Topic: Hardware compatibility SME 7.4 SME8

[larieu]

I intend to make an new server

I have quite a budget for this and I wander if I need to wait until the new SME 8 it will be available
or start directly with latest beta available

I intend to use an i7 CPU on Intel original MB
with at least 4 HDD and around 8~16G mem

now from my experience with 7.4 as all sme releases and CentOS ones is EXTREMELY stable (I used on the actual server from the 7 beta stage)
what I saw
1. SME 7.4
1.1. if you have over 4G mem it will report only 3
- I've seen some workaround on manual but I don't want to to play with this server in working conditions
1.2. if you have a dual core it will report as mono-core
1.3. is able to handle more HDD in RAID mode natively
1.4. I don't know one 64 bit version

2. SME 8
2.1. It report memory over 3G (I already tested 2 times)
2.2. It report multiprocesors
2.3. Is able to handle multiple HDD
2.4. I don't find an 64 bit version (probably is not a separate ISO)

3. I intend to use on it
3.1. SME official
3.1.1. Primary Domain controller
3.1.2. mail server
3.1.3. Webmail
3.1.4. RAID 4~6 HDD
3.2. Contribs
3.2.01. Qmhandle mail queue manager
3.2.02. Mailman
3.2.03. Hardware Info
3.2.04. LDAP
3.2.05. Mediawiki
3.2.06. Nag (or something equivalent for thunderbird client)
3.2.07. OCS Inventory Tools
3.2.08. PHPMyAdmin (or multi)
3.2.09. Sme-unjunkmgr
3.2.10. Sysmon or System monitor
3.2.11. Mnemo (or something equivalent for thunderbird client)
3.2.12. SOGO

main questions are

4.1. can intel i7 be installed for moment on SME 7.4 or 7.5?
4.2. intel i7 are supported by the latest SME8 beta5?
4.3. how many of my contribs list can be used on beta5 - this list is for sure outdated  http://wiki.contribs.org/SME8.0_Contribs_QA#Working
4.4. it exist one timeline for SME8 final ?

thanks for tips

[Stefano]

I intend to make an new server

I have quite a budget for this and I wander if I need to wait until the new SME 8 it will be available
or start directly with latest beta available

you can install SME7 and then upgrade to 8 when it will be ready

I intend to use an i7 CPU on Intel original MB
with at least 4 HDD and around 8~16G mem

now from my experience with 7.4 as all sme releases and CentOS ones is EXTREMELY stable (I used on the actual server from the 7 beta stage)
what I saw
1. SME 7.4
1.1. if you have over 4G mem it will report only 3
- I've seen some workaround on manual but I don't want to to play with this server in working conditions

you can install bigmem or hugemem kernel from centos' repo.. it's not playing, it's a working solution

1.2. if you have a dual core it will report as mono-core

this isn't true.. pleaser re-read the documentation.. all you have to do is start your server with -smp kernel

1.3. is able to handle more HDD in RAID mode natively

please explain.. what do you mean/need?

1.4. I don't know one 64 bit version

SME is available only in 32 bit (SME8 too)

2. SME 8
2.1. It report memory over 3G (I already tested 2 times)
2.2. It report multiprocesors
2.3. Is able to handle multiple HDD

AFAIK there's no difference between SME7 and SME8 in hd management

2.4. I don't find an 64 bit version (probably is not a separate ISO)

see above

3. I intend to use on it
3.1. SME official
3.1.1. Primary Domain controller
3.1.2. mail server
3.1.3. Webmail
3.1.4. RAID 4~6 HDD
3.2. Contribs
3.2.01. Qmhandle mail queue manager
3.2.02. Mailman
3.2.03. Hardware Info
3.2.04. LDAP
3.2.05. Mediawiki
3.2.06. Nag (or something equivalent for thunderbird client)
3.2.07. OCS Inventory Tools
3.2.08. PHPMyAdmin (or multi)
3.2.09. Sme-unjunkmgr
3.2.10. Sysmon or System monitor
3.2.11. Mnemo (or something equivalent for thunderbird client)
3.2.12. SOGO

