Need suggestions, FAST!

Post #140,167 by broomberg 2/5/04 10:34:49 PM Reply	Need suggestions, FAST! I put it in here since this seems a well travelled forum. Sorry got the off-topic. Just got this email from the boss. ---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- I'm finalizing the budget for the remainder of this year. What should I be budgeting for as far as a test / R&D server or workstation for you? I'd like to get something that will enable you to continue trying new technology, workflow, data processing solutions, applications and Linux kernels. I'm OK with it also having the bells and whistles that you'd enjoy as well. Take a look at the Dell or CDW site and give me an idea of the ideal system. Either a server solution mounted in the data center or a workstation for your office would be fine. The intention would be to have a box that is under your administration with the flexibility that goes with it rather than the controls / restrictions of a shared, IT managed box. Let me know as soon as you get a chance. ---------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- Ok. Gotta be good for experimenting with new kernels as painless as possible, so G5 Mac is out. Damn. I want something on my desktop. My PIII has been feeling a bit sluggish. A dual 64 bit AMD sounds nice. Dell doesn't do AMD, and I can't find it on CDW, but I assume vendor is negotiable. Gotta be able to put a bunch of Serial ATA drives in it or next to it to play with some cheap heavy IO. Gotta have GBit and possibly Fibrechanel. Gotta run VMWare so I can use it for Windows. I'm tired of swiveling my chair to get to my Windows box. Gotta have a couple of decent video cards. I've currently got a dual port Matrox but it is on the low end. Time to add an LCD screen. I'm used to dual 21" flat screen so I need something at least that big. I'll put the current monitors on each side and do a 3 monitor desk top. Gotta have a DVD burner for quick reboot / restore after I trash it. What else should I be thinking about?
Post #140,169 by deSitter 2/5/04 10:41:01 PM Reply	Re: Need suggestions, FAST! Experimenting with kernels? That is a waste of time. Better get a G5 and explore Mac-Linux convergence, something useful. I'll do it on a subcontractor basis for $40 an hour. -drl
Post #140,200 by cforde 2/6/04 1:36:37 AM Reply	Mac/Linux convergence It's just a rumour, but it's one of those things that makes you go hmmm. From [link\|http://www.macosrumors.com/\|Mac OS Rumors] Tuesday, February 3 Apple's 10.4 "Linux initiative" could work both ways. Today's crop of new reports on this topic not only provide considerable confirmation that Apple is indeed pondering a "Linux adoption" move, but hint at an angle we haven't covered yet.It has been suggested that Apple could gain quite a bit of attention and support from the GNU/Linux/OSS communities by porting more of its key pieces of software to Linux: Xcode, Rendezvous, QuickTime, iTunes, and iChat have all been mentioned. More on this later in the week as we continue to analyze this particularly tantalizing line of inquiry.... Have fun, Carl Forde
Post #140,172 by boxley 2/5/04 10:58:37 PM Reply	google shuttle AMD I do hold an englishman's brothel is his castle , where he should behave accordingly--as many flash tails as he likes , but none of the troop fornications that the orientals and germans indulge in. Its not the indecency I mind , but the company of a lot of boozy brutes hallooing and kicking up a deuce of a row when I want to concentrate and give off my best. A regular bacchanalia is something to see right enough, but I am with the discriminating Frog who said that one is interesting, but only a cad would make a habit of it. Sir Harold Flashman esquire VC OBE questions, help? [link\|mailto:pappas@catholic.org\|email pappas at catholic.org]
Post #140,180 by broomberg 2/5/04 11:21:52 PM Reply	Why? They are tiny, low end, low slots, low video.
Post #140,174 by Another Scott 2/5/04 11:02:49 PM Reply	CDW has IBM Opteron servers. E.g. [link\|http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=522353\|this]. $3179. It comes with a single 242 Opteron, but will take 2. Note - I've got no experience with this box, just pointing out that it exists. I'd personally suggest a good laptop, but that may make it tougher for you to escape work on your time off. :-( I wouldn't get anything too exotic if you intend to evaluate new kernels, etc. It's better to be a little more trailing edge so that you don't have to wait for drivers for bleeding edge stuff. E.g. 64-bit drivers for AMD may be an issue for a while yet. If I had to get a non-laptop, I'd get a SMP box with the fastest disk array I could afford and max it out with RAM. Have fun! Cheers, Scott.
