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Diffrent types of servers?

qwerty
By qwerty
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Ok i see constantly see diffrent types of servers like, Blade server, File server, ect. I was wondering what the diffrence was between all of them and which one would be best for having as a dedicated folding server. I also would like a recomendation on a configuration for a high speed rack mount file server. I got an old rack from my friends work and i really want to load it up, probably more to the point, what are the diffrent types of servers and what are they all good for?

Edited by qwerty

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I have a Folding@Home server and that has a 7970 in it and I am going to get another one just to slot in so I can get some sweet PPD. They are very worthwhile and make sure you have very good air cooling in the case. I have a 5400 rpm Scythe Gentle Typhonn fan in the front of my server pushing a sweet 150cfm ofd air over my gpu. For a rackmount case I suggest some of the stuff from Codegen. I have one and they are solid and very well priced with filtered front intakes. 

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There are sort of two categories you're getting into; form factor and application. 

 

Blade

This is multiple modules connected to a backplane in normally a 1RU rack mountable enclosure. They are often used for web hosting and virtulisation due to their large CPU power and RAM capacity but with limited drive storage. 

 

Rack

These are the most common form consisting of 1,2,3 and 4RU cases with some 6RU units too. The smaller 1Ru units normally contain either 4 3.5" drives or 10 2.5" drives and are often used as general purpose servers for virtulisation, web hosting etc. Larger units therefore come with more storage bays and are therefore good for storage solutions. If you're looking to purchase rack chassis, Norco and SuperMicro are worth looking at.

 

Tower

These are often used when rack infrastructure isn't availible or isn't required such as in office & small businesses or even at home. They are a good balance between space, performance and storage.

 

Feel free to ask any more questions. :)

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There are sort of two categories you're getting into; form factor and application. 

 

Blade

This is multiple modules connected to a backplane in normally a 1RU rack mountable enclosure. They are often used for web hosting and virtulisation due to their large CPU power and RAM capacity but with limited drive storage. 

 

Rack

These are the most common form consisting of 1,2,3 and 4RU cases with some 6RU units too. The smaller 1Ru units normally contain either 4 3.5" drives or 10 2.5" drives and are often used as general purpose servers for virtulisation, web hosting etc. Larger units therefore come with more storage bays and are therefore good for storage solutions. If you're looking to purchase rack chassis, Norco and SuperMicro are worth looking at.

 

Tower

These are often used when rack infrastructure isn't availible or isn't required such as in office & small businesses or even at home. They are a good balance between space, performance and storage.

 

Feel free to ask any more questions. :)

Hey man thanks for the detailed reply, you say Blade servers are good for virtualisation, and i was wondering what the possibilities of virtualisation are. I recently had work placement for IDT for school and i got to work on setting up a FOG server, and some of the other stuff that i got to do was pretty amazing and it has got me really intrested in servers. I found these really cheap blade servers and was wondering if they were worth it or not for folding. Also if i got these blades could i connect a HDD rack or something to use as a home server?

Link to blades: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HP-Proliant-BL20P-G2-Server-Blade-Dual-Xeon-2-80Ghz-2Gb-RAM-2x36GB-HDD-/181161213240?pt=AU_Servers&hash=item2a2e0cbd38&_uhb=1

 

Thanks again for the reply

Mobo: Rampage 4 Extreme  RAM: 16GB (4x4) Kingston Hyper X silver 1600MhZ  CPU: Intel core I7 @4GhZ

GPU: 2x Reference Sapphire HD7970  PSU: Corsair AX1200  Case:  Coolermaster Cosmos 2

Boot Drive: Samsung 840 PRO 256GB-WIN7  HDD's: 5x WD Green 2tb CPU-Cooler: H100i

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Hey man thanks for the detailed reply, you say Blade servers are good for virtualisation, and i was wondering what the possibilities of virtualisation are. I recently had work placement for IDT for school and i got to work on setting up a FOG server, and some of the other stuff that i got to do was pretty amazing and it has got me really intrested in servers. I found these really cheap blade servers and was wondering if they were worth it or not for folding. Also if i got these blades could i connect a HDD rack or something to use as a home server?

