[ale] Source for Inexpensive, Quiet, Low-Power, rackmount server?

[simontek at gmail.com]

Newegg sells a atom based 1U. 
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-----Original Message-----
From: "Ron Frazier (ALE)" <atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com>
Sender: ale-bounces at ale.org
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:10:43 
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts<ale at ale.org>
Reply-To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
Subject: Re: [ale] Source for Inexpensive, Quiet, Low-Power,
	rackmount server?

Derek,

This is not specific to your query, but you might want to check 

twit.tv/twich - This week in computer hardware podcast - a great source for hardware info

and

pcper.com - Pc Perspectives - another great source for hardware info, often quoted on twich.  Check out their leaderboard for ideas on system building at different price levels.

Sincerely,

Ron


Derek Atkins <derek at ihtfp.com> wrote:

>JD,
>
>Before I respond inline I want to point out that I think you missed the
>point of my request, and definitely missed all the details.  I am
>trying
>to build a rackmount MySQL server, so all my requests are based on that
>point.  You seemed to latch on to the fact that I mentioned MythTV, but
>you missed the part where I said that I want to offload MySQL *from*
>MythTV..  Which is surprising since it was the first sentence I wrote.
>
>To be more clear:  I am looking to build a rackmount, low-power,
>low-noise
>MySQL server that will serve many other services located on other boxes
>on
>my network.
>
>More inline..
>
>On Tue, October 16, 2012 2:19 pm, JD wrote:
>> On 10/16/2012 11:52 AM, Derek Atkins wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I'm looking to offload my MySQL server off my MythTV hardware and
>onto
>>> its own server box.  This instance of MySQL handles not only MythTV
>data
>>> but also my Maia Mailguard, Zarafa, Gallery, and possibly other
>>> services.
>>
>> No. Recording TV takes more CPU that you'd expect. If you add in
>> transcoding,
>> you'll need at least a Core2Duo CPU.
>>
>> If you remove the TV recording and transcoding, then an Atom-level
>box
>> would be
>> fine.
>
>While irrelevant to the question at hand, my MythTV data sources are
>all
>HD-Homerun boxes, and I do not perform any transcoding.  But that is
>irrelevant to MySQL.   Myth uses MySQL for lots of things, including
>jump
>tables, schedules, etc.  I want to move it to separate hardware to
>"spread
>the load".
>
>>> I'd like something relatively quiet because it's living in my house,
>not
>>> in some rackspace machine room. I'd prefer to have 8GB of ram but
>all
>>> the Atom boxes I've found seem to max out at 4 (although I can
>aquire
>>> one for about $450 with an D2500HN Atom Dual Core 1.86GHz/4GB/160GB
>>> 5400RPM).
>>
>> You can build an Atom-base (or AMD E-something) for less than $200
>with
>> 4GB of
>> RAM and a picoPSU (100% silent PSU). There is no need for even 4GB of
>RAM
>> to run
>> all those things, including Zarafa.  Running the enterprise email
>process
>> on
>> there makes 1-2GB needed, but everything else will fit in 512MB. If
>you
>> use
>> straight postfix and dovecot, the email part will easily fit in 384MB
>-
>> easily.
>>  This assumes no more than 10 email users.  4G is fine.  Don't know
>> anything
>> about mailguard requirements.
>
>Again, I'm only asking about running MySQL.  All these services already
>have homes, but they use a single MySQL database server that happens to
>currently live on my MythTV server.  Again, I want to separate MySQL
>out
>to its own box, leaving the services running where they are.
>
>Could you give me pointers to where I can get the appropriate mobo,
>cpu,
>ram, and rackmount case for less than $200!?!  NewEgg URLS are great. 
>Personally I haven't found any rackmount solutions for $200.
>
>>> Has anyone found any good sources for inexpensive servers?
>>
>> When they call something a "server", add $200-$5000 to the real
>price.
>
>Sure, but it's hard to search on "rackmount".  Preferably I'd like a 1U
>or
>2U box.  I did find a 1/2 2U box for about $450 shipped.  But it only
>supports 4GB RAM.  Maybe that would be enough, but RAM is king for
>databases, right?
>
>> I've
>> found some newegg APU + steel case bundles for Atom-class systems and
>> cases for
>> $100. $30 for 4GB of RAM and $50 for the picoPSU, reuse an old HDD
>and you
>> are
>> golden for $180.  No transcoding or TV tuner.  For the TV tuners, I
>love
>> the
>> network-baed HDHR models.  Then it doesn't matter where the recording
>> happens on
>> your network.  I record using a virtual machine.
>
>Again, I'm building a MySQL box, not MythTV.  Could you point me to the
>NewEgg URLs for these deals?  My searching hasn't resulted in anything
>useful.
>
>>> I was also considering an SSD for this application.  Do you experts
>feel
>>> that would help my application speeds?
>>
>> No, not at all, but others will have a completely different take. 
>Video
>> streaming does not demand the costs that an SSD requires. A large HDD
>is
>> more
>> important, it doesn't need to be fast.
>
>When does MySQL perform video streaming?  I was thinking that MySQL
>would
>benefit from the speed of reads from the disk.  But I don't know if
>MySQL
>is generally I/O bound, memory bound, or CPU bound.
>
>> If you want a TV tuner and transcoding, you can find used (off lease)
>C2D
>> boxes
>> for about $200, but the PSU will probably be too noisy for a living
>room
>> environment.
>
>Thanks, but irrelevant.
>
>> I'd avoid the entire "server" line, unless you are just trying to get
>> something
>> that looks cool and different for the house.
>
>I want something I can mount in my rack.
>
>Thanks,
>
>-derek


--

Sent from my Android Acer A500 tablet with bluetooth keyboard and K-9 Mail.
Please excuse my potential brevity.

(To whom it may concern.  My email address has changed.  Replying to former
messages prior to 03/31/12 with my personal address will go to the wrong
address.  Please send all personal correspondence to the new address.)

(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new email messages very quickly.)

Ron Frazier
770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
linuxdude AT techstarship.com


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