Comments on: Is it time for a new server yet? http://blog.xcski.com/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet Everything I used to bore people on newsgroups and mailing lists with, now in one inconvenient place. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:11:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Barry Price http://blog.xcski.com/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet#comment-1710 Barry Price Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:07:11 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet#comment-1710 Debian is rock solid for servers, but be aware that if recent events are anything to go by (sarge was <b>years</b> late releasing), you might end up with an inconveniently out-of-date system and no simple solution. Sure, being a minor version behind with the kernel or bash isn't too bad, but woody users were stuck with apache 1.3, php3 and exim 3 years after they were all-but obsolete. Obviously you can roll your own packages, and there's always backports, but then you arguably lose a little of the stability that Debian's famous for... Debian is rock solid for servers, but be aware that if recent events are anything to go by (sarge was years late releasing), you might end up with an inconveniently out-of-date system and no simple solution.

Sure, being a minor version behind with the kernel or bash isn’t too bad, but woody users were stuck with apache 1.3, php3 and exim 3 years after they were all-but obsolete.

Obviously you can roll your own packages, and there’s always backports, but then you arguably lose a little of the stability that Debian’s famous for…

]]> By: Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet#comment-1709 Paul Tomblin Tue, 28 Feb 2006 17:27:16 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet#comment-1709 James, I currently run Fedora Core 4, but since I almost never use it as a desktop any more (it starts in runlevel 3 and I do a "startx" when I want it) I was thinking of going to Debian, just because it seems easier to install without X with Debian. Then I could maybe dual boot my GameOS box on the rare occassions when I need a Linux desktop. James, I currently run Fedora Core 4, but since I almost never use it as a desktop any more (it starts in runlevel 3 and I do a “startx” when I want it) I was thinking of going to Debian, just because it seems easier to install without X with Debian. Then I could maybe dual boot my GameOS box on the rare occassions when I need a Linux desktop.

]]> By: James http://blog.xcski.com/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet#comment-1708 James Tue, 28 Feb 2006 17:19:11 +0000 http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/2006/02/28/is-it-time-for-a-new-server-yet#comment-1708 Instead of dual processors, would you consider dual core? You can get 1-series Opterons in a 939 pin form factor, meaning they fit into most consumer motherboards, and you don't have to pay the premium for registered RAM. For real hardware SATA RAID, I'd recommend the Areca 1210 (4 port) or 1220 (8 port) PCIe controllers, since they've got a high-speed RAID processor onboard, and will fit in a PCIe 16x slot (either the main one and get a PCI video card or in the second slot on a SLI-capable board). Personally I couldn't justify the cost of a hardware RAID controller, as Linux's sofware RAID support (both 0+1 and 5)is plenty fast on recent processors. Hotswap isn't quite as hands-off, but you only need 3 commands to replace a failed disk. What OS are you going to run? I regularly do installs of debian onto LVM on software RAID, with a standalone /boot. Instead of dual processors, would you consider dual core? You can get 1-series Opterons in a 939 pin form factor, meaning they fit into most consumer motherboards, and you don’t have to pay the premium for registered RAM.

For real hardware SATA RAID, I’d recommend the Areca 1210 (4 port) or 1220 (8 port) PCIe controllers, since they’ve got a high-speed RAID processor onboard, and will fit in a PCIe 16x slot (either the main one and get a PCI video card or in the second slot on a SLI-capable board).

Personally I couldn’t justify the cost of a hardware RAID controller, as Linux’s sofware RAID support (both 0+1 and 5)is plenty fast on recent processors. Hotswap isn’t quite as hands-off, but you only need 3 commands to replace a failed disk.

What OS are you going to run? I regularly do installs of debian onto LVM on software RAID, with a standalone /boot.

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