Link to blades: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HP-Proliant-BL20P-G2-Server-Blade-Dual-Xeon-2-80Ghz-2Gb-RAM-2x36GB-HDD-/181161213240?pt=AU_Servers&hash=item2a2e0cbd38&_uhb=1

 

Thanks again for the reply

I don't know what folding points are attributed to however I would be weary with technology that's getting that old. It'll draw a heck of a lot of power. You'd also need the actual rack for those that contains the power supply and the backplane. 

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Yea a blade server arrangement would have a significant cost associated with it, even if you did it on the cheap...

 

Realistically if you just want it to fold your best performance for price would be some older gen rackmount servers, blades almost always rely on SANs for storage.

Look at something that is older so cheap but not ancient...

 

I'm about to decom 4x HP DL380 G5's. You can probably have them if you look after the freight from Melb to Sydney :D

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Hey man thanks for the detailed reply, you say Blade servers are good for virtualisation, and i was wondering what the possibilities of virtualisation are. I recently had work placement for IDT for school and i got to work on setting up a FOG server, and some of the other stuff that i got to do was pretty amazing and it has got me really intrested in servers. I found these really cheap blade servers and was wondering if they were worth it or not for folding. Also if i got these blades could i connect a HDD rack or something to use as a home server?

Link to blades: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HP-Proliant-BL20P-G2-Server-Blade-Dual-Xeon-2-80Ghz-2Gb-RAM-2x36GB-HDD-/181161213240?pt=AU_Servers&hash=item2a2e0cbd38&_uhb=1

 

Thanks again for the reply

 

For example most MMORPGs use blade servers for running the game realm servers.

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 I found these really cheap blade servers and was wondering if they were worth it or not for folding. Also if i got these blades could i connect a HDD rack or something to use as a home server?

Link to blades: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HP-Proliant-BL20P-G2-Server-Blade-Dual-Xeon-2-80Ghz-2Gb-RAM-2x36GB-HDD-/181161213240?pt=AU_Servers&hash=item2a2e0cbd38&_uhb=1

 

Thanks again for the reply

 

This server most probably uses CPUs which are > 10  9 years old. They are no way near to the performance of even a modern Pentium, but will also use a signifanct amout of energy, as they don't have the modern power management. I'd say for the money needed to run this beasts 24/7 for a year in IDLE (!) you could most probably buy a new home server + energy

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Yea a blade server arrangement would have a significant cost associated with it, even if you did it on the cheap...

 

Realistically if you just want it to fold your best performance for price would be some older gen rackmount servers, blades almost always rely on SANs for storage.

Look at something that is older so cheap but not ancient...

 

I'm about to decom 4x HP DL380 G5's. You can probably have them if you look after the freight from Melb to Sydney :D

These DL380's, how much would they way, id be happy to pay the freight and a little extra to you for your trouble, My address is Mount Annan NSW 2567

Mobo: Rampage 4 Extreme  RAM: 16GB (4x4) Kingston Hyper X silver 1600MhZ  CPU: Intel core I7 @4GhZ

GPU: 2x Reference Sapphire HD7970  PSU: Corsair AX1200  Case:  Coolermaster Cosmos 2

Boot Drive: Samsung 840 PRO 256GB-WIN7  HDD's: 5x WD Green 2tb CPU-Cooler: H100i

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We currently do not permit the sale of items on the forums due to legal issues.

thats fair enough

Mobo: Rampage 4 Extreme  RAM: 16GB (4x4) Kingston Hyper X silver 1600MhZ  CPU: Intel core I7 @4GhZ

GPU: 2x Reference Sapphire HD7970  PSU: Corsair AX1200  Case:  Coolermaster Cosmos 2

Boot Drive: Samsung 840 PRO 256GB-WIN7  HDD's: 5x WD Green 2tb CPU-Cooler: H100i

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