RDS2216-EE

The MikroTik RDS2216-2XG-4S+4XS-2XQ, also known as the ROSE Data Server, is a unique and powerful all-in-one platform that combines high-performance networking, extensive storage, and compute capabilities into a single 1U rackmount unit. It's designed for enterprise environments, data centers, and advanced prosumers who want to take back control of their data and infrastructure from third-party cloud providers.

🚀 High-Performance Networking

• 100 Gigabit QSFP28 Ports (2x): Provides two ultra-fast 100 Gbps fiber uplinks, ideal for core network connections, data center interconnects, or high-bandwidth backbone links.3 These can often be broken out into lower-speed links (e.g., 4x 25G or 4x 10G) for versatility.

• 25 Gigabit SFP28 Ports (4x): Offers four 25 Gbps fiber connections, perfect for high-speed servers, storage, or aggregation from other 25GbE devices.

• 10 Gigabit SFP+ Ports (4x): Provides four 10 Gbps fiber connections for a wide range of devices.6

• 10 Gigabit Ethernet Ports (2x RJ45): Two copper 10 Gbps Ethernet ports for flexible connectivity with existing copper infrastructure.

• 1 Gigabit Ethernet Port (1x RJ45): A single Gigabit Ethernet port, often used for management or out-of-band access.

• Wire-speed performance: Leverages a Marvell 98DX4310 switch chip for hardware offloading of Layer 2 and Layer 3 functions, ensuring packets are forwarded at line rate, even with complex configurations.

• IPsec Hardware Acceleration: Significantly boosts the performance of encrypted VPN tunnels, crucial for secure remote access or site-to-site connections.

💾 Massive, Ultra-Fast NVMe Storage

• 20x U.2 PCIe Gen3 Slots: This is a standout feature. The RDS2216 can house up to twenty 7mm U.2 NVMe SSDs, providing a massive amount of ultra-fast, high-density storage. This is ideal for demanding workloads like databases, virtualization environments, large-scale data analytics, and high-speed backup solutions.

• 2TB of NvME Storage: Can be used to extend the platform with containers.

• NVMe-TCP Support: RouterOS on the RDS2216 supports NVMe over TCP, allowing the high-speed NVMe storage to be exported and accessed over the network by other devices (e.g., branch office routers like hAP ax2 mounting NFS, SMB, or NVMe-TCP storage), enabling centralized storage infrastructure.

• Advanced Storage Capabilities (RouterOS ROSE Edition): Runs a special "ROSE" (RouterOS enterprise Data Server) edition of RouterOS v7, which includes:

  • Btrfs file system support: Offers advanced features like snapshots, compression, and subvolume transfers for efficiency, scalability, and data integrity.

  • Encryption layers: Provides built-in block device encryption for data protection, even supporting TCG-Opal self-encrypting drives for hardware-level security.

  • RAID support: For data redundancy and improved stability.

🖥️ Powerful Compute & Virtualization Platform

• 16-core ARM 64-bit AL73400 CPU (2 GHz): This powerful processor, similar to the one found in the CCR2216, delivers exceptional processing capabilities for:

  • RouterOS v7 (License Level 6): Runs MikroTik's full-featured RouterOS, enabling complex routing, firewalling, QoS, and VPN functions.

  • Containerization: The RDS2216 is container-ready, allowing you to run OCI-compliant containers like Docker.15 This is a huge capability for deploying self-hosted applications such as:

    • Private Cloud Hosting: MinIO (S3-compatible storage), Nextcloud (secure document storage).

    • Media Servers/Surveillance: Shinobi (video surveillance), Frigate.

    • Databases: PostgreSQL, MariaDB for mission-critical workloads.

    • Private Social Media: Pixelfed, Loops, Matrix network for digital independence.

  • Virtual Machines (VMs): While RouterOS itself is not a full-fledged hypervisor like Proxmox or VMware ESXi, the RDS2216's powerful CPU and storage make it capable of running virtualized workloads, automating tasks, and building scalable systems.

• 32 GB DDR4 RAM: Ample memory for running multiple containers, VMs, and handling demanding network and storage operations.

• USB Ports (2x: USB 3.0 Type-A and USB 2.0 Type-A):20 For additional connectivity options or external devices.

