomic updates eliminates partially completed upgrades and lowers the consequence of broken upgrades, and eases the burden of patching large amounts of machines.
2. Power over Ethernet (PoE) with IEEE IEEE 802.3bt support for single cable attachment.
   • With built-in support for PoE we can basically just attach the Ethernet cable to the ODROID-HC3, insert the MicroSD and HDD, and be going.
   • WIth a PoE managed switch we also automatically get remote power off, on and cycle, one of the most used features of BMCs on enterprise server boards.
   • Lowers the price per HDD if you've already got a 802.3bt capable PoE switch.
   • If the board with the HDD attached consumes less than 24W, then IEEE 802.3af PoE support is sufficient.
3. Network bootable with PXE boot.
   • Can eliminate need for MicroSD card to boot (less cost)
   • Will spend less time flashing MicroSD cards for new boards

Adding those features will increase the cost a bit. The future Kobol64 product (https://kobol.io) comes out at a cost of about 65 USD per disk slot (295 EUR / 5 slots, converted to USD), whereas the ODROID-HC2 costs 54 USD per disk slot, so there is still a possibility to beat that price point. For ODROID there's no need to spend time creating a 5-slot cabinet, just develop a new board, keep the HC2 aluminium frame and ship it.

What do you think? Am I barking up the wrong tree? Let me know in the comments below.

[larstobi]

We will consider the suggestions. But we have no firm plan yet.

[msi]

I would totally agree with this.
The only thing, the more RAM the better. A 4Gb and an 8Gb option. 2-4 cores totally enough. Higher clock rate is better than more cores.

[SBCtinker]

Fully support this as well! Big upvote! Given the drop of support for 32bit with glusterfs, the HC3 (especially with these features) would be a perfect fit. For a cluster, it seems like there will be relatively large demand for this hardware in the niche space.

If not HC3, is there something similar in the works for the near future? I'm looking forward to it and if not I'll have to buy something else, but would prefer odroid!

Thanks!

[bkaso]

I love the HC2/HC1, I have 5 at this point.

For an HC3 my biggest wants would be a 64bit cpu, multi-gig 2.5g ethernet and POE support.

[InsideOut]

I love the HC2/HC1, I have 5 at this point.

For an HC3 my biggest wants would be a 64bit cpu, multi-gig 2.5g ethernet and POE support.

More-or-less my wishes as well + USB3, from a very satisfied owner of HC2's.

[dkking]

seeing posts or raspberry pi 4 with 4gb ram doing ceph cluster, it would be very awesome to see 4/8gb ram HC3 with 2.5gbe and POE

[mad_ady]

Not sure if 2.5G is doable with current socs. They usually expose 1G eth via soc pins, and need only a phy. H2+ uses pcie as a bus for network, while most arm socs don't have pcie internally (or have only one)

[abbaZaba]

I would like to add a humungous +1 to this thread. The addition of 64-bit ARM + PoE would be an instant purchase, at least 5 to start. PXE boot, eMMC option, and 2.5GBe would be icing on the cake if possible. I'd be ecstatic.

[mad_ady]

Why PXE boot if it's designed to hold a HDD?

[rooted]

Why PXE boot if it's designed to hold a HDD?

The minimum order of 5 is a hint

[rpimonitrbtch]

Good support by the mainline kernel would be very nice. XU4 platform has had its issues with that over the years, from what I've seen.

[dchang0]

I'd like a better stackable heat sink.

Due to heat rising, the topmost drive in the stack is several degrees Celsius warmer than the bottom drive.
Perhaps increasing the spacing between drives (heatsink is taller) or adding more surface area can mitigate this.

Also, it would be nice if the heat sink's corners aren't as sharp as they are. I'd dress each corner with a file just before anodizing; it doesn't have to be an actual machined radius.

I'd also like it so the microSD card doesn't stick out to where it can be easily broken off.

[awdball]

I made an account here to say that request list posted at the top of the thread is pretty much perfect.

• 64 bit (ceph / gluster compatibility - horizontally scalable).
• Single drive per board.
• PoE powered.
• PXE-bootable.
• Stackable (horizontal or vertical - seems like horizontal would mitigate some heat-rise issues).
• I would request 3.5" drive compatibility (externally powered) for a larger cluster of spinning disks.

I'd be buying several HC2's right now if they supported the more recent Ceph or Gluster versions.

[rooted]

I made an account here to say that request list posted at the top of the thread is pretty much perfect.

• 64 bit (ceph / gluster compatibility - horizontally scalable).
• Single drive per board.
• PoE powered.
• PXE-bootable.
• Stackable (horizontal or vertical - seems like horizontal would mitigate some heat-rise issues).
• I would request 3.5" drive compatibility (externally powered) for a larger cluster of spinning disks.

I'd be buying several HC2's right now if they supported the more recent Ceph or Gluster versions.

The HC4 fits some of that with a new case.

[nicedreams]

Would like to see:

- 64-bit
- Ram options of 4GB and 8GB.
- USB3 port (assuming would have to be shared with the USB3/SATA bridge.)
- NVME slot across the board or on the backside of the metal heatsink along with keeping SATA like HC1/HC2. I've been mostly using SSD for root with only /boot on sd-card.

