Future TrueNAS support for Rockchip RK3588 8-core 64-bit processor? Or possibility to compile?

[Mike_is_biken']

Hi all
I'm aware that TrueNAS doesn't currently support ARM64, but is this something that could be reconsidered given the strength of new SBCs based on the
Rockchip RK3588 8-core 64-bit processor? I've been looking at couple of models - the Orange Pi 5 Plus, and Rock Pi 5 - that are equipped with 16GB RAM, and can run NMVE PCI-E v4 at native speeds, so surely they'd be capable.

Otherwise, is there the possibility of compiling the code with arm64 as target cpu architecture? I know that TrueNAS is on Github, but was unsure if the code itself was present.

Cheers
M.

 

[ChrisRJ]

If the background of your question is the idea to actually build a NAS and really use it, the answer is no. Even if it compiles, you would need to run tens of thousands of hours of tests to reach a certain confidence level that you will not eventually loose data.

 

[Mike_is_biken']

Now that part two of my question has been found wanting, I would like to regurgitate part one: given the release of quite capable SBCs, quite capable of home NAS solutions - and given the arrival of incredibly powerful Ampere systems - would there be any interest in TrueNAS investigating Arm64 [or more] development?

 

[Arwen]

Many ARM64 processors have limited I/O, specifically SATA and PCIe. If it has few or no SATA, (or SAS), you can compensate by using PCIe and a HBA. But, if it has limited PCIe, like 4 lanes, many LSI based HBAs come as 8 lane cards. (If I remember correctly.)

@ChrisRJ is correct. One thing that makes TrueNAS reliable is the hardware & drivers are well known. Introducing new network or disk controller hardware can reduce reliability. And, who would you go to for driver fixes? (Even if you could prove it was a driver that caused your slow down, or data loss...)


While it would be nice if iX were to make a very low end NAS, with no expansion, (to reduce costs as much as possible), ARM64 is just not their yet. Consumer NAS players that produce all their own hardware can use ARM64, because they also may produce their own software that runs on it. Thus, not worrying about every ARM64 chip, only the one(s) they use.

 

[danb35]

given the strength of new SBCs

SBCs and TrueNAS just don't live in the same world. TrueNAS is really designed as enterprise software for relatively large deployments, and while nothing stops it from being used in smaller settings, they're just along for the ride.

Now as to whether you could compile TrueNAS for ARM, I'm not aware of anything that would prevent it--but you'd be very much on your own.

 

[Etorix]

Many ARM64 processors have limited I/O, specifically SATA and PCIe. If it has few or no SATA, (or SAS), you can compensate by using PCIe and a HBA. But, if it has limited PCIe, like 4 lanes, many LSI based HBAs come as 8 lane cards. (If I remember correctly.)

ARM is not just for phones and tablets. Ampere Altra (Max) is ARM! For instance, this micro-ATX motherboard with over one hundred exposed PCIe4.0 lanes would certainly make a nice server:

ASRock Rack ALTRAD8U-1L2T is a mATX Motherboard for up to 128 Cores

The ASRock Rack ALTRAD8U-1L2T is set to bring 128 Ampere Altra Max Arm cores to new places in this mATX form factor motherboard

www.servethehome.com

But even if iXSystems were to port TrueNAS Enterprise to this platform, which might well make sense for their big paying customers, it would not help with little Pi's—and it would still be a very, very bad idea to run ZFS on a SBC with limited connectivity and no ECC RAM.