[lug] server spec

[karl horlen]

> The killer for RAM is the number of concurrent
> processes running to handle
> incoming requests.  Our clients that handle hundreds
> of thousands to
> millions of requests per day typically want to
> handle peaks of hundreds of
> concurrent connections.  If each one take 20MB of
> RAM, which isn't unheard
> of for dynamic applications, you're talking 4GB of
> RAM just for handling
> those requests.  The big event being when a robot or
> spider hits the site.
> That's one of the biggest issues we're running up
> against on the python.org
> package index.

yeah.. my investigation is telling me that the RAM is
king here. and calculating a MaxClients and related
apache params to fit the RAM installed.

> I've had good luck with Intel motherboards, but most
> of my experience has
> been with Supermicro.  They rock.  Personal
> preference here, but I won't
> use AMD's CPUs.  I'd like to, but usually it means
> using other chipsets on
> the board, which tend to have nowhere near as good
> support as the Intel
> equivalents.

good tips.  supermicro does rock out some good stuff.

> the biggest problem is that you're not going to get
> a P4 board that you're
> going to be able to upgrade to dual CPUs most
> likely.  You *MAY* be able to
> do dual cores, but the Pentium Ds are getting to be
> quite short in supply
> now, so you'd have to get a board that can support
> P4 and Core Duo, which
> may be scarce in "server" quality boards.

consensus seems that going the dual cpu route requires
one to commit to a more advanced processor right now. 
point noted!

> I'd recommend you get just a P4 board and don't
> worry about the future.
> When you want to upgrade, get a new board and CPU,
> whatever fits together
> then.  Trying to predict the future as far as
> computer hardware purchases
> is rarely a benefit.

Yeah i'm leaning towards this camp.  there was a great
post here some time ago about never buying the latest
greatest thing.  That stuff will all be half priced in
a year.  i'm probably going to be paying a premium for
horesepower i don't necessarily use now but will be
able to purchase it at a steep (and tested) discount
in the future when i actually do need it.

so sean back at you because i know you've had
experience with this:

P4 + 4G + SATA mirror should be more than adequate to
handle what i spec'd right (and probably then some)?

thanks


       
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