CPU/Mobo AMD Server Config

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J

Josh

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Hi Guys,
This is my first post and i need help from you Tech Gurus.
I am building a server to host some sites - web , mail , ftp etc.... I want your help to finalise the configuration. The traffic will be low to medium and mail handling around 100 -150 mails per day. It is mostly for my college and friend circle. I am going to host it on Linux, Perl, PHP, Apache, Exim etc... So i dont need very high processor. Server bottlenecks will be Network , Harddisk and RAM. I have mostly finalised the following ( please correct me if wrong ) :

Processor : AMD - 64 3200 +
RAM : 2 x 512 Transend DDR - 400
Harddisk : either Cheetah SATA 10 K or Raptor SATA 10 K - 60GB
(Backup will be over network so can leave the second HDD for now)

I need your help for basically the Mobo , Cabinet and PSU. Mobo need not have SLI support or anything because i will not be installing x. But it should have good onboard VGA. Should have Gigabit LAN, SATA connector 2/4.
Please guide me and correct me anywhere you feel.

Budget : MOBO - 6000 - 8000
Cabinet + PSU - 4000

Also check out DELL. Nice but RAM and HDD are bottlenecks.
http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/featured_server5?c=in&l=en&s=bsd

Thanks you...
AJ
 
Welcome to TE mate :D !

Some minor changes :

AMD Opteron 144 (Its basically a server processor so its tested for 24x7x365) - 9k

MSI RS482 (No other choice, else ASUS A8N-E w/ 6200TC)

HDD - Of your choice, what you have mentioned is good enough.

RAM - Atleast 2GB (1Gbx2), good enough for future. - 4.1k per GB

Cabinet : ZB-01 (Not sure of price)

PSU - Vantec Ion2 460W - 3.7k
 
Anish said:
Welcome to TE mate :D !

Some minor changes :

AMD Opteron 144 (Its basically a server processor so its tested for 24x7x365) - 9k
MSI RS482 (No other choice, else ASUS A8N-E w/ 6200TC)
Cabinet : ZB-01 (Not sure of price)
PSU - Vantec Ion2 460W - 3.7k
Click to expand...

Thank you....Great to be here....
Good suggestion about Opteron.....completely missed it...
:hap2:
 
No probs josh.anu :D

Were here to help you anytime you need it :)

Do post and Intro here

Hope to see you more often and keep us updated on your server :D
 
The ZB-01 is a "BIT" tooooo Big.

Go with something smaller.

How is the Server Hosting company Charging you?

By Rack space or Data Transfer?
 
goldenfrag said:
The ZB-01 is a "BIT" tooooo Big.
Go with something smaller.

How is the Server Hosting company Charging you?
By Rack space or Data Transfer?
Click to expand...

Hope to host it Myself. Have got decent Unlimited Broadband , and bought a static IP. So no problems hosting i believe .... Correct me i am wrong anywhere...
Looked at ZB-01...will check that out...:D
 
well i'd say u can get intel platform look at the asus 975 mobo that is known as the WM platform workstation platform i guess.
ithas incredible onboard ooptions along with good cpu support it even supports conroe.
thats story with intel.
for amd get sli mobos sli premium or w.e. i dunno but it feels good to be secure. or look at the k8 series of asus server mobos for opterons. problem here is they all are two way server mobos while the asus intel one is one way.
but whatever you do get good hdd and ups yes get minimum 1500va apc ups since it has external battery option.
btw the way ur hosting it i doubt how much perfect uptime it will be and how much reliable it will be on long run.
normally running ftp apache is fine for a while but when u go pro handling confindential mails u definitely need dedicated box with deicated company.[i feel it more better]
If you want i can talk with www.linuxjunkies.in admin hes my friend and i think he works for a webhosting company. all the best.
 
yeah i know i wuda have got tht but since i got opty i had to stick with a8n32 for 14.5k :bleh:..but man hes running a server not a fto but a 24/7 realtime reliable server tht'll host pop etc etc .. it have to be some reliabilities!!
 
x86 said:
for amd get sli mobos sli premium or w.e. i dunno but it feels good to be secure. or look at the k8 series of asus server mobos for opterons. problem here is they all are two way server mobos while the asus intel one is one way.
Click to expand...