Post #140,183 by broomberg 2/5/04 11:48:31 PM Reply	Too expensive, wrong type Check this one out: [link\|http://www.penguincomputing.com/store/tempest-2100.php\|http://www.penguinco.../tempest-2100.php]
Post #140,184 by Another Scott 2/5/04 11:59:11 PM Reply	But it's got a really ugly case! :-) I would certainly look at vendors other than CDW if you've got the time and the freedom to do so. You should be able to get much more bang for the buck. Best of luck! Cheers, Scott.
Post #140,197 by a6l6e6x 2/6/04 1:30:11 AM Reply	Tiger Direct alternative. [link\|http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=33681&Sku=SYX-XP-036074\|]. # Microsoft\ufffd Windows\ufffd XP Home Edition # AMD Athlon\ufffd 64-bit Processor 3000+* Learn More # Hypertransport\ufffd Technology (1600MHz Bus) # 1GB PC2700 DDR Memory Learn More # 120GB\ufffd 7200RPM Ultra ATA100 Hard Drive # CD-RW / DVD-RW Drive w/ Ulead VideoStudio 6 Learn More # Realtek\ufffd Integrated Audio # 128MB ATI\ufffd RADEON 9200 SE AGP 8x Video Card # 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet Adapter Learn More # 56K v.92 Send/Receive Fax Modem # 7 in 1 Digital Media Reader # USB 2.0 and FireWire Interfaces! # Logitech Internet Keyboard and Optical Wheel Mouse. $1000 +S&H You can blow away the XP-Home. Alex The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled. -- Plutarch
Post #140,199 by deSitter 2/6/04 1:36:20 AM Reply	Did you even bother listening? Why the fuck are you buying another Intel machine when your boss just wrote you a blank check for whatever you fucking want?? It's completely clear that any challenge to MS, and any hope for UNIX on the desktop, is going to come from OS X. Here you have a chance to 1) get a magnificent machine 2) learn a new idiom 3) have a real GUI programming environment to work with 4) explore the crossover of open source Linux software with proprietary Apple OS X, something that NEEDS doing, and you're jacking off to Intel. Did we pass through some kind of "DUH" cloud recently? GET ME OFF THIS PLANET! -drl
Post #140,213 by Ashton 2/6/04 4:41:30 AM Reply	Amazing.. Now if I'd said that (no props).. so I didn't. But I akshully Thought that - in the sense of the Rx mentioned: Experimental machine What else (that's a contender at all) BUT.. a G5 OK going back to sleep.
Post #140,232 by broomberg 2/6/04 8:36:42 AM Reply	Context. The whole message. Missed. We are not talking desktop. Mine for my own comfort, but only as a side effect of this purchase, not as a goal. Business context goals are stated: new technology, workflow, data processing solutions, applications and Linux kernels. The start of this discussion with the boss was me referring to the dramatic IO speed increase the 2.6 kernel series had, and how nice it would be for Linux to surpass Sun as a mid-level Oracle database box, the type of thing we currently use Sun 450s for. Everything flows from the core business requirement, not from a personal play / learn desire. That is WHY I am trusted with these types of projects, since I can put aside my innate geek lust. So, to clarify: Should be able to run commercial Linux software, which means Intel / AMD. Applications in general mean Windows apps. For our industry. Data processing means a variety of data munging which could them be released on other boxes, so that means Linux or Windows, which means both for the box, ie: VMWare. Also, I do some low level data munging, so I need to take into account the "endian" of the box. Better to match the MF than the Sun. I seem to recall G5 will not match Intel or MF.
