Help with making a server

[Oboy]

OK the biggest need out of everything, It must run stable! I don’t wont my wife bitching at me about what a POS I made!

Just so you know, it will be intel based, why! I need the stock to go up so I can retire!
What this server will be doing is just running one type of software for her office. It’s a database driven software.
How fast does the server need to go? I hoping that the main software that will need to be used will run under W2K so it will be multi tasking. So running a duel cpu configuration may be the way for me to go, so with that in mind what motherboard, both single and duel. I will be using a SCSI hard drive but what manufacture, how much ram should I put in it, video card will be something cheep. Not going to worry about putting in a RAID card, I will backing up the main data on a Jazz disk.

So give me your ideas.
1. CPU speed. It doesn’t need to be a rocket ship, just something that will handle up to 10 –12 workstations
2. Motherboard, both single and duel. Like to try something other than Abit.
3. What manufacture for SCSI HD.
4. How much ram.
5. Am I missing something?


Thank you for all your help!

Oboy

[xortam]

How much storage are you talking about? I wouldn't think its much if you're able to backup to a Zip disk. I wonder if you really need a dual CPU setup if you're dealing with a small database. I imagine the database software probably could take advantage of an MP system though. I've had great luck with IBM Ultrastar SCSI drives. I don't know that's there's been much problems reported on those drives though I haven't checked lately.

[KeiFront]

1 Lets say 2X 500 Mhz should be enough for a database driven software.

2 Just get a good intel BX board, stability 10/10.

3 IBM is still (currently) the best SCSI brand.

4 depends on the database 256 MB EEC or 512 MB EEC.

5

Am I missing something?

An old Matrox videocard (Millenium II or a G100 or G200)

[KvHagedorn]

I would never ever buy another IBM product. They screwed us all with the 75GXP, so I say screw them!

I have 3 scsi hard drives, all Seagate Cheetahs. Don't even think about calling the IBMs better. Get an SCA module and a 73 GB Seagate ST373405LC drive. It's the state of the art server drive at the moment. SCA is sweet, sweet, sweet. If you ever have to swap out or add a drive, just slide out a tray and there it is.

I don't know why you would trust your data to a Jaz drive, Oboy. Those things are as unreliable as hell. I would rather get a second hard drive and mirror to it at backup time. Much faster as well. The other way is to use a CDRW.

I have a machine that would do well as a server right now. It's based upon a Tyan Thunderbolt GX motherboard with dual PIII 600s. Dual channel SCSI built in. Tyan makes a good array of Intel and AMD server boards, and if you must have Intel, Supermicro does as well. Get a board with DUAL CHANNEL SCSI if possible. This way you can run legacy devices on one channel (CD Rom, CDRW) while your drives have free reign on the other channel and aren't limited to legacy speed.

[Dilitante1]

I have seen a few of these......

http://liquidationetc.safeshopper.com/41/15376.htm?952

stable boards imo.....

-pickle


single cpu board

[Dogbert]

For sake of upgradability I'd go with:

Asus A7M266-D
2x cheapest Athlon MP cpu
2x 256MB DDR

A nice affordable scsi controller

ADAPTEC SPCI-2940U2W
or
ADAPTEC PCI-29160N (32bit)
or
ADAPTEC ASC-39160U3W (64bit)

Good luck

[Ali]

If its a real server, go Intel motherboard, or Tyan.

I would recommend going for 2 hard drives, and software mirroring them, costs only a littel more, but you have a huge peace of mind benifit.

IBM SCSI hard drives are Very very stable, their IDE ones went through a bad spell, but then again, the IDE ones are designed and manufactured by a different division of IBM (from what Ive heard).

You wont need much in the way of CPU, Im running 23 users off a dual P2 266 server at the moment. Its the hard drives and RAM that makes for speed in most DB applications.

The Jazz is a little iffy. Nice and easy, but not that reliable. I would look at getting a 3rd SCA hard drive, and running a live mirror onto it at the end of the day, then sticking it in a fire-data safe.

For RAM, 256 ECC minimum, if you can afford it, full the motherboard up to the brim. ONLY BUY ECC!! It will save you a lot of head aches.

Make sure you get a quality power supply, and you MUST run a UPS. Not only do you get the unattended shut down, but you also get the power filtering, which can save a lot of money.

Save on a monitor, and use a KVM, if you are lucky you could get on-board video. Sound isnt needed, but a floppy is (still). If you are going to put a CD-RW into it, there is no real need to go SCSI on a dual board, as the chance of saturating the cpus is quite low.

Ali

[KvHagedorn]

IBM SCSI hard drives are Very very stable, their IDE ones went through a bad spell, but then again, the IDE ones are designed and manufactured by a different division of IBM (from what Ive heard).

You are utterly unacquainted with the concept of principles, aren't you?

Seagate's the real leader in the field, and customer service there IS customer service. At IBM they blow smoke up your ass if you need help or are dissatisfied (basically the "**** you, I've got your money" attitude.) I know, I've dealt with both companies.

Ali's other points are extremely valid, however.. registered ECC ram enhances stability substantially, and you would not want to be without a UPS. You might get a bit more computing power though, simply because it would probably actually be cheaper in the long run. You might not need it now, but who knows about the future? And stuff the thing full of memory, too.. you'll thank me for that advice in a few years. Ever priced buffered EDO DIMMs for a Pentium Pro server upgrade? Legacy support can be expensive. I would go ahead and load up on RAM while it's cheap. You'll give the machine a much greater effective lifespan.

As for SCSI, the primary reason to buy a SCSI hard drive is reliability. They are simply built better. With a 5 year warranty and a MTBF of 1,200,000 hours, you can't go wrong on that score. They HAVE to build SCSI drives better.. if something like the 75GXP fiasco happened to IBM's SCSI line, they would have lawsuits from corporations all over the place. Even a giant like IBM can't afford that.

[GT98]

I've had two 60GB IBM SCSI drives crap out on me in the past 4 months at my site...with an additional 3-4 at other sites in the USA. I would go with the Seagate Drives myself.

Scott

[Ali]

Originally posted by KvHagedorn


You are utterly unacquainted with the concept of principles, aren't you?

not realy, Just Ive had good experiance with IBM myself, and dont like to base all my buying decissions off other peoples experiances.

Ive been treated well by IBM, and never had a drive go bad. Ive had two Seagates go bad, but they were good about replacements, so dont hold it against them.

Ali

[Dogbert]

Well, we can learn one thing: different countries & different representatives = very different service.

Better check which company gives the best service in your area.