[K12OSN] server hardware advice

[Immanuel Derks]

On Tue, 2007-01-30 at 08:32 +0530, Sudev Barar wrote:
> On 29/01/07, Petre Scheie <petre at maltzen.net> wrote:
> > For 75 clients, I would recommend using two terminal servers.  Yes, it is physically
> > possible to get 8GB RAM into a box now, but you'll have to use 64-bit version of Linux
> > and not all applications work under 64-bit; you're just asking for trouble, which is NOT
> > the thing to do in the first deployment.  If money is available, the best way would be
> > to start with three servers: two terminal servers and one NFS server for /home.  This
> > way you can use the NFS server for users' home directories and have it handle
> 
> I had not commented on CPU power as he is talking of server with two
> dual core CPU's. A single dual core is able to server up to 40 clients
> so it is possible that two dual cores would be able to just about
> handle this.
> 
> If however money is available then three servers solution you proposed
> is much better idea and also reduces chances of total failure. The NFS
> server need not then be beefy in terms of CPU power. He can consider
> having a DHCP load balancing set up on the same network.

I would also be concerned about network bottlencks when serving 75+
clients from a single server. Although you can do channel bonding, thus
theoretically it should be possible, but I have never had much luck with
it bumping the performance...
Concerning memory: we have had more then 8GB ram in single servers (IBM
X236) without a problem running RHAS edu version...

Grtz Immanuel
-- 
Immanuel Derks <I.Derks at translucent.nl>
Translucent Systems