Post #140,282 by jake123 2/6/04 1:10:06 PM Reply	If money is no object I'd go for an SMP AMD64 based system. The point of this is research to replace other systems... so get the system that looks like it will deliver most bang for the buck, and be the logical jumping off point for the future development you're talking about. The fact that the new kernels are going to start off a bit squiffy (malodorous, you might say;) is not the point... the point is that you are going to be trying to develop two main sets from the use of this system; a skill set and a tool set that your firm can use. The skill set is about being able to build the systems they want, and the tool set is the combination of hardware and software you're going to use to do it. See if you can get them to spring for a two or four way, a boatload of RAM, and a nice RAID disk array, as well as the interfaces to go for massive cheap storage (eg- there's a new USB 2.0 box out that takes SATA and/or IDE drives, and interfaces with the PC via a USB cable). Then, you can get down and start messing around with the Right Way to tweak the bits... the kernel options, what's the good compiler, the good packages (postgres? Oracle?) for building the applications you need, and so on. Start making test applications, and running tests on them, for correctness, performance, and how long before it cracks under the load. Two years down the road... it may be time for a massive overhaul of your back room. --\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca \n [link\|http://consultron.ca\|http://consultron.ca] [link\|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca\|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] \n Kingston Ontario Canada [link\|news://news.consultron.ca\|news://news.consultron.ca] *\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
Post #140,295 by broomberg 2/6/04 1:58:56 PM Reply	Agreed Except I want the Opteron, not the the AMD64. Difference in the IO. See Greg's continuing refinement for the baseline box. I assume I'll add an external SATA array for the additional database storage.
Post #140,305 by jake123 2/6/04 3:32:06 PM Reply	Well, when I said AMD64 I was talking about the line of 64 bit x86 compatible chips from AMD, not a particular chip. I don't know enough about the specific featuresets of their 64 bit line to be able to pick one. Prolly should've called it AMD x86-64 or something like that... --\n-------------------------------------------------------------------\n* Jack Troughton jake at consultron.ca \n [link\|http://consultron.ca\|http://consultron.ca] [link\|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca\|irc://irc.ecomstation.ca] \n Kingston Ontario Canada [link\|news://news.consultron.ca\|news://news.consultron.ca] *\n-------------------------------------------------------------------
Post #140,322 by CRConrad 2/6/04 4:51:10 PM Reply	You don't want the Athlon 64. They're both "AMD64". HTH!
Post #140,229 by dmarker 2/6/04 8:23:44 AM Reply	Re: Need suggestions, FAST! Go for broke Dual HP Itanium 64-bit processor box (will run Linux weell & should be able to run a windows region. [link\|http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2003/030218c.html\|http://www.hp.com/hp...2003/030218c.html] nVidia Quadro-4 XGL video card [link\|http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadro4.html\|http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadro4.html] 2 x 33 GB SCSI plus 2 x 160GB Std disks Make sure your TFT has a TV built in (costs very little extra). [link\|http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=748\|http://www.pcstats.c...cfm?articleID=748] (I am sure you can get 19in ones - maybe 21") Cheers Doug
Post #140,230 by Another Scott 2/6/04 8:26:26 AM Reply	Why would anyone want an Itanium boat anchor these days?!?
Post #140,234 by admin 2/6/04 9:10:01 AM Reply	What do you use for an Opteron compiler? Honest question, as I haven't looked into it yet. I know there's an Intel optimized compiler for 64-bit. Regards, -scott anderson "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
Post #140,239 by folkert 2/6/04 9:21:52 AM Reply	There a bunch of optimizations... In the GNU Libraries and GCC (64) Word on the Street is that Intel's compiler actually works better on the Opteron... and compiles stuff that works faster on the Opteron. Interesting, very interesting... -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004
Post #140,245 by admin 2/6/04 9:57:53 AM Reply	Interesting... thanks. Regards, -scott anderson "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
