[rescue] Re: Resurrecting an IBM RS/6000 model 590

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Mon, 9 Feb 2004, Gavin Hubbard wrote:

> I've just been asked to de-install three unwanted R50 servers on behalf of a
> govt site (they're configured as two 4-way and one 8-way machines). There
> is also a stack of associated SSA equipment (mainly 9GB sleds).

If you get to take it home, you might want to do that.  The SSA stuff
resells quite well.  The R50s are also nice boxes if you have room for
them, power to feed them, and A/C to cool them.

> Apologies for my ignorance of RS/6000 servers, but what is the approximate
> power per MIP rating on these systems?

They're big, ugly, power-hungry, and quite fast.  They scale from
uniprocessor 604e at 200MHz to eight-way SMP 604e at 200MHz.  The frame runs
on 220VAC, but the individual shelves probably run on 110VAC, so you can
likely hack it to work with a beefy powerstrip.

> Are they cost effective to run in a private capacity?

Realize whom you're asking. :)

In all seriousness, though, no they're not a good RS/6000 home system
unless you really have wood for AIX on big SMP hardware.  They'd even be
a hard sell on me (unless they were free) because I'd want anything that
big to be RS64 or bigger.

-- 
Jonathan Patschke  ) "Some people grow out of the petty theft of
Elgin, TX         (   childhood.  Others grow up to be CEOs and
USA                )  politicians."                    --Phorist