Dual Atom based server?

3dcandy · 31 Dec 2009 at 15:05

As 2010 starts I want to make a more energy efficient server, plus I reckon a Q6600 with 4 gb of ram and windows 7 64-bit is overkill! Question is, how good/well does a dual atom based server work with say Ubuntu Server 9.10?
Any ideas? Just needed for website development etc.

daz · 31 Dec 2009 at 15:22

What is the system going to be serving?

If you're just doing basic files (e.g. Samba) with not much else, an ordinary Atom will be fine for this. I'd recommend for optimum efficiency insalling without a GUI.

PermaBanned · 31 Dec 2009 at 15:30

Well, probably better than the alternatives.

3dcandy · 31 Dec 2009 at 15:52

It will run apache, mysql, and be a torrent download box too. doesn't need to run a gui, but just for ease I may keep a lightweight window manager going...

3dcandy · 31 Dec 2009 at 15:54

Ohh and probably run with 2 gig memory and a 1tb drive....might keep it optical driveless

Bigsy · 31 Dec 2009 at 17:53

Couple of years ago I bought barebones with a micro atx 945GM (ie it supports mobile cpus) stuck 3gb ram in it then just bought a mobile core duo (at the time it was a core duo 1) off ebay.

So many laptops get broke for spares on ebay that I have upgraded the cpu about 3 times in the last 2 years for virtually nothing now running a mobile T7200 core 2 duo which is probably overkill. Any mobile core 2 duo is going to kill an atom.

This route gives you more flexibility, more processing power (also visualization support if you get a mobile chip with it), will run 4gb if you want, easily upgradeable, and probably work out cheaper. Only down side is it it will be slightly more power hungry but only marginally so and certainly way less than what you have at present.

3dcandy · 31 Dec 2009 at 18:15

had thought about that, not seen many about though. also thought about butchering a laptop and going that way....however, I can rack mount a mini-itx based dual atom board very easily!

also, dual atom 330 support HT

whitecrook · 1 Jan 2010 at 04:24

3dcandy said:
It will run apache, mysql, and be a torrent download box too. doesn't need to run a gui, but just for ease I may keep a lightweight window manager going...

These sort of things will run on a Pentium II.

An atom will manage these things without even breaking a sweat. I have no idea why you are considering a dual atom ??

A single atom will be plenty powerful enough.

3dcandy · 1 Jan 2010 at 09:30

because it is only slightly more for a dual atom v a single and once it's up I'm after keeping it a few years. wattage is only slightly more too for dual core....

whitecrook · 1 Jan 2010 at 11:51

oh are you talking about a dual core atom? I thought you were talking about a dual atom machine.

mod1fied · 1 Jan 2010 at 15:15

I use an Atom 330 on Ubuntu server 9.1 with 2GB ram - not an ION setup.

I use it for mainly downloading, I have Sabnzb setup on there for newsgroups and works quite well. Parity repairing can take a while on huge files but it works quite well.

Samba shares and a full lamp stack also work quite well.

Spooter · 1 Jan 2010 at 16:40

Mine is...

Gigabyte GA-GC330UD
Intel Atom 330
Sugo SG06
2 GB PC2-6400
1.5TB Samsung Eco

I currently have Ubuntu Server 9.10 installed with the below software.

Firefly Media Server - Itunes Server
Samba Shares
Torrent downloads through transmission - installed but never really used
Mediatomb for streaming films to the PS3.

I use Webmin and SSH to manage it.

whitecrook · 1 Jan 2010 at 16:42

An net book or revo like thing is would be ideal for this, with 2 or 3 USB hard drives for storage. Is this what you guys are talking of or are these custom builds?

jellybeard999 · 1 Jan 2010 at 16:53

I run a dual core atom with hyperthreading and an nlited Windows Server 2003, plenty nippy for file serving, torrents etc.

3dcandy · 1 Jan 2010 at 19:59

3dcandy said:
because it is only slightly more for a dual atom v a single and once it's up I'm after keeping it a few years. wattage is only slightly more too for dual core....

yup, sorry if I didn't make it clear...

All info greatly appreciated guys. This machine (Q6600, 8gig ram, 1tb HDD etc.) is a bit power hungry to run 24/7

droyden · 3 Jan 2010 at 12:00

I'm also considering swapping our the hardware I use for my linux gateway which also has raid1 (2x500gb) running samba etc. Its currently a P4 in an old HP/Compaq machine which was retired from work. I was looking at these ion boxes aswell but wasnt sure if there were any limitations with them?

dangerstat · 3 Jan 2010 at 12:17

droyden said:
I'm also considering swapping our the hardware I use for my linux gateway which also has raid1 (2x500gb) running samba etc. Its currently a P4 in an old HP/Compaq machine which was retired from work. I was looking at these ion boxes aswell but wasnt sure if there were any limitations with them?

Well I've had mine for over a month, and it's fine, I use it as my main system. No problems with it at all.

droyden · 3 Jan 2010 at 13:42

That sounds good, how much did you manage to build it for?

dangerstat · 3 Jan 2010 at 13:52

droyden said:
That sounds good, how much did you manage to build it for?

It's a standard Asrock ION 330 (2GB / 320GB) which set me back £200

droyden · 3 Jan 2010 at 14:12

Can you stick in additional drives? I'd be looking to run a mirror again. Is that case etc too?