These work very well as portable NAS devices I've setup at various trade show event booths running as file server, web application server, wireless access point, for different teams using SSD as storage. Been reliable as NAS for backups too.

Not a fan of the HC4 form factor and probably not get one, but I'll buy a bunch of HC3's if form doesn't change too much from HC1/HC2. The LCD screen on the HC4 is a nice touch though I'd like as an option on a case for HC3. Be nice to see IP address, cpu, ram and temps on a screen.

[odroid]

@nicedreams,
The ODROID-H2+ seems to be a right solution.

[nicedreams]

@nicedreams,
The ODROID-H2+ seems to be a right solution.

I have an original H2. I've bought almost every Odroid device since the Odroid-U2, but like and use the HC1/HC2 the most. The HC2 with the plastic sleeve is a nice brick I can hand off to people to plug in and use, but I guess I did describe the H2. Updated my post above.

[floridroid]

Add me to the list of those interested in an updated HC1/HC2. I'd like to see:

same form factor as the HC1
64-bit ARM CPU
4gb or 8gb RAM
PCI to SATA bus
USB3

I have 4 of the HC1 and would buy at least 4 of the "HC3"
I'm not a fan of the HC4 "toaster" form factor

[huantxo]

+1 For this. Just make the N2 heatsink a bit longer, and change the usb switch for a JMicron USB-SATA bridge!

Enviado desde mi moto g(6) plus mediante Tapatalk

[iham]

i wish for a hc1+ and hc2+

1.) please keep the stackable design and cooling (i am no fan of the toaster like design of the hc4)

2.) please upgrade to a 2.5gbe (or even 5gbe) and/or a usb 3.0 port.
usb3.0 for connecting to a 5gbe adaptor (qnap)

my biggest interest goes to saturating data transfer between a 5gbe network and those "enclosures" to build a fast gluster based home storage.
(hdd does up to 200MB/s rw, ssd even 300-500MB/s - so a network interface doing 300-600MB/s would be awesome)

i guess this is more important on the hc1 for 2.5" ssd's then for 3.5" hdd's
still: updating both would be a big thing and i would start buying those on a monthly subscription

3.) with more ram (and a 64bit architecture) this might become interesting for those tinkering with ceph too.

[mlausch]

@iham, you writing down my wishes.

especialy the stackable design with this alu profiles from HC1/2 is greate.
I was disappointed, after I saw the case design of the HC4. In general I don't like the eye candy designs of many devices. I often miss the simple and practical approaches.

Maybe hardkernel will fullfills this desires as well.

And yes, ceph is the software I would use with it.

Manuel

[JoanEsMarti]

The same of HC2, but a these capability:
-POE (very important)
-PXE
-USB 3
-Possibility purchase without aluminium case

Thanks

[hc3fan]

I have just registered to this place to add my opinion.
I am all for a HC3. When I saw the form factor from the HC2 successor HC4 I was really disappointed.

We need a modern version of the HC2, with a flat stackable form factor. My wishes would be:

Ideally up to 2 3.5 SATA disks
eMMC to be able to boot without SDCard
64bit architecture
up to 8 GB of RAM
Multi boot capabilities
USB3
Some kind of display port and keyboard port for local management
NVM slot

It is really really sad, that the HC2 was not developed further. It is so close to perfect but would need a technical upgrade.

[JoanEsMarti]

I feel very sad to see that HC2 and HC1 has been discontinued. I think HC3 is also a dead project.

I have seen that they have released M1 but it is far from the applications and simplicity of HC2.

I find that Odroid no longer has a product focused on creating NAS or decentralized storage systems.

[mctom]

The reason are shortages, nothing more. There is no other reason why Hardkernel discontinued H2, I believe. Why would they, it is a very successful and popular product.
I am pretty sure I read somewhere they are unable to manufacture more because Intel cannot deliver their chips.
I'm sure H3 will come back when Intel establishes a more reliable distribution scheme.

[rooted]

The reason are shortages, nothing more. There is no other reason why Hardkernel discontinued H2, I believe. Why would they, it is a very successful and popular product.
I am pretty sure I read somewhere they are unable to manufacture more because Intel cannot deliver their chips.
I'm sure H3 will come back when Intel establishes a more reliable distribution scheme.

They are referring to the HC (home cloud) devices.

[mctom]

Yup, my bad!

[psomero]

please no toaster, please > 1gbe, please super awesome reliability and low power consumption like the XU4 based ones

maybe an NVME variant?

an NVME enclosure with a 2.5gigE port would be baller

[mctom]

I must admit that a HC device, with a form factor similar to HC1, with low power RK3568B2, a short 2242 NVMe drive and 2,5" SATA, does sound like it has some merit to it.
It's exactly what Odroid M1 can do, but a stackable HC1 form factor would be interesting.

I don't care much about 2.5G LAN, but I imagine many would see it as an improvement worth investing in.

[nicedreams]

I miss not seeing a newer model of the HC1/HC2 headless, stackable form factor also. I like how sleek it is and not bulky. Having dual nvme instead of sata or sata on the other side would be nice. Newer processor and 4GB ram, then round out the metal corners this time and it would be a great HC3. 2.5G LAN would be nice to have with nvme and sata ssd drives, but if can't fit it, so be it.