David Dyer-Bennet wrote:
So I'm looking to build a home disk server (with some database and web activity, and email) using ZFS and hence Solaris, and I'm finding it hard to locate hardware that's known to work.
Something like a Sun Ultra-20/X2100? These use a fairly generic Opteron-based motherboard with the familiar all-in-one I/O chipset. The product differentiation comes in the form factor, service processor, high quality power supplies, expandability, etc.
I need a tower server, and something with office-level rather than lab-level noise output. I need an absolute minimum of 4 3.5" SATA-II hot-swap bays, and really want 5, and wouldn't mind 8; plus of course a suitable controller. I don't desperately need redundant power or fans, though I wouldn't mind. I'd kinda like gigabit ethernet, but hardware at this level tends to come with that these days. I don't especially need dual ethernets. I tend to prefer AMD, and I understand Solaris and ZFS like Opterons anyway. Oh, I do want ECC memory. I want room to expand the memory for sure, and maybe the CPU (like a dual-processor MB configured with just one processor to begin with).
I presume you are sizing based on GBytes. If so, then the stores are now full of 750 GByte disks and the 160/250 GByte drives are on clearance. If you want to DIY, there are a number of mother boards which will get you 4 SATA drive support with GbE and 4 GBytes of memory. Look for AMD AM2 socket support, though you can still get Opterons in socket 939 and 940. The price difference should be almost zero, though the availability is still somewhat limited for AM2. I have noticed that finding ECC memory in a retail store is almost impossible. If you absolutely require ECC (and as a RAS guy, I highly recommend it) then you may need to purchase from a systems vendor or online.
And of course it's for a home server, so I'd like to buy it for about $1.98. Okay, so I'm going to have to give a little on this one. I'm actually able to talk about more like $2000 for a single-processor system with 2GB RAM and say 4x250GB disks plus a boot disk, though it hurts me to say so.
The RAM may chew up a third of the budget, because of the ECC requirement.
So it looks like I need the Supermicro AW-4020C (http://www.supermicro.com/Aplus/system/Tower/4020/AW-4020C-T.cfm), which is their H8DCe motherboard, which uses the nvidia proforce 2050 and proforce 2200 for the SATA (I think those are big integrated chips doing many things, not *just* the SATA). But I can't find any of the obvious IDs in the HCL, and Supermicro doesn't seem to bother testing against Solaris (at least I've never found it on one fo their OS support lists; but I *have* found some older Supermicro models on the HCL).
Also this week, I noticed that the HCL is falling behind. There are many systems which will work that aren't listed. The problem is that a motherboard design has about a 6 month market window. Rather than worry about specific boards, look for the chipset. Hint: Sun tends to make systems using the NVidia chipsets and graphics cards. What I've seen this week is: a number of new, relatively inexpensive motherboards with AM2 sockets, NVidia NForce 430 chipset (4xSATA, 2x IDE, GbE, hdaudio, USB, firewire). If you need more SATA, then the Marvell 88SX and SiliconImage 3124/3132 SATA are well supported by Solaris <wink wink> For the processor, I recommend dual core, the difference is noticeable. But if the budget is tight, you can start with the inexpensive Sempron64 and upgrade it later. Whatever you get, make sure it is 64-bit, it will make life easier. Also, AMD is expected to reduce processor prices later this month. -- richard _______________________________________________ zfs-discuss mailing list zfs-discuss@opensolaris.org http://mail.opensolaris.org/mailman/listinfo/zfs-discuss
