Need to build a web server, some recomendations?

NIUBurned

Member
Nov 11, 2000
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Hey guys.

I'm experience with building gaming boxes and could build one with my eyes closed. However, server boxes im not experienced in. What do you all recomend for a good, standard web server (you know, hosts web pages ? Are duel cpus required? I would guess that stability is more important than say...an abit mobo. P3 or T-bird? How much ram? Also, a single big hd, RAID HDs, or scsi? I'll have to talk to the guy, but i dont think either one of us have any experience in linux, so i THINK we might go for Win2k.... I think. Any input would be great. Thanks!!

Ryan Hietpas
 

Priit

Golden Member
Nov 2, 2000
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How much traffic that server should get ? It's pretty hard to recommend anything when you don't now that.. anything from 468 to SGI might do the job...
 

Priit

Golden Member
Nov 2, 2000
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If you want to go cheap& build it by yourself, get 800-1Ghz T-bird (processor's speed doesn't matter that much), high quality mobo for it (Asus, Abit, MSI, Aopen), some HQ case w. powerful PSU and good cooling abilities, 3 HDD-s (same size& brand for RAID5 array. I'd recommend SCSI w/hardware RAID controller, but IDE is probably more sensible when you are with tight buget), about 256 Mb of EEC RAM (probably doesn't need more) and other peripherials you think you might need (e.g. tape drive for backup. No need for fancy vid.card or any soundcard).Then find someone, who is able to install&configure linux with apache (IMHO best web server software). As simple as that... if you want to mess with M$'s software, I'm not able to give you any good recommendations....
 

CTR

Senior member
Jun 12, 2000
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Stick with 7200RPM SCSI drives. Much less heat than the 10K drives. Less likely to fail. Eventually, IDE will fail before SCSI. That is just how it is. I highly recommend AMI RAID conrollers. Cheap, powerful, reliable, and the RAID setup utility is on the card -- no disks to worry about!

Don't forget a tape backup solution. Get a second SCSI card for the tape backup, something along the lines of an Adaptec2940-series card.
 

ROKKSTAR

Member
Oct 10, 1999
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wow, lots of mony being spent on those servers.
i'm currently running 8 Windows2000 srv servers on my 1.5/1.5 sdsl line.
all but 2 were made from NYC. trash.
the buisiest one serves the Smashing pumpkins new album "MACHINA..." 25 files/songs, 125 megs in all.
http://anicespot.com

it was built from:
p166 running @ 200mhz.
96 megs of ram from the trash.
MB with on board uw scsi /4.5 gig seagate drive.
3com 10/100 nic.
this rig has been running 24/7 for 6 months, no reboot.
to date it has served 1.5 million files.


the rest of my servers are a mix of p166/200/233's and celeron 266/300/466's all O/C'ed.
ram is a real plus but none of mine have more than 96 megs.(yet)
the drives are mostly ultra66's.
the servers also run: dalnet-chat server, with java irc client on web pages , fmpro database/server , forums/bbs .

i too thought that i'de have to spend more for my servers. but after seeing the performace of the Win2k srv OS. i now know its not so.
good luck.
 

Magic30

Member
Nov 2, 2000
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Do you want to host large databases with lots of traffic?? If no then a PC like mine should do the job well:

P166
32 Mb RAM (EDO)
NT 4.0 or Linux
1 Mb graphic card
14" monitor
10 Mbit NIC
good HD

OK, possibly take 64 Mb RAM but for a pure web server (even DSL) that should do it.

The OS is the most important point.
 

NIUBurned

Member
Nov 11, 2000
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Im thinking a fast T-bird system. DEPENDING on how much money he is willing to dish out. One ghz T-bird, 256mb of ram. I like the Microstar mobo that is Anandtech's servers exept it has on board scsi. Although plain old vanilla scsi is fast, it doesnt have the backup of RAID, so MAYBE just standard RAID, im not sure the guy wants to spend the money on a scsi raid setup... What do yall think?


 

jsm

Banned
Oct 11, 1999
971
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Here is what I have used for a web/ftp server that has worked very well for a long time.

P200
128megs of RAM
10gig UDMA 33 Hard Drive
NT 4.0 Server
IIS 4.0 (with lots of security updates)

Since the amount of data you are actually going to send is so minimal (unless your web pages are huge), something like this should do the trick. And you can always tune your web server software to cache a lot of the most viewed web pages in memory (which means you might want to increase the memory of your server, of course).

If you are running an FTP server, try to figure out what the maximum upload speed of your connection. Then figure out what the maximum throughput - sustained, of your hard drive. If your drive cannot meet the maximum upload speed, then you should be doing fine for the most part. Of course, others will argue that if you have lots of people on your drive grabbing files and searching around the drive, then it will drag down the performance of your drive and therefore your upload speed. But, really, unless you have a T3 connected to your machine, a standard 5400 RPM UMDA drive should be just fine. Afterall, how many people do you expect to view your web page and/or grab files concurrently? In my opinion, a fast EMC array would be exactly what one would WANT when running a web or ftp server, but it is not necessary to run of the aforementioned servers adequately.

And if you are good at optimizing graphics (using something like Fireworks), again, a P200 is just fine.

And the next logical question - are you doing some kind of colocation deal or are you hosting at home with xDSL or Cable?
 

NIUBurned

Member
Nov 11, 2000
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Hmmm Good points. Im thinking a T-bird settup will do fine. Maybe raid...or single scsi. I'll see. And im not really sure about the connetion. Im pretty sure its a cable connection.