Benchmarking RSA Key Generation: A Battle Against Probability

2025-01-03
Benchmarking RSA Key Generation: A Battle Against Probability

RSA key generation, while conceptually simple, is notoriously difficult to implement and benchmark. This article cleverly uses mathematical methods to overcome the noisy results typical of statistical approaches. By pre-generating a representative sequence of candidate numbers, the author provides a more stable and reliable benchmarking methodology for comparing different implementations. The article details the mathematical underpinnings of RSA key generation and shares the script and data used to generate the average candidate sequence, facilitating testing and comparison by readers.

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Minimalist NAS: frood, an Alpine initramfs System

2024-12-16
Minimalist NAS: frood, an Alpine initramfs System

The author introduces frood, a NAS system built as a single, large initramfs image containing a complete Alpine Linux system. This design results in fast boot times and reduced wear on storage devices. Configuration is straightforward; files reside directly in the image, eliminating complex DSLs or configuration tools. The system state is tracked with Git, and each boot is effectively a fresh start, preventing configuration clutter. The article details the system's build process, including the use of the alpine-make-rootfs script, installation of essential packages, and writing startup scripts. QEMU testing and the system image update procedure are also described. In essence, frood is a lightweight, easily maintainable, and deployable NAS system whose simple design philosophy is worth emulating.

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