I can only say that if you need SOGO, you have to install SME8.. and you don't need mnemo and nag

main questions are

4.1. can intel i7 be installed for moment on SME 7.4 or 7.5?

please check Centos hcl and take a look here

4.2. intel i7 are supported by the latest SME8 beta5?

please check Centos hcl.. I don't know what server are you going to buy, but you can check also this page on HP's site

4.3. how many of my contribs list can be used on beta5 - this list is for sure outdated  http://wiki.contribs.org/SME8.0_Contribs_QA#Working

you can test yourself what's working and then update that list

4.4. it exist one timeline for SME8 final ?

no, SME8 will be released when it will be ready

HTH

[byte]

you can install bigmem or hugemem kernel from centos' repo.. it's not playing, it's a working solution

SME Server is already shipped with hugemem and is available from the smeserver repos

[Stefano]

doh (Cit.)

[larieu]

Stefano thanks for your quick and kind answer

1.1. - Ok; Ok -  I'll try

1.2 - I'll read and I'll see - from my 2-3 attempt to put this on dualcore CPU each time on top command I saw only 1 CPU, - I assume I'm the wrong one

1.3. I know that is natively RAID and is ok
I wander what is the best option for maximum read/write in one environment with many users with IMAPS access.
- 1 HDD means - NO RAID
- 2 HDD means - RAID mirror
- 3 HDD means - already RAID5 - but it will be 2x speed of 1HDD (or at least 1.5x)
- 4 HDD means - already RAID5 - but it will be 3x speed of 1HDD (or at least 2x)
- 5 HDD means - already RAID5 - but it will be 4x speed of 1HDD (or at least 3x)
- this is the question

1.4. is OK if I can handle more than 4G of mem (I intend around 8 )
 
and that mean if I can install 7.x for sure it will be hardware compatible with 8.x (if I'll don't use very old hardware which will not be supported) , and also I suppose I can use 8.x beta (I know that is extremely stable - the only problem in beta stage are contribs which usually don't install/work - but if you started it it will be flawless

as hardware if somebody has already tried one Intel original board with latest generation of quadcore CPU It will be great to tell me

recently I tested 7.4 last available with one dell computer
and for example on this CPU

cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor   : 0
vendor_id   : GenuineIntel
cpu family   : 6
model      : 23
model name   : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad  CPU   Q9300  @ 2.50GHz
stepping   : 7
cpu MHz      : 2499.000
cache size   : 3072 KB
fdiv_bug   : no
hlt_bug      : no
f00f_bug   : no
coma_bug   : no
fpu      : yes
fpu_exception   : yes
cpuid level   : 10
wp      : yes
flags      : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe nx lm constant_tsc pni monitor ds_cpl est tm2 xtpr
bogomips   : 5002.57

in top I can see only one CPU (CPU0)

also even I have 8G mem I can see only 3 - this it will be solved probably with hugemem....
on this system I was forced to install manually the ethernet because the card is not supported natively by SME 7.x
this is one Intel e1000e network card

this is what I ask for
if somebody already has one new MB Intel original with last CPU generation (that one with DDR3 will better)
and has managed to install one 7.4 without any trouble
or at least one MB with intel chipset - and provide the ID of that cipset

Thanks

[Stefano]

1.3. I know that is natively RAID and is ok
I wander what is the best option for maximum read/write in one environment with many users with IMAPS access.
- 1 HDD means - NO RAID
- 2 HDD means - RAID mirror
- 3 HDD means - already RAID5 - but it will be 2x speed of 1HDD (or at least 1.5x)
- 4 HDD means - already RAID5 - but it will be 3x speed of 1HDD (or at least 2x)
- 5 HDD means - already RAID5 - but it will be 4x speed of 1HDD (or at least 3x)
- this is the question

if you buy an enterprise class server you should have a hw controller on board.. so you can choose what kind of raid use.. SME will see only one disk

recently I tested 7.4 last available with one dell computer
and for example on this CPU
in top I can see only one CPU (CPU0)

and what about the output of

Code: [Select]

uname -a
?

