[ale] Source for Inexpensive, Quiet, Low-Power, rackmount server?

[jdp at algoloma.com (JD)]

On 10/16/2012 11:52 AM, Derek Atkins wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'm looking to offload my MySQL server off my MythTV hardware and onto
> its own server box.  This instance of MySQL handles not only MythTV data
> but also my Maia Mailguard, Zarafa, Gallery, and possibly other
> services.

No. Recording TV takes more CPU that you'd expect. If you add in transcoding,
you'll need at least a Core2Duo CPU.

If you remove the TV recording and transcoding, then an Atom-level box would be
fine.

> I'd like something relatively quiet because it's living in my house, not
> in some rackspace machine room. I'd prefer to have 8GB of ram but all
> the Atom boxes I've found seem to max out at 4 (although I can aquire
> one for about $450 with an D2500HN Atom Dual Core 1.86GHz/4GB/160GB 5400RPM).

You can build an Atom-base (or AMD E-something) for less than $200 with 4GB of
RAM and a picoPSU (100% silent PSU). There is no need for even 4GB of RAM to run
all those things, including Zarafa.  Running the enterprise email process on
there makes 1-2GB needed, but everything else will fit in 512MB. If you use
straight postfix and dovecot, the email part will easily fit in 384MB - easily.
 This assumes no more than 10 email users.  4G is fine.  Don't know anything
about mailguard requirements.

> Has anyone found any good sources for inexpensive servers?

When they call something a "server", add $200-$5000 to the real price.  I've
found some newegg APU + steel case bundles for Atom-class systems and cases for
$100. $30 for 4GB of RAM and $50 for the picoPSU, reuse an old HDD and you are
golden for $180.  No transcoding or TV tuner.  For the TV tuners, I love the
network-baed HDHR models.  Then it doesn't matter where the recording happens on
your network.  I record using a virtual machine.

> I was also considering an SSD for this application.  Do you experts feel
> that would help my application speeds?

No, not at all, but others will have a completely different take.  Video
streaming does not demand the costs that an SSD requires. A large HDD is more
important, it doesn't need to be fast.

If you want a TV tuner and transcoding, you can find used (off lease) C2D boxes
for about $200, but the PSU will probably be too noisy for a living room
environment.

I'd avoid the entire "server" line, unless you are just trying to get something
that looks cool and different for the house.