Server Config - Need Opinions - Check it out!

[tbettend]

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-7DPXDW $280.00
CPU: 2 x 1.2GHz Athlon MP Processor $180.00
Memory: 512 MB PC2100 DDR Registered Corsair $190.00
Audio: Onboard n/a
Video: 32MB $25.00
LAN: Onboard n/a
Storage: 2 x 60.0GB ATA100 HardDrive 7200RPM $168.00
Optical Drive: 32X CD-RW $65.00
Floppy Drive: Generic $15.00
Case: Aluminum! $112.50
Power Supply: 400W High Quality included in case n/a

TOTAL
$1,035.50

For the BackUp storage I am really conflicted. Should I use a tape drive for this? We have one on a server now, a DDS3 and it really sucks. I would like to use an alternative to that if possible. I was thinking of attaching a firewire drive, and just making backups to it daily and weekly. What do you think about that? Also, let me know about my configs? Any problems with these configs with anyone? Should go great, since AMD approved. What raid level would one recommend I use? This is for a dept. server, file sharing most critical. Thanks!!!!

[Gabriel]

I have somewhat debated opinion.
On one hand - The specs are Cool - This server will be a Rocket (Just add addition RAM).
On the Other hand - I tend to like Professional Servers (Like Dell, IBM, HP Etc.) - thei QUALITY and SERVICE are their Pros.

A server needs to be Reliable more than it has performance.

On the backup side - it really much depends on the need - DDS series are cheap and Easy to use (on the other End are low on quality).
DLT and AIT technology are VERY Expensive, but you get more on the Quality and Storage capcity.

Make your design and calculation and go to the bottom line...

Good Luck
Gabriel

[silencio]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Gabriel:
<strong>I have somewhat debated opinion.
On one hand - The specs are Cool - This server will be a Rocket (Just add addition RAM).
On the Other hand - I tend to like Professional Servers (Like Dell, IBM, HP Etc.) - thei QUALITY and SERVICE are their Pros.

A server needs to be Reliable more than it has performance.

On the backup side - it really much depends on the need - DDS series are cheap and Easy to use (on the other End are low on quality).
DLT and AIT technology are VERY Expensive, but you get more on the Quality and Storage capcity.

Make your design and calculation and go to the bottom line...

Good Luck
Gabriel</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ditto. Also, your setup looks like it's built around an application server instead of a file server. You have fast processors but you have a sinle onboard LAN port instead of a fault tolerant team. You have fast processors but IDE drives. I wouldn't use IDE in any business server and I'd cry if someone tried to sell me on IDE RAID for business.

You have $1000 in that box. I just bought an 1850R (this one <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2026218618&ed=10226369 59&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOA:US:2" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2026218618&ed=1022636 959&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOA:US:2</a> ) that would be a much better business file server (after I add a 4 port NIC). That's actually what I bought it for.

Not trying to make you feel bad but I've seen a number of angry customers who went cheap first and then paid more later in downtime and lost data. I've also seen companies who sell clone stuff (even good clone stuff) get sued.

[Fubarian]

A file server and you're looking to do IDE? not good. Do SCSI 80 at least, 160 if you can push it, raid level 3 or 5. IDE's terrible for servers, it just can't keep up with the 100000 requests for different data.

AMD dauls I would NOT recommend just because of heat/power and all that BS. A simple P3 1ghz would be over kill for a file server. You're looking for reliability, not a gaming machine.

If you already have it, use a gigabit, if you don't have gigabit yet but have plans, buy one for the file server, you'll love yourself for it later. 3com and Intel both make a backwards compat. 10/100/1000 card for servers, buy one.

A AL case? what for? again, this is a file server for a company, no pretties required.

I'd say find a good, REALLY good scsi controller that supports raid level 3/5 for either 80 or 160, and buy at least 6 hard drives (3 for a raid 3 for the OS, the other 3 as an independant for files only). As for backup, tapes take forever unless you really fork over the $$$. The one we have will do our entire network (over 200 GB) in about 5 hours?

[tbettend]

Okay, I am starting to see some good points.
I need to go down off of the dual, stick with single processor. About 1.0ghz? I chose the Aluminum case for heat dissipation. The user environment is only for 20 users. Any rehashing of your comments for that? I think IDE will do fine for that. They are fast IDE drives, ATA100 7200 rpm. Will put Win2K server on this machine and run file/print server, VPN server, and run as a domain controller. Nothing to much beyond that. Going down to single processor what do you think??

Thanks!!

[Fubarian]

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by tbettend:
<strong>Okay, I am starting to see some good points.
I need to go down off of the dual, stick with single processor. About 1.0ghz? I chose the Aluminum case for heat dissipation. The user environment is only for 20 users. Any rehashing of your comments for that? I think IDE will do fine for that. They are fast IDE drives, ATA100 7200 rpm. Will put Win2K server on this machine and run file/print server, VPN server, and run as a domain controller. Nothing to much beyond that. Going down to single processor what do you think??

Thanks!!</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Single CPU would be fine for those, I'd still push SCSI for the file server though, big time. 20 users may not seem like much, but trust me, always always plan for 5x more than you "ever need"

the big rule in servers -- let 1 machine do 1 thing. Have one machine be a file server, one be a print server (which by the way takes NOTHING to run, a p2 400 would do fine with a 4.3 gig hd), one server to do VPN (egh, reliablity is the biggie), and one to do the PDC. Why? if one blows up, guess what, you're not 100% down.

[silencio]

I'd go scsi too but for the recovery benefits. Hell, 20 minutes ago I had a drive fail. Out it came, in went the new one, click click click rebuild, problem solved, never lost a second up uptime. Try that with IDE.

I told this story once before so I'm going to give you the short version. I had a drive in a mirror go bad on that POS Highpoint controller. After an automatic reboot the IDE "RAID" controller decided that the drive wasn't bad afterall and allowed the drive to be visable to the OS on reboot. Unfortunatly, the mirror was already broke. So, up comes two drives with a total of 6 partitions, 3 of which are on a drive with bad sectors. Windows goes nuts, moves pagefiles, and pukes. The machine was down for a whole day.

Gee a whole day? Well, with 20 users making an average of $15/hour that's $2400 of lost wages not to mention the lost productivity. Explain that simple scenario to your customer and he might beg you for SCSI RAID.

Another money story; we went out one time to troubleshoot a network problem. There was an entire floor out. This company, because they didn't staff anyone who knew how to fix it and because they waited about a day and a half before calling someone with a sniffer, lost about $700,000 in wages and productivity (their estimate was $60K/hour for the users on that floor). The problem? A packet storm from a faulty port on a router. We felt like Gods when we diagnosed it but any dummy with a sniffer could have seen it.

Go with SCSI!!! DO IT DO IT DO IT!!! hehehee

[silencio]

Oh ya, if you do go with SCSI RAID, make sure the card is compatible with your board.

[Stalemate]

Excellent advice all-around.

I'd also tend to go with a brand name server instead of building my own (not that I couldn't build a bomb of a machine for the same price!) just for the maintenance and support the big boys can offer.

Also, for a server I would shy away from onboard NICs (even from the big names) and go with Intel or 3Com cards instead.

I don't recall seeing what apps this server would run, so I'm assuming it'S nothing critical. If it is, and a backup of the night before is sufficient, than maybe you can get by using IDE. Otherwise, think RAID and SCSI, you'll never regret the extra monay you spend on that.

As for its many roles, I'd also tend to have a seperate machine handling printing and/or DC services seperately.