[rescue] replacing an Ultra2

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Steve Sandau <ssandau at gwi.net>
>Date: 2007/04/17 Tue AM 05:03:51 CDT
>To: The Rescue List <rescue at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [rescue] replacing an Ultra2

<snip>

>This helps me think through my needs again, and makes me realize that I 
>am confusing what I want in a desktop with what I want in a server. I 
>was thinking that a machine with multiple CPUs and a bunch of RAM would 
>be good to work on zones in Solaris 10, and that faster CPUs would be 
>nice in a desktop unit. Those should probably be separate goals.

Well, depending on the CPUs, multiple can be very good on the desktop...

>Probably what I really want to do is to replace the U2 as a desktop with 
>a faster single CPU box (Blade 100?) and use the U2 (which runs Sol10 
>anyway and has 1.25GB of RAM) to play with zones.

The SB100 probably wont be much faster, but it will take a faster graphics card - a faster U60 2x 450 MHz might make a better desktop choice than an SB100, since the SB100 has a very small cache (I realize the SB100 was just an example, but I wanted to follow through with your example).

The E420r I'm setting up (distracted by the darn School Board election today, hope to have it in service in the next day or so) has 4 Gig of RAM, the U2 can only take 2 Gig - if your zones are going to do any work, you'll want a lot of RAM I'd imagine...

IMHO, a reasonable combination that results in a good desktop and good server for zones work/play would be:

Ultra 60, 2x 450 MHz CPUs, 2 Gig RAM, Creator/Elite UPA framebuffer or one of the lower-end XVR PCI framebuffers (XVR-100, for example). On the order of $100-150, depending on the framebuffer you want/need...

E420r, 4x 450 MHz CPUs, 4 Gig RAM. I've gotten them for less than $300, depending on included RAM & cosmetic appearance.

Four CPUs gives you a reasonable working set of CPUs to play with, and 4 Gigs will not leave you swapping all day with multiple zones running.

If you can swing more money for the desktop, my next few stops up the food chain would be an SB1000 ($400-500) or an Ultra 20 ($800+).

> If I can get the SSA to work with Sol 10, so much the better.
>
>And, with as many as 10 systems running at once here, I really don't 
>need to add to the electric bill.

The U60 consumes 350 Watts, the E420r about 700 Watts, but if the server is to play with, it could be off most times. The U60/U2 use the same amount of power.

With Zones maybe you could cut that system count down ;^)

What is the issue with the SSA?

Lionel