1U Server Combo

[Chuck Yerkes]

Quoting Dean Kao (nouveaux at lightconsulting.com):
> 	I'm looking to setup a personal 1U server and I'm not too
> interested/cant afford the mainstream commercial setups (Compaq,
> Dell).  Anyone have any experience and know of any setups that
> works out pretty good (motherboard/chassis).  

Sure.  Used/ebay.

> I'd like dual power supply setup and a minimal requirement.  
> No preference on Intel/AMD.

Dual PS.  In a 1U.  Good luck.

1U=1 3/4 inches.  Not a lot of room.  Intel boxes make heat.
So you need fans and you need not candy-ass power supplies
(heat and cheap power are the big PeeCee killers).

You don't have room for two.

They are LOUD.

Friend found a 1U chassis and put a mobo in and has fought cooling
from the start.  Seems the SIMMS block the air flow over the CPU
with front -> back cooling.  He's screwing around with plastic bits
to guide air and such.  Spending lots of time.

I picked up a VA-Linux 1U for under $600.  2CPU, its now got enough
RAM.  I had pretty timing.

A new Netra T1 (SunFire 120 or something now) has Lights Out
management (power it off and ON! via serial port).  With Enough
RAM, it's around $1500 (the 'starts at < $1k' is kind of a really
weak machine).  Runs BSD just wonderfully if you want a fast OS,
or Solaris if you want robustification of features.


Other options?  2U.  cheaper, more room, fewer fans.