[rescue] IBM RS6000 B50? Good? HP J6000?

[Mark]

On 9 Jun 2008, at 16:47, Ethan O'Toole wrote:

> I've toyed with the idea for a while of getting two boxes, so I can  
> add more HP-UX and IBM AIX skills to my resume.
>
> The IBM RS/6000 B50 seems like a cost effective, 2u rackmount system  
> that runs AIX. Is there anything faster/better in the same form  
> factor at the price point?

I can't comment on the HP thingy, but I have a B50 (7046, right?) and  
despite it's slightly meagre specs it is an excellent box for learning  
and goofing about with AIX on. AIX is like most old skool UNIXs. It's  
not slow (in the sense that it doesn't lock out, or grind to a halt or  
whatever) it's just steady. Have  a little patience and it's a great  
little box.

The other nice thing about the B50 is it's VERY quiet for a 2U rackie.  
I have mine on a shelf next to my desk at about knee height, it's got  
2 18GB 10k Cheetahs (the newer 2.5" platter type that are really  
quiet) and it's no worse than having a U60 or a Java Workstation sat  
next to me, in fact it's quieter than a U60. It's kind of a slab-like  
workstation from my perspective.

Mine has a basic framebuffer (GXP-130, AFAIK) in that'll do 8-bit at  
1280x1024 quite successfully. Unless you are planning on doing  
something insane like CAD on it this is more than sufficient. It's hi- 
res so you can get a good number of terminals on one screen, and it's  
fast, using CDE. That said, once you get it working you could install  
OpenSSH on it from somewhere and remote into it.

All in all it's a great box for lightweight meddling about on.


-- 
Mark Benson

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