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

keith smith klsmith2020 at yahoo.com
Fri Mar 15 22:28:24 MST 2013


WOW very nice.  I had not mentioned that I was hoping to keep the price down.  The laptops I use, were bought on sale for under $400 each.  

When I posed the question, I was thinking in that range.

My desktop is a Pavilion g6 running a AMD A4-3300 APU @ 1.9Ghtz and 4 Gig RAM.  My LAMP Dev server is a HP G61 HP G61-320US I think it has 3Gig RAM and and not so powerful AMD also. (both are laptops)  I made this move to see if my home office would be cooler during the summer and it has made a big difference.  Now with the E520 (mentioned below) my office is noticeably hotter.  

I decided to move my two low traffic websites to a server in my home office using my Cox Business account because of poor service at HostGator. I feel I can do a better job and will probably learn a lot doing this project.  

At this point I am using an old Dell E520 that was my old desktop until last year.  If this experiment works out I will want to buy or build a server.  I am on a shoestring though.   

If either of these sites were to get any real and sustainable traffic I would rent a server.  It seems it is less costly to rent a server than to co-lo. And the data center is responsible for the hardware.  Much better deal.  This is assuming I would be making enough off these websites to justify the additional expense.  

Thank you so much Harry for all your help!!

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

Keith Smith

--- On Fri, 3/15/13, Harry McGregor <micros at osef.org> wrote:

From: Harry McGregor <micros at osef.org>
Subject: Re: [Tfug] ECC (was Re: Using a Laptop as a server)
To: tfug at tfug.org
Date: Friday, March 15, 2013, 9:45 PM


  

    
  
  
    Hi,

      

      I am not finding that specific intel processor on any boards
      easily...  The only real board I am finding is a supermicro
      
      X9SBAA-F, which seems to be in the ~$250 ish if you can find it.

      

      A dual core (65watt max) AM3 processor will easily be faster then
      the Atom.  And quite possibly lower overall power, since it will
      be in idle mode more then the Atom.

      

      This is more then over kill for what you are doing, and could
      easily be cut down.

      

      The chassis must have either a fanless PSU or a PSU with a rear
      fan (not side)

      

      1x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811219042
      <--- 2U Chassis, great for sticking under a monitor, etc, and
      also in case you Co-Lo it later

      

      2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236343
      <--- linux MD Raid 1 for dirvish backup, and for "bulk" storage
      (possibly scripted to be turned off most of the time, could use a
      single drive instead of raid).

      

      2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820721106
      <--- linux MD Raid 1 for OS, Most web content and Databases

      

      2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820239370
      <--- 16GB unbuffered ECC memory (most server boards use
      registered ecc)

      

      2x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270093
      <--- Sata Cables, board comes with only 2

      

      1x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816119028
      <--- Mounting for SSDs

      

      1x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103953
      <--- 3.4GHz dual core AMD AM3 processor, 65watt max, and will
      idle very low

      

      1x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131795
      <--- MicroATX motherboard that officially supports ECC memory
      with AM3 and AM3+ processors, serial port is a big plus for a
      grub/linux serial console if needed in the future

      

      1x http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151097
      <--- expensive, but VERY efficient PSU, 80plus PLATINUM rated

      

      Total with shipping is under $850, I left out an optical drive,
      but there is physical space to put one in if needed

      

      -Harry

      

      On 3/15/13 8:56 PM, keith smith wrote:

    
    
      
        
          
            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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