The Ten64 board is a networking-focused appliance with an eight-core, 64-bit ARM CPU. With expansion slots for SSDs, cellular and Wi-Fi modules, and 10 gigabit SFP+ cages, it is especially suited for 4G/5G gateways, local edge gateways for cloud architectures, IoT gateways, and network-attached-storage (NAS) devices for home and office use.

Independent, High-speed Connectivity

Ten64 is built around NXP’s LS1088A SoC and exposes as much of the connectivity in the LS1088A as possible. There are eight gigabit Ethernet ports, as well as two 10 gigabit SFP+ cages, useful for multi-gigabit internet connections and feeding NBASE-T-capable wireless access points. All the network ports are individual controllers (not via a switch), which allows you to isolate devices used for different purposes (such as workstations and IoT devices).

Plenty of Memory & Storage

On the board itself, there is a DDR4 SO-DIMM slot that supports up to 32 GB of memory with ECC, an M.2 Key M with support for NVMe SSDs, two Mini-PCIe slots for Wi-Fi or AI accelerators, and an M.2 Key B slot capable of taking a 4G/5G cellular modem, smaller (42 mm tall) NVMe SSD, or SATA controller card.

To Gigabit and Beyond!

Ten64 handles gigabit internet traffic with ease, and has the ability to reach even higher speeds using technologies such as XDP, DPDK and AIOP.

10G performance

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Ten64 can leverage its multiple cores to route or bridge 10G of traffic - see our performance article on options for 10G connectivity and future options for improving efficiency.

Speed test as 802.11ac wireless bridge

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Above are results from an actual speed test performed with two Ten64s acting as a wireless bridge, each with an 802.11ac 4x4 card. As the objective was to test the maximum attainable throughput, the Ten64 units were located on opposite sides of the same room. The speed test client is connected behind the bridge client with gigabit Ethernet.

Speed test with a 5G cellular modem

The above initial speed test results show Ten64 can already achieve >500 Mbps. We fully expect 5G network deployments to offer peak speeds over a gigabit, which makes Ten64 ideal for "fixed wireless" applications.

Ten64 is built to handle 5G cellular modems - it is one of the first boards to accommodate extended length modem cards and make available a PCIe 3 lane to the modem. To support the ever-increasing number of antennas in modern wireless standards (sub-6 GHz 5G and Wi-Fi 6), our desktop enclosure has 11 antenna mounting positions!

Consolidate Your Network Router & App Server

With eight cores and ample RAM, Ten64 is perfect for hosting your private cloud applications. Consolidate both your network and applications into a single convenient box. Our open source μVirt firmware provides a quick starting point for both your local network connectivity and application hosting requirements.

We maintain a list of common applications that are known to work, including Rockstor NAS, Nextcloud, WebThings, Home Assistant, UniFi Controller, and others.

System Administration Made Easy

No more searching around for sacrificial SD cards or flash drives! Ten64’s onboard recovery firmware and bare metal appliance store allow you to download and install distribution images, partition your NVMe drive, chroot, and other common maintenance tasks.

Mainline Linux First

Anyone who has done embedded Linux development, especially in the networking space, knows how much of a nuisance non-mainline kernels and drivers can be.

This is why we have designed Ten64 to run "mainline" Linux kernels and distributions. This ensures you can use the latest features as they become available, while also keeping up to date with the latest security patches. Ten64 implements support for the ARM Embedded Boot Base specification (EBBR) and will boot standard ARM64 Linux distributions provided they have the correct hardware drivers built into the kernel. We are committed to upstreaming any changes we make back to the upstream projects as soon as possible.

Because Ten64 is one of the first boards shipping with NXP’s DPAA2 hardware, distribution support is bit spotty in the short term - check our distribution list for more details. To ease interoperability issues in the short term, we are building customized images for some distributions, and providing ‘patch’ scripts for others.

Openness

We have endeavored to make as much of the Ten64 as open as we could. While we are unable to make the design fully open hardware for commercial reasons, the following information will be available:

• PDF copy of schematics
• PCB placement diagram showing component locations
• Microcontroller firmware licensed under BSD license
• All firmware component source code (e.g., ARM Trusted Firmware and U-Boot)
• All software customized by Traverse (e.g., OpenWrt)

The only binary firmware required is the NXP DPAA2 Management Complex Firmware, which is required to use the networking (Ethernet ports) and some security acceleration features on the LS1088 - and runs on a dedicated microcontroller core inside the LS1088. This firmware is loaded by U-Boot from a file or partition just before reaching the U-Boot prompt.

Low-level Board Hacking

The boot firmware on the Ten64 can be loaded from either the onboard flash or SD card; switching between the two can be done via DIP switch as well as an I²C command to the board microcontroller. This allows low-level firmware (Trusted Firmware and U-Boot) to be developed without fear of bricking the board.

If you need to do some low-level debugging, you can use OpenOCD and gdb to debug the boot firmware via JTAG. There is also a "developer" header on the board which can be used to control it from another board — handy for bare-metal CI/CD applications or building your own BMC/IPMI-like functionality.

