A well-known figure on IRC (Internet Relay Chat), Denver, Colorado based developer Googlebot is a GNU/Linux aficionado who digs deep into tech. He introduced me lately to the joy of open-source NAS (Network-attached storage) via the ODROID HC-4: a clever new ARM-powered board protected by a transparent plastic hard shell. Taking time off from his busy schedule, Googlebot kindly answered my questions about this low-cost alternative to offsite cloud storage.

Hard Kernel Co. Ltd. is a South Korean electronics manufacturer who develop, manufacture, and distribute the ODROID hardware and software products.

The ODROID means Open + Droid. It is a development platform for the hardware as well as the software.

ODROID serie started in 2010 and comprises different forms and functions :

• handheld gaming console
• tablets
• ebooks
• mobile devices
• and various development platforms based on ARM processors

Being affordable and open platforms, ODROID hardware provides endless possibilities to ingenious hackers.

We are now in the cloud era, why would tech-savvy people choose to store their data locally on their own NAS hardware rather than an offsite cloud storage from a reputable provider?

(Googlebot) First of all : we do it for fun and to learn about tech. It's way more fun to set up your own system than have it handed to you, no?

Then, of course, you get 100% control over your data: no need to read the fine prints of the ever changing Terms of service of your cloud services provider.

Finally, between the hands of a skilled technician, you can save a lot of money if you need to scale up your operations. Some people link multiple boards in order to build clusters. By keeping multiple copies of the same file, chances of losing data are slight. If you're into saving tons of heavy files, you'll discover that cloud storage can get very expensive!

There are more robust and reliable NAS solutions available on the market, why do hardcore hackers like you choose to work with simple ODROID boards?

(Googlebot) As a tech hacker, I love researching, designing, and experimenting with different ideas. Affordable and open hardware let me do just that. ODROID, for example, provide a clean canvas to solve niche problems quickly and cheaply.

Also, countless people are happy to simply use these devices for their intended use: gaming systems, entertainment systems, data storage solutions.

"Because it just werks."

sources

Purchase a ODroid hc-4

https://wiki.odroid.com/history

Scaling up: Project Saturn (Daphnis/v2) - HC2 and MooseFS - Scale-out Storage