Post #140,265 by CRConrad 2/6/04 11:47:36 AM Reply	Compiler - could this be Greg's "Word on the Street" ? The Inq: [link\|http://theinquirer.net/?article=13821\|New Intel compiler gives AMD Athlon64 a boost] [link\|mailto:MyUserId@MyISP.CountryCode\|Christian R. Conrad] (I live in Finland, and my e-mail in-box is at the Saunalahti company.) You know you're doing good work when you get flamed by an idiot. -- [link\|http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/35/34218.html\|Andrew Wittbrodt]
Post #140,274 by folkert 2/6/04 12:28:02 PM Reply	Dern, it got published. I was told it wouldn't. -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004
Post #140,519 by dmarker 2/8/04 1:33:22 AM Reply	Re: Our ops people looking at them to run Peoplesoft for the query front-end processors. Doug M (Peoplesoft - now there is a story, pity I can't talk about it - yet :-)
Post #140,520 by boxley 2/8/04 1:37:33 AM Reply	otherwise known as fsckthepeoplerus :) and everywhere the great Curse of the New World, the American Child, in all its raucous, spoiled, undiciplined, selfish ghastliness, the female specimens keeping up an incessant high-pitched whine and the male infants racketing like cowpokes on payday. There's nothing wrong with grown Americans, by and large you wont find heartier men or bonnier women anywhere, but the only remedy I can see for the children is to run Herod for President. Sir Harold Flashman esquire VC OBE questions, help? [link\|mailto:pappas@catholic.org\|email pappas at catholic.org]
Post #140,231 by folkert 2/6/04 8:33:20 AM 2/6/04 8:47:24 AM Reply	OH... I just LOVE spending other People Money... [link\|http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=80761&Category_Code=AST\|The Ultimate Linux Boxen] But you can tweak it... I tweaked one I came up with: Monarch ULB 64 - 2003/2004 (Opteron) $65.00 Case: 100128 - No PS - LIAN-LI / Monarch PC-6270 (Black) $299.00 Power Supply: 100829 - Enermax EG851AX-VH(W)FM 660Watt Dual Fan $259.00 Motherboard: 110754 - ARIMA HDAMB Opteron WS Board AGP Pro 4X 8 $399.00 Processor: 120437 - AMD Opteron 248 2.2GHz 1MB 64/32 Bit $950.00 2nd Processor: 122437 - AMD Opteron 248 2.2GHz 1MB 64/32 Bit $950.00 Heatsink/Fan: 130129 - Thermaltake A1838 for AMD Opteron/Athlon64 $26.00 2nd Heatsink/Fan: 132129 - Thermaltake A1838 for AMD Opteron/Athlon64 $26.00 Memory: 140258 - DDR (400) 3200 REG ECC - 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) $699.00 2nd Memory: 142258 - DDR (400) 3200 REG ECC - 2 GB (2 pcs 1GB) $699.00 Hard Drive: 150938 - Western Digital 250GB SATA 8 MB Cache 7200 $212.00 2nd Hard Drive: 152938 - Western Digital 250GB SATA 8 MB Cache 7200 $212.00 3rd Hard Drive: 153938 - Western Digital 250GB SATA 8 MB Cache 7200 $212.00 4th Hard Drive: 154938 - Western Digital 250GB SATA 8 MB Cache 7200 $212.00 SATA/RAID Controller Card: 150030 - 3Ware Escalade 8506-8 SATA RAID $490.00 RAID Setup: None CD/DVD-ROM: 160430 - TEAC 16X DVD-ROM Bare Drive PS/2 Bezel $49.00 CD/DVD-RW: 160552 - Plextor PX708A 8XDVD+R 4X2.4 DVD\ufffdRW 40X24 $225.00 Floppy Drive: 170108 - Mitsumi Floppy 7-in-1 USB card reader $46.00 Sound Card: 180330 - Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS Platinum INT Drive $179.00 Video Card: 190774 - PNY Quadro FX 2000 8x AGP Dual DVI $1,190.00 Networking: 280115 - 3Com 10/100/1000 PCI-X 3C996B-T Server Card $120.00 Operating System: 210511 - SuSE Linux 9.0 for 64bit Professional Edition $159.00 Warranty: 800062 - 24/7 Tech Support + Plus 3 Year (Onsite) $199.00 Hot Rush: None - Standard Order ( ships within 8-13 business \t \t \t Subtotal for 80761 with your selected options: $7,877.00 How's that !!! -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004 Edited by folkert Feb. 6, 2004, 08:47:24 AM EST Expand All History
Post #140,240 by broomberg 2/6/04 9:36:02 AM Reply	Configure it for me! I'm too confused. I don't know enough about the tech to mix-in correctly. Big case, which PS? Fastest Opterons, which memory? I want 2GB. Decent internal mirrored 36GB disks are straightforard, but what about external? I'd like a bunch of SATA drives in external cases, so which controller if any. What about video? Something reasonable but not killer high end that will play nicely with another card for 3 monitors. Which DVD? I want to create bootable restore DVDs. When I go looking for an LCD, what should I get? OK, no longer a critical rush. I've budgeted $7,000 for the total package.
