iXsystems and Klara are collaborating to implement Fast Dedup support in OpenZFS, with plans to integrate these improvements into TrueNAS SCALE starting next month.

The upgraded OpenZFS Fast Dedup brings a significant overhaul to the file system’s deduplication capabilities. Notable improvements include addressing challenges related to deduplication hash tables, ensuring they are in memory when needed, and tackling performance and scalability issues. The new iteration allows dynamic sizing of metadata to fit in RAM or dedicated flash devices. The metadata structure has undergone a re-engineering process, and the deduplication table now prioritizes dedup-able data while efficiently pruning blocks with no deduplication potential.

For further insights into the OpenZFS Fast Dedup feature, refer to the iXsystems blog.

Source: Phoronix.

The TerraMaster D5 Hybrid is a USB enclosure that supports up to two hard drives and three NVMe SSDs, providing a combined total of up to 68TB of storage.

The D5 Hybrid has space for two 3.5 or 2.5-inch hard drives with storage capacities of up to 22TB each, as well as three M.2 2280 slots for NVMe SSDs of up to 8TB each. This allows users to take advantage of the higher data transfer speeds of SSDs for “hot” storage that requires frequent access, while using the hard drives for archival or “cold” storage of less frequently used data.

It’s important to note that the data transfer speeds are limited by the USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) connections supported by the enclosure, which means that the maximum transfer speed will be 980MB/s regardless of the SSDs used.

The enclosure supports RAID 0 for maximum storage capacity, but it does not offer any redundancy. It also supports RAID 1 mirroring for redundant data, JBOD, or single disk modes.

The D5 Hybrid measures 222 x 154 x 119mm and contains acoustic materials to reduce noise. The package includes a 40W power supply, and the company states that a fully loaded enclosure with hard drives and SSDs will consume up to 30 watts under heavy load or 10 watts while idle.

The TerraMaster D5 Hybrid is currently available for purchase for $220 from TerraMaster

Source: Liliputing.

The Waveshare PCIe To M.2 adapter is an affordable PCIe to M.2 HAT+ module designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi 5.

It supports PCIe Gen2 and Gen3 SSDs and is compatible with standard SSD sizes of 2230/2242. The adapter features status indicator LEDs, a power monitoring chip, an EEPROM, and a cooling fan vent to manage temperatures during heavy use. This adapter is not the first of its kind for the Raspberry Pi 5, as other options like the PineBerry Pi’s HatDrive and the Pimoroni NVMe Base have been previously explored. The Waveshare PCIe To M.2 adapter shares a similar form factor with Waveshare’s PoE HAT(F), which uses the new HAT+ standard to provide 24W of power to the Raspberry Pi 5.

The adapter’s specifications include compatibility with Raspberry Pi 5 SBC, M.2 SSD interface compatibility, a compact form factor, status indicator LEDs, an EEPROM, and a power monitoring chip.

The package includes the PCIe To M.2 HAT, a double-row 20-pin header, a 16-pin cable, and a set of standoffs for mounting. The product dimensions are 65.00 x 56.50 mm.

The Waveshare PCIe To M.2 adapter is available for purchase for $8.99 on the company’s online store, and it’s also availble on other online stores.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

UGREEN is expanding into the network attached storage (NAS) hardware market. The company is showcasing its first models in the UGREEN NASync lineup at CES 2024 and plans to launch them soon through a crowdfunding campaign.

The entry-level NASync DXP2800 features an N100 Alder Lake-N processor, 32GB of eMMC onboard storage, two SATA drive bays for 3.5-inch hard drives or SSDs, two M.2 slots for PCIe NVMe SSDs, 8GB of upgradeable DDR5 memory (expandable to 16GB), a 2.5 GbE Ethernet port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C port, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, and an HDMI port with 4K display support.

The NASync DXP4800 is similar to the DXP2800 but offers four SATA drive bays, two 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports, and an SD card reader.

UGREEN’s NASync DXP4800 Pro is an upgraded version with an Pentium Gold 8505 processor, a 128GB SSD for storage, support for up to 32GB of RAM, one 10 GbE connector, and one 2.5 GbE Ethernet port.

The NASync DXP6800 and DXP880 Plus models support 6 and 8 hard drives, respectively. They are powered by Core i5-1235U processors, feature 128GB SSDs, support up to 32GB of RAM, and have dual 10 GbE network ports. These models also include two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI ports capable of driving displays up to 8K, and PCIe x4 expansion slots.

