--- title: OpenRD - A Low Power Server Running Debian on ARM canonical: https://0110.be/posts/OpenRD_-_A_Low_Power_Server_Running_Debian_on_ARM markdown_url: https://0110.be/posts/OpenRD_-_A_Low_Power_Server_Running_Debian_on_ARM.md id: 54 published_at: '2010-08-05T00:00:00Z' updated_at: '2013-12-05T18:19:15Z' author: Joren tags: - name: 0110.be markdown_url: https://0110.be/tags/0110.be.md - name: Harde waren markdown_url: https://0110.be/tags/Harde%20waren.md - name: Projecten markdown_url: https://0110.be/tags/Projecten.md --- # OpenRD - A Low Power Server Running Debian on ARM GuruPlug\ This blog post comments on using the Marvell OpenRD SoC(System on a Chip) as a low power multipurpose home server. ### The Hardware The specifications of the [OpenRD SoC](http://open-rd.org) are very similar to the better known [SheevaPlug](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SheevaPlug) devices, so it has 512MB DDR2 RAM, an 1.2GHz ARM processor and 512MB internal flash. To be more precise the OpenRD SoC is essentially a SheevaPlug in a different form factor. The main advantage of this form factor is the number of available connections: 7xUSB, SATA, eSATA, 2xGb Ethernet, VGA, Audio, ... which make the device a lot more extendable and practical as a mulitpurpose home server. ### The Software Thanks to the work of [Dr. Martin Michlmayr](http://www.cyrius.com) there is a Debian port for the Kirkwood platform readily available. He even wrote a tutorial on [how to install Debian on a SheevaPlug](http://www.cyrius.com/debian/kirkwood/sheevaplug/install.html). Installing Debian on an OpenRD is exactly the same except for one important detail: the `arcNumber` variable. Once Debian is installed you can `apt-get` or `aptitude` almost all the software you are used to: webserver, samba, ruby, ... ### The Alternatives - [Sheevaplug](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SheevaPlug) - [Beagle Board](http://beagleboard.org) or other [OMAP3 SoC's](http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php?title=OMAP3_Boards). The IGEPv2 e.g. has wireless and wired network connections. - [Alix system Boards](http://www.pcengines.ch/alix.htm) are mostly x86 based. - [NSLU2](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NSLU2) An ARM platform. ![NAS in the attic](https://0110.be/files/photos/54/IMG_0371.jpg) ![OpenRD](https://0110.be/files/photos/54/openrd_product_sm.png)