• SFF-8644 Interface: An extra interface that can be used for expanding NVMe storage externally or connecting to other high-speed storage devices via PCIe Gen3 x4 lanes.

Extensible Platform with Containers

• Network Monitoring and Logging:

  • Grafana/Prometheus: Deploy a lightweight Grafana instance for visualizing router metrics (CPU, memory, traffic, interface stats) and Prometheus for collecting them. This provides far richer and more customizable dashboards than built-in RouterOS monitoring.

  • Syslog Server: Run a small syslog server to collect logs from multiple MikroTik devices or other network gear directly on the router, simplifying log management for smaller networks.

  • Traffic Analysis Tools (e.g., NetFlow/IPFIX Collectors): While RouterOS can export NetFlow, a container can run a basic collector and analyzer, providing deeper insights into network traffic patterns without needing a separate server.

• Out-of-Band Management/Tools:

  • Jumphost/Bastion Host: A small Linux container with SSH can act as a secure jumphost for accessing other devices on your network, isolating your management traffic.

  • Network Utilities: Run common network tools like nmap, iperf3, curl, wget, tcpdump (with proper network configuration), etc., directly on the router for troubleshooting or testing without needing to SSH into another machine.

  • Configuration Backup/Automation Scripts: A container can run Python or Bash scripts to automate configuration backups of other network devices, push configuration changes, or interact with APIs.

• Lightweight Application Hosting (Edge Computing):

  • Home Automation Hub: For advanced home users, a container could host a lightweight home automation platform (e.g., Home Assistant Core) to integrate with smart home devices.1

  • DNS Blocklist (Pi-hole/AdGuard Home): Run a DNS-based ad blocker for your entire network.2 This is a very popular use case, providing system-wide ad and tracker blocking.

  • Local Caching Proxy: For specific scenarios, a small caching proxy might improve performance for frequently accessed content.

  • IoT Device Management: For small-scale IoT deployments, a container could host a lightweight IoT broker or data collector.

• Security Enhancements:

  • Intrusion Detection/Prevention (IDS/IPS - Lightweight): While not a full-blown commercial IDS, a container could run a lightweight IDS (e.g., Suricata in a basic configuration) to monitor specific traffic for known threats, especially on less critical segments.

  • Threat Intelligence Feed Ingestion: A container could fetch and process threat intelligence feeds, which could then potentially be used by RouterOS firewall rules (though this would require custom scripting).

  • Honeypot: A simple honeypot can be deployed in a container to detect and log unauthorized access attempts.

• Development and Testing Environments:

  • Sandbox: A perfect environment for testing new RouterOS scripts, configurations, or even network service changes in an isolated manner without affecting the main router functionality.

  • Custom Services: If you have a very specific, lightweight network service that isn't provided by RouterOS, you can develop and run it in a container.

🛡️ Enterprise-Grade Reliability

• Dual Hot-Swappable Redundant Power Supplies: Ensures uninterrupted operation and quick replacement without downtime, critical for 24/7 environments.

• Multiple Cooling Fans (10 fans): Designed with an optimized cooling system to maintain ideal operating temperatures even under heavy loads.

• Robust 1U Rackmount Design: Fits standard server racks, suitable for data centers and enterprise server rooms.

• Energy Efficiency: Despite its high performance, it's designed with energy efficiency in mind, aiming to reduce power consumption and heat output compared to traditional separate server, storage, and networking solutions.

🏢 Ideal Use Cases

• All-in-One Enterprise Infrastructure: Consolidates routing, switching, storage, and compute into a single, cost-effective, and energy-efficient appliance for businesses.

• Private Cloud Solutions: Enables organizations to host their own private cloud storage (like MinIO or Nextcloud) and applications, regaining control over their data.

• High-Speed Data Storage & Backup: Perfect for demanding storage workloads, high-speed backups, database clusters, and data science environments due to its NVMe density and performance.

• Edge Compute / Branch Office Server: Can serve as an edge device for branch offices, providing local file caching, running essential applications, and handling network routing and security.

• ISP / Telecom Infrastructure: Useful for ISPs and carriers for core/aggregation routing, high-speed backbone connections, and even hosting edge services for their customers.

• Media and Content Production: Ideal for studios requiring fast access to large media files and high-bandwidth processing.

The MikroTik RDS2216 is a revolutionary product that blurs the lines between a high-end router, a powerful network switch, and a robust storage server.