Topic: Server Hardware

[eiceic]

I am planning on spending 3-5k on new server hardware for a 7.1 install -- any suggestions on brands / hardware types that work best?

SCSI / SATA / PATA?
32 bit / 64 bit?  
AMD / Intel?

Thanks,

Chris Buechler

[byte]

Don't buy too newer hardware otherwise you run the risk of it not being compatible, have a look at the RHEL hardware list that is what I did when looking at new-ish h/w

[pfloor]

I alway build my own.

Go to your local dealer or New-Egg and get a motherboard that is NOT cutting edge.  I like boards like the MSI K8N Neo4-F.  Everything including the GIG lan card is compatable.  It has 4 SATA ports.  Then install a good processor and 2 gig of memory.

Finish this off with 4 X Sata drives and let SME do a RAID5. This setup screams and is plenty for as many as 300 users.

I had an Athlon 1800 with 512MB.  It worked EXTREMELY well in our office of 20+ clients.  Mainly email and small file sharing.  We have changed to scanned files (directly to the server) and are now moving a lot of large files and I noticed a slight slowdown.

I built the new server and converted everything to gigabit lan and now the server is overkill at this point.  It should last me a long, long time.

Motherboard $90
AMD 64 4600 Processor $270
2 Gig RAM $200
4 250 Gig SATA $360
PCI-E Video Card $60
10/100 NIC for external interface $10
CD ROM $10
Good case and P.S. $100

Total $1100

I would spend the rest on gigabit lan hardware and then use the remainder for a good vacation.

[duncan]

3-5k is boat loads for a SME box and quite frankly - you will get to a point where you can`t get any more out of it - regardless of how much you spend. However - quality is always worth the extra.


Sata over Pata. Not really sure of the advantages of scsi nowadays.
I like AMD - opterons are supposedly quicker than xeons.
You might as well go 64 bit - if only for future purposes.