Post #140,264 by folkert 2/6/04 11:46:50 AM 2/7/04 8:33:33 PM Reply	Another Try. Changed things around for you so far. Still checking on the Video Card setup. We can spend More Money if you want... :) [link\|http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=80140\|Monarch Enterprise G64 Custom Opteron Workstation] Build Fee $65 [link\|http://www.lian-li.com/product.php?action=viewPD&prdid=374\|Lian-Li PC70 Aluminum Full Case] Monarch Part# 100613 with: $168 Drive bays 6x5.25", 3x3.5", 6x3.5" internal Fan: 4 x ball bearing fans included M/B type: dual CPU M/B (MAX SIZE: 12"x13") Front USB: 2 ports (support USB 2.0) Dimensions: 210mm X 595mm X 588mm [link\|http://www.enermax.com.tw/eg851ax-vh.htm\|EG851AX-VH(W)FM 660W Enermax Power Supply] Monarch Part# 100829 $259 [link\|http://www.tyan.com/products/html/thunderk8w.html\|Tyan Thunder K8W (S2885)] Monarch Part# 110819 with: $459 One 8X AGP / AGP 8X Pro110W slot Two independent 64-bit PCI-X buses Two 100/66/33MHz PCI-X slots (PCI-X A) Two 133/100/66/33MHz PCI-X slots (PCI-X B) One legacy 32-bit 33MHz (5-Volt) PCI slot [link\|http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_8796_9240,00.html\|Opteron 248 - 2.2GHz w/ 1MB Cache] Monarch Part#s 120437, 122437 $950 ea (x2) [link\|http://www.thermaltake.com/coolers/venus/rs/a1838.htm\|Thermaltake A1838 Quietcooler for K8] Monarch Part#s 130129, 132129 $26 ea (x2) [link\|http://www.corsairmicro.com/corsair/servers.html#rddr\|DDR400 PC3200 REG ECC - 1 GB (2 pcs 512MB ea) CORSAIR TwinX1024RE-3200LLPT] Monarch Part#s 140881, 142881 $332 ea (x2) [link\|http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=59\|Western Digital 250GB SATA 8 MB 7200 RPM] Monarch Part#s 150983, 152983, 153983, 154983, 155983, 156983 $212 ea (x6) [link\|http://www.3ware.com/products/serial_ata.asp\|3Ware 8506-8 SATA Raid Controller] (upto 8 drives) Monarch Part# 150030 $490 Raid Setup: RAID1 Monarch Part# 80012 $10 [link\|http://www.plextor.com/english/products/708A.html\|Plextor 708A DVD Writer] Monarch Part# 160552: $225 8X DVD+R write, 4X DVD-R write, 4X DVD+RW rewrite, 2X DVD-RW rewrite, 12X DVD-ROM read 40X CD-R write, 24X CD-RW rewrite, 40X CD-ROM read [link\|http://www.mitsumi.com/products/fa402amain.html\|Mitsumi Floppy and 7-in-1 USB Digital Memory Card Reader/Writer] Monarch Part# 170109 $46 [link\|http://www.pny.com/products/quadro/xgl/980Xgl.asp\|PNY Quadro 4 980 XGL 128 8X AGP] Monarch Part# 190781 $503 [link\|http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/pro1000xt.htm?iid=ipp_srvr+srvradapters_pro1000xt&\|PCI-X 10/100/100 Intel Copper GB NIC] Monarch Part# 280607 $139 [link\|http://www.suse.com/us/business/products/\|SuSE v9.0 64-Bit Professional] Monarch Part# 210511 $159 24/7/365 3 year Warranty and onsite support Monarch Part# 800062 $199 Total without Options: $6610 +$58.60 Standard FedEx Ground Shipping. Options: [link\|http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=59\|Western Digital 250GB SATA 8 MB 7200 RPM] Monarch Part#s 157983, 158983, 159983 $212 ea Waiting on changes if needed. Will work more on the Video card. -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004 Edited by folkert Feb. 6, 2004, 06:12:36 PM EST Edited by folkert Feb. 6, 2004, 10:07:32 PM EST Edited by folkert Feb. 6, 2004, 10:16:15 PM EST Edited by folkert Feb. 7, 2004, 09:27:30 AM EST Edited by folkert Feb. 7, 2004, 08:33:33 PM EST Expand All History
Post #140,294 by broomberg 2/6/04 1:54:28 PM Reply	No rush I just needed the baseline cost for the budget. I won't be ordering for a while.