Features & Specifications

Ten64 Bare Board

• CPU
  • NXP QorIQ LS1088 Eight-Core Cortex-A53 1.6 GHz, 64-bit ARM
  • Includes virtualization, crypto, and IOMMU
• RAM
  • Supports DDR4 SO-DIMMs (including ECC) at 2100 MT/s
  • 4 GB to 32 GB capacity
• Storage
  • 8 MB onboard QSPI NOR flash
  • 256 MB onboard NAND flash
  • NVMe SSDs via M.2 Key M
  • microSD (shared with SIM2)
• Network
  • NXP DPAA2 architecture
  • 8 x 1000Base-T
  • 2 x 10G SFP+
• Expansion
  • 1 x M.2 Key M (PCIe 3.0x2)
  • 2 x miniPCIe (PCIe 2.0)
  • 1 x M.2 Key B (PCIe 3.0x1 + USB 3)
• Ports
  • 2 x USB 3.0 at rear
  • 1 x USB 3.0 via internal connector
  • serial console via USB-C
  • 3-choose-2 nanoSIM/microSD
• Software
  • U-Boot v2019.X+
  • Linux Kernel 5.0+
  • OpenWrt and standard Linux distributions (via EFI/EBBR)
• Form factor
  • 175 mm x 170 mm
  • compatible with Mini-ITX
• Power
  • verified external power supply included
  • 12 VDC via 8-pin connector
  • ATX12V and 2.5 mm DC adapters available
  • typical base power consumption under 20 W

Ten64 Complete Kit

All the features above, plus:

• Desktop / Enclosure
  • 200 mm x 200 mm x 45 mm (approximately 1U high)
  • metal construction
  • internal cooling fan
  • 11 x SMA connectors for antennas
  • easy to assemble and disassemble with hex key (included) and screwdriver
  • 12 VDC, 60 W Power Supply (2.5 mm center-positive barrel)
  • Board and enclosure factory assembled

Turnkey NAS Bundle

By popular demand, we have made a turnkey NAS bundle available. This consists of:

• Ten64 board with required accessories (e.g., ATX cables and I/O faceplate)
• InWin IW-MS04 NAS/mini-server enclosure with 265 W power supply Note: The two front USB 3 ports and front state LEDs (LAN, HDD, ID, FAIL) on the IW-MS04 enclosure require additional hardware (such as a USB 3 controller card, or splitter cable) to work)
• Boot drive
• Choice of two SATA controllers (see below) and flexible SATA cables

Suggested NAS Configurations

Hybrid combinations are possible. For example, you could install two HDDs and two SSDs in the four hotswap bays. Choose the configuration that matches your performance goals.

HDD SATA Configuration

SSD SATA Configuration

Block Diagram

Ten64 block diagram, excluding minor components (e.g., sensors). Click to expand.

Memory Options

For this Crowd Supply campaign, we are offering error-correcting code (ECC) RAM preinstalled at the factory, without the usual markups associated with this special type of memory. For the best value and "out-of-box" experience, we recommend purchasing one of these limited-edition bundles.

The unbundled model (with no RAM installed) is also available and will become the primary distribution SKU post-campaign. A limited number of third-party SO-DIMMs are supported - please see our compatibility list for more information. Expanding support for third party SO-DIMMs is planned after we have completed our short-term feature roadmap.

Enclosure & Accessories

Every Ten64 comes with our compact (200 mm x 200 mm x 45 mm) desktop enclosure, with eleven antenna holes to cater to MIMO applications involving (non-mm-wave) 5G modems and 8x8 Wi-Fi. We also include a 2.5 mm barrel 12 VDC power supply, regional power cord, USB-C console cable, SIM eject tool, and 2.5 mm hex key for access panel removal.

Regrettably, due to regulatory and support requirements we are unable to bundle Wi-Fi cards or cellular modems with Ten64. However, there are no firmware blockers on which cards you can use with the board. A list of known working cards can be found on our Hardware Compatibility List.

Comparisons

We see Ten64 as a step between smaller embedded boards (like the Turris Omnia) and full blown x86 mini-servers and NAS appliances, while giving you control over the software you run. Ten64’s design also allows you to converge your wireline/wireless network and personal cloud, instead of splitting them between a standalone router and NAS appliance.

Support & Documentation

• Central Ten64 documentation portal
  • Quick start guide
  • Verified list of working applications
  • Hardware compatability list
  • and more...
• Firmware, recovery, OpenWrt, and distribution builds
• Source code repositories

Manufacturing Plan

To ensure the highest quality, Ten64 boards purchased during the campaign will be manufactured by our manufacturing partner, SRX. The manufacturing location will either be in Melbourne, Australia or in Malaysia, based on demand, logistics, and other factors to be determined between Traverse and SRX. All prototype boards for Ten64 up to the start of the campaign have been built by SRX in Melbourne.

Fulfillment & Logistics

Once produced, all Ten64 units will be shipped in bulk to Crowd Supply’s warehouse in the United States for distribution to all backers worldwide.

Risks & Challenges

Ten64 is a very complex product, but we have put a significant amount of effort into tackling any issues well before campaign backers receive their boards. Here are some of the ways we have minimized risk:

• Multiple prototype rounds: The general availability release of the board will be the third revision, with two previous prototype rounds - RevA, the initial round, and RevB, the pilot run.
• Engaging an experienced manufacturing partner: SRX has a wealth of experience manufacturing complex electronic products. We have worked with them on multiple projects in the past and are confident in their abilities.
• Certification: As Ten64 is intended for general use, we have undertaken to certify against the relevant standards (EMC, safety, etc.).
• Supply chain: Unexpected events can cause long lead times that delay products reaching their end users. Between ourselves and SRX, we constantly manage our supply chain to ensure both integrity (only buying from manufacturer-authorized channels) and reduce the risk of delays to production. We have good relationships with many of the key suppliers on the design, which ensures access to both competitive pricing and support.
• Comprehensive testing: All boards will be tested and programmed with our sophisticated functional test suite which runs a set of test cases to ensure the boards are fully functional.

Ten64 is the third generation of router products from Traverse, and the second ARM-based design. We have also brought other designs to market on a consulting basis for customers.