From owner-freebsd-amd64@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Apr 19 20:19:36 2005 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-amd64@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 288DC16A4CE for ; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 20:19:36 +0000 (GMT) Received: from error404.nls.net (error404.nls.net [216.144.36.24]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 465F543D53 for ; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 20:19:35 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from ketrien@error404.nls.net) Received: from error404.nls.net (ketrien@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by error404.nls.net (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id j3JKOJwj068778; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 16:24:20 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from ketrien@error404.nls.net) Received: (from ketrien@localhost)j3JKOJOF068777; Tue, 19 Apr 2005 16:24:19 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from ketrien) Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 16:24:19 -0400 From: "Ketrien I. Saihr-Kesenchedra" To: Vivek Khera Message-ID: <20050419202419.GB63598@bahre.achedra.org> Mail-Followup-To: Vivek Khera , freebsd-amd64@freebsd.org References: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.1i X-Virus-Scanned: ClamAV 0.83/841/Tue Apr 19 12:44:10 2005 on bahre.achedra.org X-Virus-Status: Clean cc: freebsd-amd64@freebsd.org Subject: Re: designing new freebsd server for amd64 arch X-BeenThere: freebsd-amd64@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting FreeBSD to the AMD64 platform List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2005 20:19:36 -0000 On Tue, Apr 19, 2005 at 04:02:47PM -0400, Vivek Khera wrote: > > On Apr 19, 2005, at 5:19 AM, David Komanek wrote: > > >Now I prefer: > >Tyan Thunder K8WE, S2895A2NRF > >2x AMD Opteron 250 Box > >Adaptec 2130SLP I missed the start of this thread. Whoops! First of all, don't use the K8WE. Use either the K8SPro or K8SR. The K8SR is very picky about risers, though, so I generally recommend the K8SPro. Honestly, Tyan is not my first choice either. The Iwill DK8S/DK8S2 is better on paper, but I've never been able to find one. > No experience with these; the LSI 320-2X has been extremely reliable > for us. The Adaptec 2130SLP is a big no-no. The driver is not 64-bit clean last I looked. Skip the onboard SCSI and spend the money on an LSI 320-2 or 320-2X. > >4x Hitachi 3.5" 73.4 GB (SCSI Ultra 320),10 000 rpm > If you can push yourself to 15kRPM drives, you'll be happier... You'll also have heat concerns; case is going to be very important. Generico 4U is not going to cut it, nor will Chenbro. (Major SCSI backplane issues. Not even remotely within specs.) Plus, I believe Hitachi's discontinued the 10K174 line. Definitely go for the 15K's. > Run away!!! Run away!!! Run from the onboard bge ethernet! Buy a nice > intel dual gigabit ethernet card use that. turn off the bge via the > bios. They will lock your system or cause other problems under heavy > disk+network load. Because Tyan clogged the PCI-X bus, the bge can act up in certain situations. I haven't had time+resources to test complaints about bge+320-2X's locking up, but I would bet money that if you took PCIX A down to 100MHz by jumper, it'd at least happen far less frequently. The other complaints, well, I can't find any real merit in them. A K8SPro w/320-2 using the onboard bge has exhibited zero problems under extreme loads. If you're going to be subjecting the box to load with a 320-2X, you'll likely have to put the 320-2X on PCIX B at 66MHz to get it stable. Or get an Iwill. This isn't the first time Tyan's had PCI timing issues, and I'm sure it won't be the last. -ksaihr