Post #140,334 by Ashton 2/6/04 6:24:55 PM Reply	General PS question - How is "PC Power and Cooling" stacking up these days? Back when I paid any attention to the {ugh} cheesy PC electronics quality, generally -- they were an oasis in the wilderness. I gather from your obv informed selections, that PCPC has -at least- some competition for quality now. (I alwayd deemed too, that - the quality of fans had best be measured in CPU and other replacement costs ie a bit more than 50\ufffd/"fan".) I recall months ago, the link to a case mfg. place in China? - so I'm aware that you can obtain quality there too, if you do homework. Illuminating about the intricacy of a quality "mere case", I thought.) Ashton test eq. snob
Post #140,373 by folkert 2/6/04 10:28:28 PM Reply	Yessir... PCPC has a TON a great Power Supplies... very worth every penny. Enermax has been making serious inroads the past year or so. Not quite as "clean-cut" as PCPC, but getting there (wires are not as straight and wound as well, etc...) cost about 2/3rds the cost of PCPC. PowerMan is an up and comer, might be something to watch. Long way to go with the wiring and such... but Quality components are in the higher priced Power Supplies. About 2/3rds the price of Enermax. Just watch out for Tigerconn (I think that's name) Some power supplies are good, some terrible. -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004
Post #140,393 by Ashton 2/7/04 4:09:32 AM Reply	Followup, Mr. President - - or Andrew? re mobo cap failures (new thread) Created as new thread #140392 titled [link\|/forums/render/content/show?contentid=140392\|Followup, Mr. President - - or Andrew? re mobo cap failures]
Post #140,438 by broomberg 2/7/04 3:32:12 PM Reply	Getting there The motherboard already has GB ethernet. Why would we add a card? I want 2GB of memory. I can put 6 drives in, right? So I could have 3 mirrored set for a total useable of 750GB? Or a single mirror at 250GB, and a 4 disk (750Gb) usable Raid 5 set for a total of 1TB? Add all 6 disks to the configuration, no external needed. Take the onsite warranty. Can I treat the dual output card as 2 cards? I currently use a Matrox dual out card at the office and 2 physical cards at home. I like the X windows Xinerama support better (@ home) than the Matrox dual head support at the office. Matrox driver funckys annoy me. Somthing tells me it will not play nicely with another card. Maybe I should try a 3-way? Do you have experience with this company? Ever buy any systems from them?
Post #140,449 by folkert 2/7/04 8:20:13 PM 2/7/04 8:22:58 PM Reply	Okay... Well, 2 - 1 GB Memory Kits ( each kit has 2 - 512MB Chips ) == 2GB The Mother Board can support upto 16GB This setup can support 8 Drives on the 3Ware card. The 3Ware card can have upto 8 arrays defined (1 drive per arrary) The Mother Board also supports SATA Drives. So theortically you could have 4 more SATA drives as well. But using 2 in RAID1 mode would be best... You could use the 72GB Drives for the "system" drives From what I know about this Video card, it acts a one display or as two. Will Check for sure. I personally have not purchased anything from them. This company comes higly reccomended and regarded, many many people from Linux and Linux related companies buy from them. They have consistently given great service, otherwise I would have read and/or read about it. The one thing they have up on buying all the pieces from say, newegg or CDW, they are building and making sure the machine runs before they ship it. There are options they have, that are not on the website. I'll get it right for you :) 3Ware has a 12 Channel Raid Controller too. 8506-12 about $200 more. Then you could do up to 14 drives, 2 from the Motherboard, 12 from the 3Ware card. 12 Drives == 1.5TB (6 RAID1 arrays). or 250GB RAID1, 2.25TB RAID5, or 250GB mirrored and 2TB RAID5 + Hotspare for the card. Of course 8 drive would give you similar: 8 Drives == 1TB RAID1 (4 arrays), or 250GB RAID1 and 1.25TB RAID5 or 250GB RAID1 and 1TB RAID5 + Hot Spare for the card. To address the Motherboard GB Enet issue, I prefer the Intel PCI-X XT 1GB Enet Server Adapter. We can Remove it, if need be. It is ONLY a $140 ish dollars. Checklist: Do you want me to find out if Monarch has the 8506-12? Do you want 6, 8, 10, 12 or 14 drives? The Case can support more drives mounted in the 5-1/4 drive bays. 6 and 8 without problem (in the 3.5" slots), 10+ with addtional mounting, would get tight with 14 drives. I will check on the Video Card for sure. Present (unchanged) Config has 2 GB of Memory. -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004 Edited by folkert Feb. 7, 2004, 08:22:58 PM EST Expand All History
Post #140,492 by broomberg 2/7/04 11:11:15 PM Reply	I think we are done I didn't realize you had 2GB of memory, I had read it as one. A total of 6 drives, 250GB apiece should be fine. I'll probably set them up a 3 mirrors to balance out speed VS independent access, but something tells me I'll play for a while. I checked out a Viewsonic VX900 at Office Max today. Did not like it. If this is the best affordable LCD I can get, I'll stick with just my Sonys for now. So a simple dual monitor card should be fine. No more research required. My monitors already have dual inputs to I can painlessless switch between my current box and this one as needed. Leave the Ethernet card in. Good to test for multi-path issues. Thanks.
