Topic: Motherboard recommandations

[arnoldob]

I looking to put together a few Catagory 2 servers, has decribed in the MAS 6000 Technician Handbook 6.0. Using the mail server, gateway, samba, and webserver functions for a small network with a max of 20 Windows clients. The tech manual list a 400Mhz Pentium 2 or better with at least 128MB of RAM for that type of usage. I think I'll do a little better than that because it's pretty cheap anyway. More like 1Ghz or better CPU and 256MB of DDR

Anyone have any ideas for a currently available motherboard platform for a lower end server? I've worked with a lot of MSI and Asus boards in the past, particularly the AMD via chipset models. It doesn't have to be an AMD platform, but I always liked the price.

Any suggestions for something appropriate that will install wihtout any nonsense and be supported by the OEM for at least the rest of the year?

[Boris]

Why don't you order DELL PE 400SC?
Cheap, quiet, stable server. Basic model with 2Gh Celeron is more then you need. Buy hard drives from elsewhere though. From dell they are more expensive.

[arnoldob]

Why don't you order DELL PE 400SC?
Cheap, quiet, stable server. Basic model with 2Gh Celeron is more then you need. Buy hard drives from elsewhere though. From dell they are more expensive.

Have you had reliability issues with the Dells? The last experience I had with one was salvage job on Dell Demnsion 2300 with a fried motherboard. It was only 14 months old when it died, 2 months outside of the warrantee. Not the kind of thing that makes happy customers.

[rexgaylord]

Why don't you order DELL PE 400SC?
Cheap, quiet, stable server. Basic model with 2Gh Celeron is more then you need. Buy hard drives from elsewhere though. From dell they are more expensive.

Have you had reliability issues with the Dells? The last experience I had with one was salvage job on Dell Demnsion 2300 with a fried motherboard. It was only 14 months old when it died, 2 months outside of the warrantee. Not the kind of thing that makes happy customers.

I've picked up half dozen of the 600 and 400SC off ebay and been real happy with them.  A couple of them are getting close to 2 years service and no problem running SME.

[Boris]

Have you had reliability issues with the Dells? The last experience I had with one was salvage job on Dell Demnsion 2300 with a fried motherboard.

You cannot mix in one pile lowest end desktop with server or higher-end desktop to compare quality.
Quality of DELL server and business desktop class computers is very high and they are more or less generic PCs that make them more compatible with Linux.
That particular model I've recommended (PE 400SC) uses standard high quality motherboard (875 chipset) and very stable and cheap. I buy them for low-end servers (as is) and for good desktops (with video and memory upgrades).

[arnoldob]

Good point Boris, the Dimension line is the cheapo home desktop catagory. I was thinking about building a few myself primarily because I want to control the quality of the components used. The idea of not having to worry about building it and the component compatablility issues that come with it has it's appeal. Thanks for the input.