I didnt get the two way and one way thing.... are you talking about memory ???
:huh: .... I got UPS Backup and all... I work for a hosting company myself.... rmd.com ( figure out rmd... have NDA's...) Not to worry about uptimes....unless hacked very badly....server will be pretty secure....
I need a machine for web/mail/ftp server guys.... Dont you think you are betting on pretty much top of the line stuff... Come on with my traffic even a PIII will server the purpose.. I dont think Processor will be a bottle neck in low traffic/ mail / ftp situation. HDD is pretty good... 10K rpm SATA gives seek time of 4.3ms.... Network is good.... RAM i will increase as pointed out by Anish.. Come on i think we should be able to narrow down on a Mobo with good FSB and Memory Support... I prefer AMD based platforms... Finalised on Opetron 114...
Good mobo is the requirement.... With great FSB ( > 800 ) and good memory support....
Hey Techies Can we debate that one server mobo ???
Even DELL Config posted earlier is OK... RAM can be increases but all in all a decent config for SBS... What do ya Techies say ????:huh: :huh: :huh:
 
^^ I'd say the config I'd suggested is perfect.

@ x86 - What's your point ? Intel's more reliable than AMD ?

Also what's the point in getting a SLI mobo for a server ? Its not that nForce 4 SLi is more reliable than nForce 4 Ultra :P
 
Sorry thats Opteron 144...
Also one more thing i will also be running Database server...
What i read on Net suggested that for plain www or email or FTP , processor is not necessarily the bottleneck as much as Disk Speed is... But since i will also be running Server side includes, Perl, PHP ... these will need a bit of processing... But MySQL will need good processor and oddles of RAM and HDD access time... I completely agree with Opteron 144... Really a good processor...
Also i mean the Hardware + Software eventually decides the RELIABILITY... Linux does not natively support SATA since most SATA HDD come with their own Driver Disks....You have to compile the kernel.... This is a more of trial and error stuff... So if somehow i come to a good server config and get good uptimes will sure post my results...
Tell me your views Techies and lets get a good discussion going on here....:D :D ....
Intel also has Xeon but have finalised on Opteron....
Hope i am not bugging too much...:no:
 
Well in Socket 939 you wont find any "server" mobo as such since this segment is targetted primarily at Gamers/Overclockers.

Hence the A8N-E is an excellent, pocket pleasing options, and comes with ASUS reliability. You other choice would be the MSI Neo4 Platinum (I feel A8N-E is more VFM)..

As for Xeon, hmm.. haven't really seen one here, they need ECC memory (which also I haven't seen here ;))
 
Anish said:
^^ I'd say the config I'd suggested is perfect.

@ x86 - What's your point ? Intel's more reliable than AMD ?

Also what's the point in getting a SLI mobo for a server ? Its not that nForce 4 SLi is more reliable than nForce 4 Ultra :P
Click to expand...

see the matter is its not amd intel.
he wanted a rock solid and good mobo.
i said intel 975 he can alkways upgrade to a conroe later thats it.
and as of amd goes i dunno how stable the a8n-e is say if it runs continously for 15 days or more... juss my 2 bets.
but if its normal server a a8n-e and normal opty 144 is enuff.
 
Ahem.. I know a person running a server on a Athlon XP with an MSI nForce 2 board.

His current uptime (i called him today morning) was 1.6 years.
 
goldenfrag said:
Joe, that way, the P5LD2 can also support Conroe :bleh:...
Its LGA775 only :|.
Click to expand...

No the Conroe will not work on existing 975 boards itself so the P5LD2 is out of the question. Conroe needs a few upgrades to current 975 mobos.
 
The reliability is very tricky world.

My friend is running the Krypton(Biostar 6100-M9) and 3000+ for last 14 days straight since i installed it at his place. Yet to give a glitch. I have gone on ASUS A8n Sli dlx more than a week without shutting it down, i dont ever shut down my pc, at most a reboot if i reinstall drivers or benchmarking is concerned. All system i have used have ran preety much 24x7, the PC is designed to be 24x7 and i have seen preety cheap hardware last long.

A8n-e, K8n are quality boards, shouldnt have any problem running 24x7, and honestly any 975 board has same chance of failing as any NF4 board, they dont have any exceptional quality advantage as much.

If you wana keep cost minimum for this server you can go for Opteron 144, 1 gig ram.

I am hoping you dont intend to overclock this machine as i dont see any point. In that case you can reduce the budget on the motherboard and get something like Biostar 6100-m9 or MSI RS482 and increase a budge on Cabinet and PSU and go for quality PSU. Honestly faulty PSU is the reason for more failures and downtimes than anything else. I would say nice SP 400 will do in this case, wont put too much big hole in your pocket but will be better than say powersafe in terms of reliability.

Also do consider going for Raid 1 setup for the sake of data security.
 
Funky, the reason I didn't suggest the Biostar was that he needed Gigabit LAN and since it is a server he may need more HDD's (Biostar has only 2 SATA ports)
 
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