How to build a Server Cluster on Raspberry/Banana/Orange Pi
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There are several options for creating a cluster using various single-board computers, including assembling it yourself or purchasing a ready-made box filled with Raspberry Pi CoM modules. However, this approach is not suitable for the mass market due to low performance and limited data storage options. The solution to these problems is Computer-on-Module (CoM), which integrates the main elements of a data processing system and allows for easy customization of the carrier board.
CoM offers many benefits, including reduced size, elimination of unnecessary wires, and the ability to create unique designs. miniNodes developed a micro-server consisting of a carrier board and 5 Raspberry Pi 3 CoM modules with an integrated gigabit switch and power block. Each module comes with up to 32GB of onboard storage, resulting in 20 cores, 5GB of RAM, and up to 170GB of storage. However, startup solutions may not be practical for businesses due to lack of support and the popularity of Broadcom processors.
Firefly offers CoM modules on Rockchip processors with more Linux drivers and public datasheets, making them ideal for blade servers. There are nine performance options available, all with standard SODIMM interfaces for easy connection. Overall, CoM provides a powerful and customizable solution for building server clusters.
The Cluster Server R1 server by the company is a 1U blade server that can hold up to 11 CoM modules and run Linux applications, cloud games, virtual desktops, and mobile app tests on up to 110 Android virtual phones. The available CoM module configurations include the RK3399(AI) Core Board, RK3328 Core Board, and RK1808(AI) Core Board. The blade server features four Gigabit Ethernet ports, HDMI, two USB2.0 ports, OTG, and an additional 3.5-inch hot-swappable SATA/SSD hard drive with a SIM card slot. BMC is used for node management, including remote access, status monitoring, and hardware configuration management.
The Cluster Server R2 is the second version of this blade server and comes in a 2U form factor with nine blade nodes, each containing eight CoM modules, two 3.5" SATA hard drives/SSDs, and four Gigabit Ethernet ports, two USB 3.0 ports, and an HDMI port. The cluster server can run under the OS: Android, Ubuntu, or some other Linux distributions and is ideal for cloud storage, virtual desktops, cloud gaming, blockchain, multi-channel video decoding, object detection, recognition and classification, and intelligent visual analysis.
ARM processors are capable of running various popular containers, including Portainer.io, OpenVPN, SoftEther VPN, databases, Nginx-proxy, Traefik, Wordpress, Elasticsearch, Asterisk PBX, and Zabbix, all built for ARM architecture. The linuxserver.io project builds containers based on the most popular Linux applications for ARM systems, allowing users to test and deploy easily.
Amazon offers free t4g.micro instances until June 30, 2021, for testing VPS on AWS Graviton2, an ARM-based processor. It's an excellent opportunity to gain experience operating the system on an ARM processor, register, and deploy an instance on Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS. The t4g.micro instance features two vCPUs 2.5 GHz, 1 GiB memory, and 16GB SSD and is deployable at various sites.
As far as I can recall, one ARM core in AWS corresponds to one physical core of a stone, whereas one x86 core of a virtual machine equates to half of the physical core because AWS sells logical cores. The t4g.micro instance has two physical ARM cores, which is four times more than the more expensive t2.micro's 0.5 physical x86 cores.
The author of the text suggests that innovation should be sold cheaply to avoid creating excess margins and attracting competitors. In contrast, he cites Apple's approach of hard milking the iPhone from the very beginning as an anti-example, which ultimately attracted strong competitors by enticing them with gigantic margins.
While clusters may be suitable for personal and research purposes, they are not ideal for the mass market due to several reasons. The ARM processors used have low performance, data is mostly stored on eMMC or microSD, and there is a large number of extra peripherals such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI ports, etc. which increases the cost and power consumption of the board, and makes the dense arrangement of modules impossible. Additionally, there are many extra wires required for connecting power and Ethernet lines.
To address these issues, the Computer-on-Module (COM) concept should be adopted. A COM board contains the main elements of a data processing system, such as the processor, RAM, additional modules, and chips, and can be connected to a carrier board using connectors or soldering. Peripheral functions are typically included on the board, while the carrier board can implement specific functions of the device and connect it to external devices via various interfaces. This approach can lead to more efficient and cost-effective solutions for the mass market.
Building a server cluster using Raspberry Pi, Banana Pi, or Orange Pi involves a few steps. Here's a general guide to help you get started:
1. Choose your single-board computer (SBC): Raspberry Pi, Banana Pi, or Orange Pi. Each has its own specifications and capabilities, so select the one that suits your requirements.
2. Decide on the number of SBCs you want in your cluster. The more SBCs you have, the more processing power and storage capacity your cluster will have.
3. Set up the operating system (OS) on each SBC. You can use Linux distributions like Ubuntu or Raspbian, depending on your SBC's compatibility. Install the OS on an SD card and insert it into each SBC.
4. Connect the SBCs to a local area network (LAN) using Ethernet cables. Ensure that all SBCs have network connectivity and can communicate with each other.
5. Configure the network settings for each SBC. Assign static IP addresses to each SBC, or use DHCP to automatically assign IP addresses.
6. Install software for managing the cluster. Several options are available, such as Kubernetes, Docker Swarm, or Apache Mesos. Choose the one that fits your needs and install it on the SBCs.
7. Configure the cluster management software. Follow the dоcumentation provided by the chosen software to configure the cluster and set up master and worker nodes.
8. Test the cluster by deploying applications or services onto it. Monitor the performance of the cluster and ensure that the workload is distributed evenly across the SBCs.
9. Optionally, set up additional hardware components like a network switch or storage devices to enhance the cluster's capabilities.
It's important to note that building a server cluster using single-board computers may have limitations in terms of performance and scalability compared to traditional server setups. However, it can still be a cost-effective solution for specific use cases, hobby projects, or small-scale deployments.
Make sure to consult the dоcumentation and community resources for the specific SBC you are using, as the setup process may vary slightly depending on the model and OS.
Here are some additional details and considerations for building a server cluster using single-board computers:
1. Power Supply: Ensure that you have a reliable and adequate power supply for your SBCs. Consider using a powered USB hub or dedicated power supplies for each board to prevent power-related issues.
2. Cooling: Single-board computers can generate heat, especially when running under heavy loads. To prevent overheating, consider adding heatsinks or small fans to the SBCs or use a case with built-in cooling options.
3. Storage: Determine your storage needs and choose the appropriate solution. Single-board computers usually come with onboard storage options like SD cards or eMMC modules. You can also connect external USB drives or network-attached storage (NAS) devices for additional storage capacity.
4. Networking: A key aspect of server clusters is efficient communication and data transfer between nodes. Ensure that your network infrastructure can handle the increased traffic. Consider using Gigabit Ethernet switches for faster and more reliable connections between the SBCs.
5. Security: Implement security measures to protect your server cluster and the data it processes. This includes configuring firewalls, using secure protocols for network communication, regularly updating the operating system and applications, and implementing access control mechanisms.
6. Monitoring and Management: Set up monitoring tools to keep track of the health and performance of your cluster. This can include monitoring CPU and memory usage, network traffic, and disk space utilization. Remote management tools like SSH or web-based interfaces can help with cluster administration.
7. Scalability: Depending on your future growth plans, consider the scalability of your cluster. Will you need to add more nodes in the future? Make sure the cluster management software you choose supports easy scaling and expansion.
8. dоcumentation and Community Support: Single-board computers have active communities with extensive dоcumentation, forums, and tutorials. Take advantage of these resources to troubleshoot issues, explore best practices, and discover new possibilities for your server cluster.