The final model, the UGREEN NASync DXP480T Plus, is a compact all-flash storage system without any hard drive bays. It features four M.2 slots for solid-state storage, an Core i5-1235U processor, a 128GB SSD, support for up to 32GB of RAM, a 10 GbE network port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, an 8K-ready HDMI connector, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port. It is also the only model in the lineup with integrated WiFi.

For more information, refer to the press release.

Source: Liliputing.

Terramaster, a NAS maker, has introduced three new models featuring Alder Lake-N processors. The Terramaster F2-424 and F4-424 are 2-bay and 4-bay network attached storage systems respectively, while the Terramaster F4-424 Pro is touted as the “most powerful 4-bay NAS in the industry to date.” These NAS systems offer significant performance improvements over previous models, with the Alder Lake-N processors delivering around 25% faster CPU performance and even higher graphics performance compared to older chips. The F2-424 and F4-424 come with 8GB of DDR5 memory, while the F4-424 Pro includes 32GB of RAM.

The specifications for the Terramaster NAS systems are as follows:

• Terramaster F2-424 and F4-424:
  • Processor: 15-watt N95 CPU with 4 cores, 4 threads, CPU speeds up to 3.4 GHz, and 1.2 GHz UHD integrated graphics
  • Memory: 8GB DDR5 (supports up to 32GB)
• Terramaster F4-424 Pro:
  • Processor: 7-watt Core i3-N300 CPU with 8 cores, 8 threads, speeds up to 3.8 GHz, and a 1.25 GHz UHD GPU with 32 execution units
  • Memory: 32GB RAM

Prices for the Terramaster NAS systems start at $380 for the 2-bay F2-424 and $500 for the 4-bay F4-424. The high-performance F4-424 Pro is priced at $700. However, it’s important to note that the price does not include hard drives for storage.

In addition to the powerful processors, the new Terramaster NAS systems also offer other notable features. They come with two M.2 2280 slots for PCIe NVMe storage, allowing users to use SSDs for cache or primary storage. The networking features include two 2.5 Gbe Ethernet ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports.

While these Terramaster NAS systems offer impressive performance, there are some factors to consider. The Asustor AS5402T, for example, has two SODIMM slots for memory, making it more cost-effective and easier to add memory compared to the Terramaster models. The AS5402T also has four M.2 slots for PCIe NVMe storage, providing more storage expansion options. Other options to consider include Synology and QNAP models.

Source: Liliputing.

TrueNAS, the open-source storage platform developed by iXsystems, has announced the release of TrueNAS 13.0-U6.1. This update is expected to be the final version of TrueNAS 13.0, following a series that has been recognized for its stability and quality.

Incremental Improvements and Bug Fixes

TrueNAS 13.0-U6.1 includes updates to OpenZFS, addressing approximately 20 bug fixes and security improvements. Notably, this release incorporates OpenZFS 2.1.14 to correct a rarely-occurring upstream ZFS bug. The incremental improvements aim to enhance the overall performance and reliability of the platform.

Transition to TrueNAS 13.1

With TrueNAS 13.0-U6.1 serving as the concluding chapter of the 13.0 series, the development focus will shift to TrueNAS 13.1, scheduled for release in early 2024. The upcoming version is expected to maintain storage-focused features with updates to FreeBSD, OpenZFS, Samba, and other key components.

Recommendations for Users

TrueNAS recommends that existing users of TrueNAS 12.0 and TrueNAS 11.3 update their systems to TrueNAS 13.0-U6.1. This step is advised not only for resolving any software or performance issues but also to prepare for future updates, including the transition to TrueNAS 13.1 in 2024.

Current TrueNAS 13.0 users can update to U6.1 directly from the TrueNAS web UI by navigating to the System -> Update page. New users can get started by downloading the TrueNAS CORE installation media from the official website.

Looking Ahead

As TrueNAS continues to evolve, the focus remains on providing a reliable and efficient storage solution. TrueNAS Enterprise users will have the option to sidegrade to TrueNAS SCALE Enterprise 23.10 and other SCALE-based releases, catering to specific functionality requirements.

For detailed recommendations and updates, users are encouraged to refer to the TrueNAS Software Status page, which provides the latest information on stability and security releases.