Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2001 04:02:11 -0400 From: Paul Chvostek <paul@it.ca> To: Edwin Culp <eculp@EnContacto.Net> Cc: freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Server recommendation for co-location. Message-ID: <20011010040211.A36943@gahch.it.ca> In-Reply-To: <1001470583.3bb13a7799dd4@Mail.SavvyWorld.Net>; from eculp@EnContacto.Net on Tue, Sep 25, 2001 at 07:16:23PM -0700 References: <1001470583.3bb13a7799dd4@Mail.SavvyWorld.Net>
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Hi Edwin. On the basis of your specs, I infer that you have unlimited cash. :) I have three things to add to your equation. Since this box will be mostly inaccessible, you should probably allocate at least two drives as spares in your RAID. Having one spare is obvious, but you really don't want to have to do repairs to this unit even *after* a failure if you can help it, and one more drive is (relatively) cheap. Which brings us to the second point. I've just been probing the list regarding a problem I'm having with a Dell PowerEdge that has a MegaRAID controller in it. I can't find any way to have the RAID controller tell FreeBSD that there's a problem, without doing hardware mods that void the warranty on the unit. (I'm still looking.) If you plan to buy a brand-name box (Dell, IBM, whatever), MAKE SURE that the configuration you're using includes the ability to report drive (and fan and heat) problems to the operating system. The man page for ports/sysutils/healthd lists a number of monitoring chipsets for the basic stuff, but I don't know where you'd look for the RAID, unless you don't mind the performance hit and are comfortable running vinum. The third point ... is that you want remote access to this box at all times. The Dell PowerEdge server I installed yesterday has a BIOS setting that apparently lets the unit spew its CMOS config interface through the serial port. For a less vendor-specific solution, check out http://www.realweasel.com/. It's an awesome product. When you complete your research, please let the list know. I'm sure lots of us will be interested in your findings. p On Tue, Sep 25, 2001 at 07:16:23PM -0700, Edwin Culp wrote: > > I need to co-locate a server in Singapore so reliability is > important:-). I am thinking of something with a ServerWorks > LE-based board, multiprocessor, but with one P-III Xeon to > start, running at from 700 Mhz to 1,000 Mhz, 2Gb initial ram, > an extremely well ventilated box with multiple, hot swap, > power supplies 500-750 watts, each. I would like to have a > Raid 10 array with from .5 TB to 1 TB initially. > I find the 3ware escalade 64 bit, switched, 7000 series to be a a > very compelling solution but I remember seeing a thread not long > ago about it having pretty serious problems in one installation, > but I've also heard some very good things about it. Does anyone > know of a solid raid 10 SCSI solution for FreeBSD? > > All suggestions appreciated especially about 3ware, motherboard, > drives, etc. If I remember the drives that were having problems > in the 3ware thread were IBM, so they are out. I was thinking > about maxtor, I've used several (7500 rpm) for a couple > of years with no problems. > > Now for the hard part, our finance guy wants to lease the equipment > and would prefer to buy from a supplier rather than build it in house.:-( > He obviously suggested, IBM, Dell, HP, Compaq, etc. etc. all of which > have more trade-offs than I would like to make. Does anyone know of a real > company that [could|would|does] build[s] something similar? > > Thanks, > > ed > > --- > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message -- Paul Chvostek <paul@it.ca> Operations / Development / Abuse / Whatever vox: +1 416 598-0000 IT Canada http://www.it.ca/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hardware" in the body of the message
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