Device Classification

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  • Device Classification

Popular network devices like NAS, soft routers, Mac mini, and routers are abstractly categorized as ‘devices’. You don’t need to focus on their specific names or forms, but rather on four key aspects: Processor, Storage, Network, and Application Ecosystem.

The primary concern for a processor is its architecture. Generally, x86 and ARM are used. It is not recommended for non-professionals to purchase devices with other architectures, as a sparse ecosystem will increase the difficulty of learning and use.

You might see some people argue that ARM is typically for low-power devices, suitable for home use, while x86 is for high-performance devices, suitable for enterprise use. However, as of 2024, when this article was written, this argument is outdated. We should base our decisions on the ecosystem. Currently, the ARM ecosystem is very rich and offers better cost-effectiveness, making it worth considering. It is recommended that non-professionals can directly choose devices with ARM architecture. For example, on Alibaba Cloud, the price of an ARM instance is only half that of an x86 instance, and its performance is sufficient to handle home needs. Professionals can choose x86 architecture devices based on their specific requirements.