I repeat, buy only certificated hw (see HP page) and you'll never have a single problem

[larieu]

strange

uname -a

give me this

Code: [Select]

uname -a
Linux office 2.6.9-89.0.16.EL #1 Tue Nov 3 17:15:02 EST 2009 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

but  if I look in grub it seems that I have the smp one

Code: [Select]

cat /boot/grub/grub.conf
# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/main/root
#          initrd /initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=1
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/smeserver.xpm.gz
foreground 000000
background 4E95D3
title SME Server (2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp ro root=/dev/main/root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-89.0.16.ELsmp.img
title SME Server (2.6.9-89.0.16.EL)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-89.0.16.EL ro root=/dev/main/root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-89.0.16.EL.img
title SME Server (2.6.9-78.0.8.EL)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-78.0.8.EL ro root=/dev/main/root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-78.0.8.EL.img
title SME Server (2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp ro root=/dev/main/root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp.img
title SME Server (2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp ro root=/dev/main/root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-78.0.8.ELsmp.img
title SME Server-up (2.6.9-78.0.8.EL)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-78.0.8.EL ro root=/dev/main/root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-78.0.8.EL.img


[larieu]

Now I see

is default 1
which is not the first option
in fact is the second one



I don't get how it went into this state but...
I 'll try to change default one and reboot
....

some time later

I've deed it
and now everything seems to be perfect on that installation
4 CPU and 8 G of MEM
great

Stefano

if you buy an enterprise class server you should have a hw controller on board.. so you can choose what kind of raid use.. SME will see only one disk

I partly agree with this
In my actual experience almost all "on board RAID" are not hardware one and if you'll make RAID config on BIOS you'll have lots of trouble on instalation
by avoiding the Onboard RAID in my acquisition I  think I'll take one better price MB
yes some of the "ready build in servers"  has hardware RAID
I intend to aquire one 2 U case and MB and 4 HDD - in this way I'll save some budget to take a better CPu and/or more RAM and/or biggest HDD

this is why I ask if the soft RAID provided By default is fast enough
or is better to go to the Hardware way

in this case I'll raise another question
what RAID card you'll advise me to take into consideration?

[Stefano]

Now I see

is default 1
which is not the first option
in fact is the second one



I don't get how it get into this state but
I 'll try to change default one and reboot

search the forums, the wiki and bugzilla.. you'll find the solution

[robwellesley]

SME Server is already shipped with hugemem and is available from the smeserver repos

Hi  - If it ships with hugemem, why would I need to consider accessing a repo?  Can you expand on this please?

Cheers

[CharlieBrady]

"and is available from". Take your pick. CDROM or repository.

[robwellesley]

"and is available from". Take your pick. CDROM or repository.

Cheers.  So it's an 'addon'
as in yum install hugemem

[byte]

Cheers.  So it's an 'addon'

Thanks for correcting my wording Charlie.

If a server has 16 GB of memory then the kernel-hugemem should be installed at installation time which would be my guess, I've never had a server with more than 2 GB so couldn't tell for sure.

as in yum install hugemem

That line should be:

yum install kernel-hugemem

[CharlieBrady]

Thanks for correcting my wording Charlie.

I wasn't correcting you - just pointing out what you had said to Rob.

[Stefano]

In my actual experience almost all "on board RAID" are not hardware one and if you'll make RAID config on BIOS you'll have lots of trouble on instalation
by avoiding the Onboard RAID in my acquisition I  think I'll take one better price MB

I don't agree..

I was talking about "enterprise class server" not a MB, 4 hd and a 2U cabinet.. I would never put my money on a server with 16 Gb ram if not certificated..

choose a HP mode, with a sas raid controller, buy 3 years NBD support and enjoy.. your money is well spent

all IMVHO