Toaster RAID Returns, Better Than Ever

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published

Design Objectives

Having decided to build a new Toaster RAID, I had to think seriously about what I wanted to accomplish. This was going to be an expensive hobby project so I set out to design something worth the cost. I wanted a platform that represented all the changes and improvements in technology since the 2001 Toaster RAIDs, and it was important to me that it would have an attractive, artistic appearance. After considering the costs and capabilities that would be useful in a home file server, I wanted Toaster RAID #4 to have the following design and hardware features:

  • an attractive retro appearance
  • to look like a toaster with no visible external changes
  • shiny and reflective surfaces
  • lights that made use of the reflective surfaces
  • enough drives to make use of RAID 5
  • a platform that illustrated all the changes and improvements in form factor, capacities, speeds, and performance compared to previous Toaster RAIDs
  • an x86 CPU architecture
  • the capacity to serve all my personal storage needs
  • DHCP capabilities to service all the other clients running at my house

The inside of the cover was polished to enhance the reflective surfaces so that the flashing and blinking colored lights would be more visible.

Dave Goeke
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • I thought the idea in fitting a NAS into a toaster is that you plugged the disks through the bread slots!
    Reply
  • NateDawg80126
    "Is that Patrick Swayze!?" -Moses as he looked across the Red Sea.
    Reply
  • boostercorp
    ytoledano3I thought the idea in fitting a NAS into a toaster is that you plugged the disks through the bread slots!yeah it would ve been nice if you could just shove in two hot plug & play drives in there.
    Reply
  • gives a whole new meaning to "hot swappable" ;)
    Reply
  • Astara
    boostercorpyeah it would ve been nice if you could just shove in two hot plug & play drives in there.Imagine a backup-product like the various 'one-touch' backup offerings -- but in this case, you just push a drive into the toaster slot -- it begins the backup process, when done, it can eject** the drive. That sounds very sweet.

    **-raise drive, not physically throw it out of the toaster! :-)
    Reply
  • Shadow703793
    Using the small 2.5" drives, there is easily room for eight to 12 drives.
    Then why not use some of the 640/750GB or 1.5/2TB drives?

    Any ways cool mod.
    Reply
  • ph3412b07
    ghetto-fab :D
    Reply
  • Here's a better one:
    http://www.embeddedarm.com/software/arm-netbsd-toaster.php
    Reply
  • arkadi
    Grate job, looks perfect mate.
    Reply
  • bustapr
    wouldve been cooler to put in a dvd drive in the bread slots.
    Reply