Post #140,567 by broomberg 2/8/04 12:19:58 PM Reply	Yup. Done I just submitted the specs to my CTO. He wanted to know if Penguin Computing could build an box like it since they are already an apporved vendor. Not even close. He said ok. He'll push it through our purchasing for Monarch, just take a little longer. Note: This box may be something to keep me happy since my boss was just fired. Very odd. I traded a boss that I really liked for a box. Not really a direct connection, supposedly, but the timing was odd. My boss used to tell me about making a deal with the devil at work. You will always be asked to support someone against someone else. In this case I liked both of them. No real devils. But I still got ripped in 1/2. Like the day my brother got fired, but at least I expected my brother to get canned. Could see it coming for a while. Not in this case, totally out of the blue.
Post #140,575 by folkert 2/8/04 1:37:58 PM 2/8/04 1:40:48 PM Reply	I went to Penguin Computing... before I suggested Monarch. I am stumped as to why they don't do things like that. You are right, not even close. Also, since I did research the Video Cards quite a bit, I discovered that the 980 is more than half the FX2000 card. Works with Xinerama or as Dual Head. Depends on how you want it setup. Plus that Video Card does far better at handling day to day stuff than the FX2000. FX2000 needs to use proprietary Drivers that cost $1K inorder to work properly for day to day let alone the High end stuff. -- [link\|mailto:greg@gregfolkert.net\|greg], [link\|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry\|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] @ *i_wethey* "Lately, The only thing keeping me from being a Serial Killer is my distaste for manual labor." -- Dilbert Calendar, January 4, 2004 Edited by folkert Feb. 8, 2004, 01:40:48 PM EST Expand All History
Post #140,598 by Arkadiy 2/8/04 6:11:51 PM Reply	The one you liked working for? The one that called himself "your towel boy"? Not good. -- "...and pronounce all four E's in the word 'shit'"
Post #140,606 by broomberg 2/8/04 7:52:37 PM Reply	Yup, that one I hired him as a programmer. Shared and office with him for 3 years, as he was mentored by my brother. Helped him get promoted into management. Created systems for him, usually designed by him that were good for all of us, both the company and our careers. Followed him as he moved departments and was promoted the MIS director. And watched him self-destruct, battling with everyone, not taking advice. Me, the person who had to go to people school because I was universally despised, and was told that I was the only person to ever rebound worse, was giving him advice, telling him to be nicer. Very sad. He had very high expectations. Because he was pretty good programmer. And he worked with me, and I was better, so I guess he figured he could either get the same level of productivity from everyone else, or at least push them to be better. But he pushed poorly. That is why I never will be in management. The frustration I get out of dealing with semi-competent people pushes me over the edge. So I back-off before I hit that level, and try to automate them out of a job so I just don't have to deal with them.
