Here's a quick summary (I hope): I've got a spare PC that I want to turn into a server to replace a Mac G4 that's currently doing these tasks. It would run some Linux distro and would be responsible for the following applications my emplyees and I will use day-to-day: Fogbugz, Invision Powerboard, Subversion. It would (obviously?) be set up with PHP, mySQL, Apache, which these applications need to run. Access would be both internal and external (port 80 forwarded to it by my Linksys router).

Here's what I have sitting here right now in terms of hardware:
ASUS P4P800S motherboard in case
P4 2.4GHz
1GB of memory
Maxtor 250GB DiamondMax SATA drive
Two optical drives (CDRW and DVDRW)
Floppy drive
Low-end video card

I'd like to get a gigabit NIC for it and then throw a 24-port gigabit switch down somewhere (most machines accessing the network internally will be Macs which all have gigabit support). I would prefer to have at least one additional drive to boot from (how big does this need to be and is its performance as critical as the one hosting the DB content?) I also have access to a RAID card and can pick up another 250GB drive for some redundancy or speed...

I'm also quite interested in the Infrant ReadyNAS NV with a minimum of 1TB to use as a more general file repository and media storage box. It could also serve as a backup destination for the contents of the server.

So I need some suggestions on drive strategy for the server, any recommendations on low-priced gigabit NICs and switches, suggestions for which Linux distro would make a good choice (ease of setup and maintenance being very important). Any recommendations on UPS products that don't break the bank would also be appreciated. I'm going to need a few of them as I'd also like to protect my router and a number of other systems.

I'm likely forgetting something here, but oh well... Thanks.

Bruno

Hi Bruno,

Regarding a NAS, I have recently purchased a Synology DS101g+ with a 200GB drive for about AU$600, and I am very happy with its performance, quietness and ease of setup. They now support 500GB drives.

I only have a 10/100 switch at the moment so I am not getting the benefits of its Gigabit interface, but it gives me a future upgrade path.

I have a 5-in-4 card reader attached to one of the rear USB ports, and it will see at least two of the slots, although I think it will only recognise one card at a time - I haven't tried it with multiple cards at once.

As far as a UPS goes, I have been running a Sola 625 1000VA, although Sola have now become Powerware and this model appears to have been superceded.

I have two PC's, one with a 19" CRT, 2 sets of PC speakers, satellite modems and various USB hubs and network switch and occasionally the Empeg all running off it at once, and it is running on generator input in ambient temps of up to 40C, yet it has been rock solid reliable for at least two years, with only now and then a 'cabinet overtemperature' error message. The battery still gives over 20 minutes shutdown time. Highly recommended!

HTH!

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