Spec and suggestions for a linux server

Hodders

Hodders

Hodders

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We need a new server (Running Ubuntu 7 server 64bit edition).

The server will be running two or three vmware machines as well as the host OS so will need 8GB ram plus a stack of disks probably raid 10 for speed/redundancy.

The decision is between a dell server (3 year onsite warranty etc) or a server we build ourselves (maybe cheaper, but won't have the same level of warranty).

What would your suggestions be in terms of 1 quad core cpu or 2 dual core.

I would like to keep the budget down to as close to £1000 as possible ad any suggestions of hardware for compaitibility purposes would be great.

I would like to go with a self build but the warranty worries me.
 
With these sort of questions I say

Business Use = Buy One.

Home Use = Build Your Own.

If my home server goes down and I struggle to get up and running then it doesn't matter, if the business server goes down and I can't get running....

I believe you can even get Dell Support on the Ubuntu officially now so I would go with that.
 
To be honest your not gonna get that type of spec server for a grand. What are you planning on running on the VM's?

Quad core is better than dual core for VM's due to they way VMWare can use shared memory and cache between the vm machines. Do you really need 4 cores for 3 vm's and 1 host? if all 3 VM's are running 100% cpu then your better off with stand alone servers.

8GB ram is probably overkill for 2-3 VM's assuming no major memory hog applications, again vmware will share memory so the core OS files used by all 3 will be in physical ram only once.

The disks will really push up the cost, raid 10 means you only get 1 out of 4 disks in "usable" space so raid 5 will be way more efficient and faster.
 
Definitely go for an OEM server (Dell in this case) for business as you'll want the next-business day warranty. Depending on how quick you need the server there are rumours that Dell are preparing to offer Ubuntu as an official server option "soon".
 
While we're here I need to get a server able to handle 4+ TB of data, and be able to have 25MB files dumped on it at about 20 every minute, and able simulataneously handle reading them in pairs and dumping back a 50MB file back onto the disks.


Am I looking at something like a 4 or 6 or 8 disk SATA RAID0 array with 2 x 1 GBps NIC's?

I would like a degree of redundancy if possible, would RAID 5 with hot spare affect performance much?
 
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Byt reminding our account manager how much business we put through them, I managed to get a:

PowerEdge PE840
 1st CPU - Xeon X3210
No 2nd CPU
3 years next business day warranty
2GB DDR2 (2x1GB) (I will add more ram myself)
Perc 5/i Raid controller
Raid 5
1st HDD 750GB Sata Hot Plug
2nd HDD 750GB Sata Hot Plug
3rd HDD 750GB Sata Hot Plug
48x CDRW/DVD drive
No Floppy
No Keyboard
No Mouse
No Monitor
No OS

For £980 ex VAT which seems pretty decent !

Looks like that will be the option we'll go for.
 
Yeah, I went for something a bit larger:
PowerEdge 2600 Xeon, 4GB, 2x SAS HD 2x Gbps NICS Win2k3

with a MD1000 Direct attached storage with 15x 500GB in RAID5 for about 7TB of very fast storage.

cost somwhere between 5-7 grand...
 
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