Post #140,678 by Ashton 2/9/04 7:10:47 AM Reply	Re: Yup, that one Condolences on having to watch such a play in slo-mo :( I've learned some quite useful things from your always legible posts. You could probably be a better analyst of [doomed interactions? frequent stupid bizness behaviour?] than most of the overpaid Official peddlers of such nostrums. And whatever you charged - you'd be cheaper too, as you'd probably choke before ever uttering a Biz-speak TLA, in delivering your analysis. Right? (But, I bet you'd Hate that, too ;-) Pity.. that the fallout from and on! someone doing just-this (if I've gleaned anything from zillions of Rorschaks of zIWE bizness enviros, over the years) - is maybe why you would hate it. Few really want that much light shed upon the pet neuroses of the Power folk; never mind any idea of 'improving' such! Am I right, sir? ... Am I righ... (10 points for source)
Post #140,682 by broomberg 2/9/04 8:05:21 AM Reply	This one was a killer He is a decent programmer. Not phenominal, but on the upper bounds of good. He is very good at math, has a math degree, has good visual skills, good presentation, and wanted to be in management. He had good client interaction skills, decent at teasing out what they really wanted. Good at presenting the solution and getting an agreement of what to do next. He has 2 mode of operation, though. Micromanage where he lays out the code for you, step by step, or wide open bluesky, figure it out yourself. When he blueskied, people would get confused. If he didn't take into account certain limitations, or though he did and then didn't communicate well enough how to deal with it, programmers involved in that project would believe him to not understand the difficulties and then would stonewall. He typically DID understand. In my case, when he didn't, I'd corner him for a while, shake it into his head, and then we'd come up with a solution. Other people didn't, so their projects would be more difficult since they didn't have his input when needed. When he micromanaged, that was a little painful. No 2 coders will code the same way, so when he would layout the underlying data structures of a project, and they did not match how I was designing, none of his input had any value since it was shaped around the data structures. So I'd beat him up to the next level, and we'd work from there. He was great at working with various departments in the company, finding out how the whole organization would do better, and working in that direction. But internally, dealing with people who stonewalled or took 10 times to get something right, he could be harsh. Not insulting or abusive. Just short. He hated when people wasted time. Their's or his. He felt the clock ticking away. Deep down, felt it. But so do I. Time isn't just money. Time is life. If I spend 10 minutes writing this post, I have made a choice to SPEND a limited piece of my life doing it. It is a piece of my life that I will never get back. He felt the same way, that when other people were wasting his time, they were costing him a bit of his life that could be better spent doing something else. So we got along well. We didn't waste each other's time, we were productive, we got things done, we had fun. Gonna miss him.
Post #140,794 by Ashton 2/9/04 7:58:12 PM Reply	Thanks for that irretrievable ten minutes! (Really) er QED See, your description is clear enough for me to believe I've just seen a - probably as near we get to unbiased description, of some basic strengths/weaknesses - said in useable form. (And I'd probably miss a cohort of that description, too.. in fact - I do - there was this guy -) Point: IME, you have an unusual ability to analyze in this way, and also to describe that, sans blab words. I know that I have heard many attempts at 'characterizing' for similar aim: ~just to understand WTF 'is going on with this guy'.?. So I have these horrible examples, for comparison. If I ran a business, I would prize one with such a skill / talent hugely. Of course, you've shown that you like a different kind of problem, most probably would Not want to play in the human management game (?) But if you ever burn-out on TB/sec RAID via fibre optics... y'know? [no flattery intended: simply You're Good at this!] Ashton who heard a different Kind of virtuosity last night - wordless. Music!
Post #140,259 by Another Scott 2/6/04 10:59:22 AM Reply	splutter! Video Card: 190774 - PNY Quadro FX 2000 8x AGP Dual DVI $1,190.00 ! $1200 video card?!? Sheesh. Cheers, Scott.
Post #140,296 by broomberg 2/6/04 2:04:19 PM Reply	Pretty close Take away 2GB memory. Why 2 DVDs? Lose the sound card. I won't be watching movies. Replace with a sane video card. This will leave enough for a decent LCD screen and come in about $7K
Post #140,314 by jb4 2/6/04 4:18:39 PM Reply	Sane video card == Matrox G550 Got one. It's fast, and supports the two monitors (1 analog HDDB15, one digital whateverthefuck they call that newfangled connector, with pigtail) Not very expensive; seems to fit your need, jb4 shrub\ufffdbish (Am., from shrub* + rubbish, after the derisive name for America's 43 president; 2003) n. 1. a form of nonsensical political doubletalk wherein the speaker attempts to defend the indefensible by lying, obfuscation, or otherwise misstating that facts; GIBBERISH. 2. any of a collection of utterances from America's putative 43rd president. cf.* BULLSHIT
Post #140,258 by ben_tilly 2/6/04 10:56:30 AM Reply	Nice problem to have... "good ideas and bad code build communities, the other three combinations do not" - [link\|http://archives.real-time.com/pipermail/cocoon-devel/2000-October/003023.html\|Stefano Mazzocchi]

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