powerful server thing...

[ChingChang]

I haven't been following this type of hardware really, just need help choosing parts for a powerful workstation/server. Price does not matter, only thing that matters is performance and reliability.

I really need some good responses ASAP... this is for an assignment.



CPU:
I'm thinking quad dual-core Opterons would be good..
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103004


Motherboard:
This look ok? Got PCIe slot for video card, and some PCI-X slots for drive controller?


RAM:
I'm thinking filling up each slot in the motherboard with 2gb ECC registered.
(unless it shouldn't be running XP Pro x64... there many issues with media development programs?)


Video:
nvidia Quadro FX? or ATI FireGL??
not sure which one is better...


Hard Drives:
68pin SCSI the way to go? Which is the best controller?(keep in mind I have 0 experience with SCSI... need some good advice here)
I'm thinking two drives in RAID 0. But is it possible to get 0+1 with SCSI? Or how should the data be “backed up” (yes I know RAID is not a backup.)


Power Supply:
Not sure really... does PC Power & Cooling make good server type PSUs? If not, which is the best one I can get? (guessing it should be redundant too)


Case:
Anything that will support the Tyan motherboard I have selected.
(form factor says “SSI MEB v3.5 footprint”.. I have not ever heard of that )


Monitor:
if you could spend as much money as you wanted, what would you get?


Speakers:
Is there a sound card that can work with the tyan motherboard? PCI-X???
(might need a different motherboard if not...)
And just need quality speakers, nothing to crazy.

edit: I have just been informed that PCI cards work in PCI-X slots

 

[movax]

Well, performance and reliability in a server/workstation means buying it from an OEM. I hope that's a trick answer to the trick assignment. >.>

But anyways, your Opterons are 2xx Opterons, meaning they only have HT links for two procs; they won't scale further. I believe you'll need 8xx series Opterons for 4-way stuff. As for RAM, you need to get something that either the motherboard manufacturer says will work properly, or has been proven to do so, not the biggest/most expensive you can find.

I guess I can kinda stop there and ask...what will this server/workstation be doing? Because it'd be a lot simpler to configure a twin-Woodcrest Dell Precision or AMD based counterpart for performance and reliability.

 

[draconius]

your requirements could vary widely depending on whether this is going to be a 'workstation' or a 'server', and they can vary widely within those categories...that being said,

if you aren't going to go with an OEM solution as has been already suggested, a good starting point for either type of system would be dual-dual core processors, and at least 4G of ram (remember you need ECC/REG). Getting some fast hard drives, anywhere from raptors up to 15k ultra320 scsi drives and a board with onboard scsi (or pci-x/e scsi, whatever floats your boat).

picking out the most expensive parts is not the best solution here.

and besides, why are we doing your homework for you? fuck that.

Also,

sounds like you need to do a little learning on your own about pc components before you would be delving into something like this anyways -- keep tuned on the hardware forums here to glean alot of good information. and be prepared to do alot of reading and thinking about shit so that you really get a grasp of things.

not trying to be a dick, just offering up some constructive criticism.

 

[ChingChang]

But anyways, your Opterons are 2xx Opterons, meaning they only have HT links for two procs; they won't scale further. I believe you'll need 8xx series Opterons for 4-way stuff. As for RAM, you need to get something that either the motherboard manufacturer says will work properly, or has been proven to do so, not the biggest/most expensive you can find.

I thought so... but I didn't see any 8xx Opterons on newegg. Why did they stop selling those? Oh well, I'll look somewhere else.
and yeah, I know not to get a certain type of RAM just because it's the most expensive......... I was not planning on doing that.

your requirements could vary widely depending on whether this is going to be a 'workstation' or a 'server', and they can vary widely within those categories...that being said,

workstation, since it has a sexy graphics card.

if you aren't going to go with an OEM solution as has been already suggested, a good starting point for either type of system would be dual-dual core processors, and at least 4G of ram (remember you need ECC/REG). Getting some fast hard drives, anywhere from raptors up to 15k ultra320 scsi drives and a board with onboard scsi (or pci-x/e scsi, whatever floats your boat).

Was considering that. I just figured 4 opterons would be able to handle more than two other processors. But obviously if the application is not multithreaded, the extra two processors won't really help...
So what kind of drives do you recommend?

picking out the most expensive parts is not the best solution here.

Yeah, I know. As I said, price does not matter. My goal is not to put together the most expensive thing ever.

and besides, why are we doing your homework for you? fuck that.

You're not. If I wanted someone to do my "homework", I'd just go with an OEM system. But I'd much rather learn more about server/workstation hardware.

sounds like you need to do a little learning on your own about pc components before you would be delving into something like this anyways -- keep tuned on the hardware forums here to glean alot of good information. and be prepared to do alot of reading and thinking about shit so that you really get a grasp of things.

I know a lot about PC components. Just not server components, which is why I came here for help.

not trying to be a dick, just offering up some constructive criticism.

understood







edit: closing this thread. Didn't get the help I requested. I can figure this out myself, just wanted some advice.....
I've decided on a dual CPU woodcrest board, though. And some other things I don't have time to list.

 

[German Muscle]

honestly trying to learn about server stuff is going to take a while, PCs are easy but servers get very complicated.
Whats your assignment?

 

[Slartibartfast]

You'll have to take the OS into consideration as well. XP Pro can only use two sockets, not sure about the various windows server/enterprise versions. You're also going to need a 64bit OS to use all of the ram.

What kind of assignment is this, anyway? Build a hypothetical awesome computer with no budget limit?? When I was in school we did a little thing called "work"

Anyways, you're going to have to look beyond newegg for this. I know monarch has some 8xx opterons but I don't know to what extent atm.