[Samba] Bit OT - Re: exam projects

[Robert Moskowitz]

On 09/25/2015 03:55 AM, buhorojo wrote:
> On 24/09/15 20:26, Robert Moskowitz wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 09/24/2015 01:16 PM, buhorojo wrote:
>>> On 24/09/15 15:44, Rowland Penny wrote:
>>>> On 24/09/15 14:18, Robert Moskowitz wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On 09/23/2015 03:30 PM, buhorojo wrote:
>>>>>> Hi
>>>>>> A question came today about appliances. We had a look here:
>>>>>> https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Samba4/VirtualMachines
>>>>>> but that seems to be for setting up a machine. We would still 
>>>>>> need to install it. What we want to do is have an appliance so we 
>>>>>> don't have to install to just play around to see if we can get a 
>>>>>> project out of it. We don't know if it's possible to have a AD 
>>>>>> setup as an appliance. Lots of other unknowns too such as how 
>>>>>> would we change the domain name and ips. Anyway, if anyone has 
>>>>>> any experience of this that would be great. Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> For an appliance, consider an armv7 board.  Some like Raspberry, I 
>>>>> do not.  I use the Cubieboards.  The Cubieboard2 can be had for 
>>>>> $65 and is better than a RPi2. With Sata etc. Fedora22 is 
>>>>> available; F23 in beta as is Centos7.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a Cubieboard with the Centos7-arm beta.  I have a special 
>>>>> build of the sernet 4.2 for it.
>>>>>
>>>>> You can run your armv7 completely on a 16Gb mSD card. With the 
>>>>> Cubieboards, you can easily use sata by putting all your 
>>>>> partitions on the sata (connect it to your installation system 
>>>>> with a USB/sata adapter to do this), and ONLY have uboot on a 4Gb 
>>>>> cheap mSD (do the install on the mSD, then delete all partitions).
>>>>>
>>>>> Have fun!  I am.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Seeing as he was trying to get someone to do half his home work for 
>>>> him, I don't think he will want to spend money buying something. I 
>>>> also don't think he has realised that he will probably lose marks, 
>>>> by not being able to show how and why he decided to go the way he did.
>>>> Rowland
>>>>
>>> Hi
>>> We are supposed to be catering for a computer room with data shared 
>>> between windows and Linux machines. Well, that's one of the projects 
>>> anyway. We tried a DC on a pi but 24 hours later it still hadn't 
>>> installed on their version of ubuntu(?). Does the Cubie go any 
>>> faster I wonder? If we go ahead the posts here will be used as a 
>>> feasibility study. Cost is important but not the deciding factor.
>>
>> The Pi is an armv5 and limited in a number of ways.  The RPi2 is a 
>> duo core armv7 that does better, but is still short of memory and I 
>> believe only has USB for a HD attachment.
>>
>> The Cubieboard2 and Cubietruck are both Allwinner A20 duo core 
>> armv7.  The C2 has 1GB and the CT 2 GB memory.  C2 has a 100Mb and CT 
>> a gig ethernet.  Both have a sata interface.  Both can easily handle 
>> a 2.5" HD, the CT can handle a 3.5" HD (with the addition of 12V).  
>> Go look at the specs.  And look for a source near you.
>>
>> There is also the Wandboards and the BananaPi to look at.  I have 
>> heard problems with the OrangePi.
>>
>> But an armv7 duo core beats a single core armv5 hands down.  Add a HD 
>> over an mSD and you have a real appliance server.  Not a DIY hobby 
>> machine (My personal observation).
>>
>> Oh, and the quad cores are coming out.  Both Wandboard and BananaPi 
>> have them.  Cubie has theirs in final build design.
>>
>> Then you can go the the armv8 which are 64 bit and more of a data 
>> center server platform and pull typically 18W instead of the 2-4W of 
>> the armv7...  Oh and COST a lot more!
>>
>>
> Thank you so much. What do you reckon? We have to buy in Spain.
> http://www.amazon.es/Cubietruck-Cubieboard-3-Placa-base/dp/B00INRN2W0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443167560&sr=8-1&keywords=cubieboard 
>
>
>
That seems right.  My source here in the US is  http://iotllc.com/ for 
comparisons.

Note that you will want a 2A 5V USB power supply.  Then a decent sata 
HD, or a more for a sata SSD.  I suspect for your use the HD is good enough.

Of course there is a way to cut corners.  And that is to do your builds 
in QEMM on a big 64bit Intel and then move it to your arm appliance!