Topic: tried and tested server models?

[jdunnill]

Hi, I am setting up 4 SME based simple file servers in 4 primary schools I work in. I want to go with a Dell/HP p4 based server to keep costs down.

Does anyone have a make and model of a server that works perfect with sme with no compatibilty issues?  Also the specs of the server and the role it performs in your environment (users, shares etc) and how well it does its job, too slow? fast? just right?

Also does anyone use a server with mirrored sata hard disks.

Cheers, any help would be great,

John

[calisun]

Everything depends on how you plan to use the server.
How many users are you expecting on each server?
What type of files are you planning to store, Audio/Video files, or just simple office documents?
Will the servers be file servers only or will they also perform database functions? mySQL database?

As for SATA Hard disks, (somebody correct me if I am wrong), SME 6.X will not work with SATA. SME 7.X will work with SATA, but it is still in Alpha stage, so I would not even think of putting it on production server.

[smeghead]

I have great success using older G1-G2 Compaq/HP servers; ML530, DL380, ML370, ML350.  P3 & Xeon systems.

These are affordable even with a very moderate budget and come with hardware SCSI RAID, ECC RAM, Redundant PSU's and often with a DAT.

The Xeon boxes work particularly well for heavy loads; my ISP uses one as his primary mail server which handles mail, spamassasin, clamav & a coupla other authentication modules under Whitebox Linux.  This does all its work using about 3GB of RAM, 2 * P3 Xeon 933 CPU's, & RAID 5 on 4 * 73GB HDD's; spikes to 80% load ocassionally but generally sits at 50% whilst dealing with about 3500 users.

HTH