[rescue] Cheap, fast, PC server

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Joshua Boyd <jdboyd at jdboyd.net>
>Date: 2008/01/22 Tue AM 11:12:45 CST
>To: The Rescue List <rescue at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [rescue] Cheap, fast, PC server

>On Tue, Jan 22, 2008 at 11:46:41AM -0500, Aaron Finley wrote:
>> I'm looking for a cheap PC to act as a server, meaning something under a 
>> $1000. Dell's octocore SC1430 fit the bill, but that offer seems no 
>> longer. Anyone know if it will come back around again?
>
>Err, right now I see 8 procs for $929, 4 procs for $685.  Either
>configuration is only 1gig of ram.   BTW, officially this machine maxes
>at 8 gigs of ram in a 4x2gb configuration.  I don't know if it will work
>with 4 gig sticks or not.

I think not - IIRC, the chipset only supports 8 Gigs of RAM - it is an "entry-level server chipset. 8 Gig is max, AFAIK (mine has 5, haven't made the jump to 8 Gigs yet).

>If you strictly need it to be under $1k, maybe take the free quad proc
>upgrade, leaving the second socket open.  That gives you quad procs and
>1 gig of ram and 1 80 gig harddrive for $685.  Then add a 4 gig upgrade
>(taking you to 5 gigs) for $170.  Then add a 300 gig drive for $75.
>Then, including approximations for shipping and tax (Dell will charge
>that, Newegg probably won't), you should be just under $1000 for 4
>procs, upgradable to 8, 5 gigs of ram, 400 gigs of disk space.
>Upgrading to 8 procs will add about $250.  
>Upgrading to 8 gigs of ram will be about $150-200.
>Upgrading to 2x160 +  2x750, in a mirrored boot and data configuration
>will cost about $400ish.

(you say procs when you mean cores, BTW)

I'd wait for the free second processor upgrade - it's worth about $300. Upgrading to dual 1 TB SATA drives would be about $450-500. You can fit more drives in the case, and the MB has additional SATA sockets (four, IIRC - maybe more). You can add a SATA drive in the 3 1/2" floppy bay and another in the 5 1/4" optical drive bay, IIRC the manual even talks about those mounting options.

I like mine. Alot.

Lionel