[Tfug] ECC (was Re: Using a Laptop as a server)

[keith smith]

Wow what an interesting thread.

Thank you to everyone.

Here are some of the points:



1) The downside of a laptop is the issue of durability and
maintainability.  IME, they just aren't designed for long life.
And, aren't (as) easy to repair/replace (components) when they
*do* break.

2) Lack of ECC memory

3) Lack of redundant hard disk drives

4) Personally I would probably look at either the HP Microservers, or build something low power based on AM3+ cpus and ECC memory.  

5) Look for an 80+ silver or gold PSU, and the power usage should be similar to a laptop. 

6) HP's Microservers are great hardware, and frequently can be found <$300 on sale.  

7) AM3 stuff tend not to be low powered generally, unless you get into dual core.  

8) If you are really power concerned you might consider an Atom server processor
Alternatively Intel makes both a 17* and a 20 watt Xeon E3

9) SSDs

10) http://ark.intel.com/products/71267/Intel-Atom-Processor-S1260-1MB-Cache-2_00-GHz
2 cores, 4 threads, up to 8G Ram, 8.5 watt, and only $65 retail.  It even has Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

I had not thought about ECC in years.  Maybe over 10 years.  Not sure If I will in the future.  Checked with the data center where the servers are that I do my work on.  The data center owner said divers and power supplies were his main issue not ECC.  He said ECC can be an issue, however from his experience ECC memory is not worth the gain realized.

What made me thing was the question "What do you do with the info?".  I have no answer.  

I had not thought about building a low power server.  That would be the best of both worlds.  I may do that.  Not as much fun as using a NetBook running an Atom n2600 with 1G RAM.  That would be a cool project however given the processor runs at 1.6Ghtz and the drive runs at 5400 rpm, that might not be a long term solution for hosting a couple WordPress websites.  Cool project though.   

I was very intrigued by http://ark.intel.com/products/71267/Intel-Atom-Processor-S1260-1MB-Cache-2_00-GHz
2 cores, 4 threads, up to 8G Ram, 8.5 watt, and only $65 retail.  It even has Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

My question would be, would it be wise to run SSDs on a web server?  I'm sure that would make for a much faster server and much less heat, however is that a viable solution at this time?

Thank you all for a very interesting thread!!

Keith

------------------------



--- On Fri, 3/15/13, Bexley Hall <bexley401 at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Bexley Hall <bexley401 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Tfug] ECC (was Re: Using a Laptop as a server)
To: "Tucson Free Unix Group" <tfug at tfug.org>
Date: Friday, March 15, 2013, 1:34 AM

Hi Zack,

On 3/14/2013 10:00 PM, Zack Williams wrote:
> On Thu, Mar 14, 2013 at 7:56 PM, Bexley Hall<bexley401 at yahoo.com>  wrote:
>> What would you do if you started seeing four per day (Louis's figure)?
> 
> Check for radon.

OPen a window!

>> Or, 250 per day (Google's *measured* rate)?  Is your memory now "bad"?
> 
> Call SETI.
> 
> :)

Ha!

First Contact:  2078

Human:  "At last!  We've been able to contact you!"
Alien:  "Bah!  We've been sending you messages for 100
        of your Earth- years!"
Human:  (puzzled)  "What?  We've been monitoring every
        radio band from DC to light and haven't noticed
        *any* activity at all!"
Alien:  "You've been looking in the wrong places!  We've
        been persistently flashing your 'CHECK ENGINE' lights
        yet no one has seemed to notice..."

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