Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 11:30:46 +0000 From: Mikel King <mikel@ocsinternet.com> To: Tom Samplonius <tom@sdf.com> Cc: Dennis <dennis@etinc.com>, Tom ONeil <tom.oneil@tacni.com>, Free <freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: 2U server choice - experience/suggestions? Message-ID: <3A700E66.DACB1C5F@ocsinternet.com> References: <Pine.BSF.4.05.10101241542580.2868-100000@misery.sdf.com>
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The rule of thumb used to be 3 year warranty; now I can not speak for IBM but compaq has really lowwered the bar, with their new proliants... uh...er well for lack of a better word suck and they only have a one yr! Anway I know this is OT a bit but if you still get a 3yr warranty then the IBM is way worth it. I am curious how much they are running lately? Cheers, Mikel Tom Samplonius wrote: > On Wed, 24 Jan 2001, Dennis wrote: > > > > If you don't mind a 3U format, try the IBM eServer x340. I don't think > > >you will find anything that can beat it: redundant power supplies, up to > > >two CPUs, 133mhz FSB, 64bit PCI, three hotswap SCSI bays and three more > > >can be added, and redundant and hotswap fans. The fans are particularly > > >nice. The x340 doesn't use CPU fans, but an air-flow tunnel over the > > >CPUs, which a full-size hostswap fan at each end (push, pull arragement). > > >If one of these fans fails, the other speeds up, with no software > > >intervention required. > > > > > > Of course, IBM ServeRAID cards aren't supported by FreeBSD, so I use a > > >Mylex AccelRAID 352 in it. IBM owns Myles now, so IBM has no problem with > > >this. The hotswap bays support SAF-TE, so rebuilding of failed drives is > > >automatic too. > > > > > > 3u is kind of a waste, as with a 4U you generally dont need a riser so you > > get maximum functionality for a little extra space (including 64bit > > functionality). > > > > in making a choice, its good policy to stay away from proprietary layouts > > (the intels servers for example, and compaq) because you are locked into > > specific MBs at least. There are plenty of generic solutions around that > > take regular MBs which offer you the maximum flexibility. > > > > Whats good to use today may not be true tomorrow, so you need to keep your > > options open in an environment like freebsd. > > > > DB > > Well, you can use regular cards in a 3U card without a riser. And 64bit > cards too. > > Propietary layouts offer more features. For instance, IBM include light > guide diagnostics on their motherboards. No else offers that. Besides, > the motherboard is part of the package. You can't buy a generic chassis, > and a generic motherboard, and get anything as tightly integrated as IBM > eServer x340. > > For instance, if a CPU fan dies on your generic motherboard, the best > you can hope for is for the CPU to clock down. And you will have to power > the server down to replace the CPU fan. But with a integrated > motherboard/chassis combo like the x340, no problem. There is no clock > down required, and all fans are hot-pluggable. > > http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/eserver/xseries/x340.html > > > Tom > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message
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