Buying a Server

[Ph30nIX]

Basically I want to buy a server to store my files, and possibly run gaming servers. I have found a few options which tend to come up quite regualary on the online auction site dola.com.au, of which the warehouse is in my city.

Atm there are 3 options im looking at:
1) 2x700mhz, 512mb ram, 169.2gb scsi drives (10 drives total)2psu.
2) 2x700mhz, 4gb ram, 27.3gb scsi drives (3 drives total)3psu.
3) 4x700mhz, 2gb ram, 36.4gb scsi drivers (2 drives toal) 2psu.

The balance I see is really: CPU vs RAM vs STORAGE, and most of there go fairly cheaply.

The primary purpose for me would be to store files, and I an fairly sure that the ones with 2 processors can accomadate the 4cpus ( 1) and 2) are compaq Proliant Ml570) and 3) is a compaq proliant dl580.

If the Mi570's could take 4cpus, in your opinions do you think I should maybe buy 1 and 2 then just transfer all into one case, or go for 2 or 3 and just install a ide/sata pci controller assuming they dont have onboard ports.

I really dont know anything about servers at this point in time, and I couldnt find out whether or not they have pci or ide/sata ports.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Regards,
Ph30nix

 

[Nodsu]

HP (Compaq) supplies very thorough datasheets for their servers. Just see the support section and put in the server model numbers.

SMP systems work only with identical processors and you need VRMs for the CPUs too. So if you intend to take the processors from one machine and put in the other, make sure that the CPUs are indeed identical. And the VRMs have to fit in the mobo too

If you intend to put IDE/ATA drives in these, make sure there actually is room for any 3.5" devices. It could be that all the space you have is for hotswap SCSI drives and a CD-ROM.

 

[Ph30nIX]

The first problem I had was finding those manuals, but searching the discontinued products I found them! Both the server types appear to have pci slots, and also and IDE connector for the CD-ROM (which I'm assuming could take a ide-hdd). Im always up for a little case modification so I'm not totally worried that there might not be alot of room inside.

Im pretty sure the 2 ml570s are identical, and they have more capacity and the 4gb ram, so if they can take 4 processors mabye its worth combining them together?

I know for a fact that you are very intelligible Nodsu, what do you think would be a good course of action to take?

Edit: Further research has confirmed these boards have 4 processor slots

 

[Nodsu]

Sure, if you have the money, then buying the two similar systems will give you most flexibility. Plus you get tons of RAM and disk space

You may run into problems with processing power with the gaming stuff. A non-multithreaded application will be stuck on a single 700MHz CPU and even with multiple threads, every one of these will have 700MHz max. Combine that with the older slower RAM.. Well, I suppose the result will depend on your specific game and the number of players.

Also, What OS are you going to run on that thing? Desktop Windows versions do not support more than 2 processors.

Oh, and don't assume IDE Just Works like on PCs.. You may have to explicitly enable stuff in the BIOS to get it going. You probably lack large IDE drive support too.

 

[Ph30nIX]

The games was only a possibility, it reality it probably wouldnt happen that often anyway.

I didnt know about the desktop windows only supporting 2 cpus. Does Server2003 support more? Or would I have to run a linux distro?

Edit: Had a look for some OSes and appears as though most of the windows server distros can support 4cpus.

 

[Samstoned]

you will need to run W2K advanced for 4 processors
or W3K
don't know if that was mentioned
check MS for licensing servers
I don't know if XP Pro will work
it may I have 2 xeons that are HT and it see's 4 cpu's
if running reg OS set the machine to backgound services,if it seems to slow

 

[tipstir]

Run the
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition

 

[Ph30nIX]

I know that windows server 2003 and 2000 advanced can support 4, im guessing that yours sees 4 because HT is supported, which is a different sort of scenario. Im thinking I might just buy the 2 same model ones and combine, then perhaps create some sort of fish tank with the emtpy case .