Upgrading web server

[bluestrobe]

Right now my website is running off of a server I made out of parts I had laying around. It's a dual processor 500mhz P3 rig. Anyways, I am looking for options on what my best path would be. I don't need anything other than the basics. I kind of want to make the jump to xeon or AMD MP. This unit will have to run Win2kserver and be good for upgrades for at least two years. Any suggestions?

edit: like to stay under $500 total.

 

[sonoma1993]

do you need just the motherboard, cpu and ram?

 

[Atheus]

What does it run exactly, and what are the bottlenecks at the moment? You would have to have a fast connection to max out dual P3 processors just pushing data, same with hard drives...

 

[bluestrobe]

Right now I'm running win2kserver with WAMP and BOINC. I am mainly looking for cpu, motherboard, and ram if it is ATX compliant. I'm not looking for a performace super upgrade but want hardware that is semi-current rather than using 1999ish hardware that I'm using at the moment. I just want something reliable.

Right now I am averaging 250-500 pages loaded a day and want to upgrade to help with future expansion.

I had the option of picking up a 1U Compaq DL360 server with 1 933mhz P3 and 1GB of ram for $250 but upgrading it with one more processor and heatsink would make it not worth my while (heatsink had to be purcahsed straight from Compaq).

 

[sonoma1993]

best bet will to be, is get a dual core athlon 64 x2 , dual core opteron or a dual core intel duo core 2,

and get a motherboard that has onboard video card.


i just looked up a dual core xeon processor, one can be had for about $190 on newegg, but the server motherboard (dual socket skt 771) start at about $300.

i just priced a athlon 64 x2 system

GIGABYTE GA-M61PM-S2 Socket AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $74.99

Patriot Signature Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $203.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail $130(combo deal) $180

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
Right now I'm running win2kserver with WAMP and BOINC. I am mainly looking for cpu, motherboard, and ram if it is ATX compliant. I'm not looking for a performace super upgrade but want hardware that is semi-current rather than using 1999ish hardware that I'm using at the moment. I just want something reliable.

Right now I am averaging 250-500 pages loaded a day and want to upgrade to help with future expansion.

I had the option of picking up a 1U Compaq DL360 server with 1 933mhz P3 and 1GB of ram for $250 but upgrading it with one more processor and heatsink would make it not worth my while (heatsink had to be purcahsed straight from Compaq).

are the static pages or dynamic? if static that setup can serve up a whole lot more.

 

[bluestrobe]

I might try an opteron system. I would go with all new parts as I don't want to buy a problem part for a machine needed for stability. I also found this decent older server here although I am not sure if this unit will fit in my rack as I can't find the measurements or mounting instructions anywhere. If that doesn't work then I will start peicing together an opteron system.

As for my current server, the pages are static and I run about 4 websites total via virtual hosting. I know the current specs are decent for what I need but I want something that isn't a hand-me-down parts machine.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: bluestrobe
I might try an opteron system. I would go with all new parts as I don't want to buy a problem part for a machine needed for stability. I also found this decent older server here although I am not sure if this unit will fit in my rack as I can't find the measurements or mounting instructions anywhere. If that doesn't work then I will start peicing together an opteron system.

As for my current server, the pages are static and I run about 4 websites total via virtual hosting. I know the current specs are decent for what I need but I want something that isn't a hand-me-down parts machine.

sounds good. i juts wanted you to know there will probably not be a increase in performance for the websites, as i am sure they just pop righ up now 🙂

as for getting a decent used setup, try www.2cpu.com. you need i think a 100 posts to look at their fs/ft section of their forums but the deals you can have in there are excellent. lots of server stuff.

for some time i had my wife's machine as a dual processor 1GHz P3 - that thing ran very well.

the only thing i warn you about is the older scsi hdds - since were in a lot of server if you buy a whole set they will probably be in there, but be warned, they ran very hot, much hotter than todays ide drives. the last 2-3genarations of scis runs much cooler, so just be on the lookout for that.

 

[bluestrobe]

Originally posted by: bob4432
the only thing i warn you about is the older scsi hdds - since were in a lot of server if you buy a whole set they will probably be in there, but be warned, they ran very hot, much hotter than todays ide drives. the last 2-3genarations of scis runs much cooler, so just be on the lookout for that.

That's one of the main reason I kind of stayed away from those servers until now. I don't know if I want to make a jump to SCSI since all of my other stuff is still IDE (SATA in my main rig). Another thing is parts for a production server would be hard to get if something went out or needed to be replaced. Still debating.

 

[bluestrobe]

Originally posted by: sonoma1993
GIGABYTE GA-M61PM-S2 Socket AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail $74.99

Patriot Signature Series 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Retail $203.99

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Windsor 2.0GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail $130(combo deal) $180

More I think about it the more I just might build a system like the above. My current rig is a Abit NF7 with a XP3000 and 1GB of ram so I might bump that to my web server and run the above as my desktop. My main rig has been good and never had a hicup so it's already proven that it's stable. I'll buy a decent ATX rackmount to switch the server hardware into.