Topic: Suggested Hardware ?

[James Shields]

Currently running essg 4.1.1 on a Pentium 200MMX, 64MB RAM, Seagate 30GB 7200RPM ATA66 Hard Drive, Sony 48x CD-ROM, Netgear FA310TX NIC, Netcomm 56K modem on permanent dialup. I host 9 domain names and serve an average 200MB per month, with incoming traffic around 150MB.

I am upgrading a workstation, and will have spare: Intel D815EEA m/b, Celeron 733, 256MB SDRAM, 2 x Western Digital 30GB 7200RPM ATA100 Hard Drives. With these parts and existing CD, NIC & modem from the current configuration, I thought this would make a great new e-smith server.

My questions are:
1) Opinion on using a Celeron 733 ?
2) Opinion on Software RAID 1 with above config, or should I go hardware RAID 1 ?
3) If Software RAID, HDD1 on Primary Master, HDD2 on Secondary Master. Which connector for CD-ROM ?
4) If Hardware RAID, which controller ?
5) How much RAM can Linux effectively use ?
6) If I upgrade to ADSL, am I correct in assuming I only need an ADSL modem, as essg acts as the router ?

Thanks for your advice .............

[Dan Brown]

James Shields wrote:

> 1) Opinion on using a Celeron 733 ?

    Sounds good.

> 2) Opinion on Software RAID 1 with above config, or should I
> go hardware RAID 1 ?

    Don't have any experience with software RAID, but you tend to get better performance with hardware.  Should work fine, though.

> 3) If Software RAID, HDD1 on Primary Master, HDD2 on
> Secondary Master. Which connector for CD-ROM ?

    Primary or Secondary slave--you won't be using the cd-rom much.

> 4) If Hardware RAID, which controller ?

    3ware.  The 6200 is a two-port model which would work for now, but wouldn't leave you any room for expansion, and it's about $129.  For a 4-port model, figure about $250.  These are supported by e-smith out of the box.

> 5) How much RAM can Linux effectively use ?

    As much as you want to throw at it.

> 6) If I upgrade to ADSL, am I correct in assuming I only need
> an ADSL modem, as essg acts as the router ?

    Yes, that's correct.

[J-L Boers]

My questions are:
1) Opinion on using a Celeron 733 ?
More than enough

2) Opinion on Software RAID 1 with above config, or should I go hardware RAID 1 ?
If money is no object, go hardware.

3) If Software RAID, HDD1 on Primary Master, HDD2 on Secondary Master. Which connector for CD-ROM ?
Seconday slave I believe. (doublecheck this)

4) If Hardware RAID, which controller ?
3ware

5) How much RAM can Linux effectively use ?
How much do you want to spend?

6) If I upgrade to ADSL, am I correct in assuming I only need an ADSL modem, as essg acts as the router ?
correct. You're modem will be a gateway for the essg (mine is).