[lug] server spec

[Calvin Dodge]

On 6/13/07, Nate Duehr <nate at natetech.com> wrote:
>
> Older servers would sit in the corner of a room, ANY room, and survive.
>   Today's 1RU machines need to be babied, compared to that.  That's all
> I was saying.

So if you're not running a data center, by all means don't use 1U
cases (I certainly don't - I can't stand the noise).

> Also, your reply assumes the original poster was putting his 1RU
> machines in a data center environment.  Maybe he wasn't planning on

"Assumes?"  I don't think so. The initial post for this thread says:

"My targeted colo has plenty of guaranteed bandwidth."

That sounds like a data center environment to me.

If available space isn't a constraint, then I'd agree that a 1U server
isn't the optimal form factor. (example: the 4U Antecs I mentioned
earlier).

> Why, as consumers, do we let the manufacturers get away with that?  Or
> are we all just too cheap?  (GRIN)  I know I probably am.

You can roll your own 4U server OR order the same easily enough, so
the manufacturers aren't forcing you into a 1U mold. You can probably
get a 4U space for that server from any colocation facility, so you're
not being forced into 1U there, either. You just have to decide to
spend the extra rent (the first rackspace company I found via Google
charges $20/month more for 4U vs. 1U).

So you're not forced to use a smaller server, just as you're not
forced to use cheap components when you build that server. You just
have to decide if you're going to spend a little more to get more
reliability.

> But I still contend that 1RU "servers" are generally a cheap trade-off,
> a legacy of the dot-bomb era where people were charging (and still are)
> far too much for rack space in a room where when the AC or power fails,
> all they are is little death camps for your servers.

I think data centers are in a pretty competitive environment (I'm
astounded at the low price my mom pays for a "shared server" setup),
so if they ALL charge "far too much" for rack space, then there's
probably a good reason they do so. Given the small difference in rack
space rental prices, I'd be inclined to pay the extra rent for a 4U
space.

Calvin