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

[Jeff Hubbs]

Did I misread, or wasn't he trying to just offload MySQL to another 
system?  My recollection is that MythTV doesn't use MySQL for the 
storage of video (interesting idea, to be sure) - just pointers to video 
files out in the filesystem.

If this is so, then 4GiB RAM would be hyperkill.

On 10/16/12 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.
>
>> 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.
>
>> Has anyone found any good sources for inexpensive servers?
> When they call something a "server", add $200-$5000 to the real price.  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.
>
>> 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.
>
> 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.
>
> I'd avoid the entire "server" line, unless you are just trying to get something
> that looks cool and different for the house.
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