[lug] Semi-OT: Linux Home server specs

[Elyse M. Grasso]

Is there an SMP motherboard with good Linux support that people have had good 
experiences with (or one I should avoid at all costs)?  

I need a home server for files and backups and as a host for a scanner. I also 
need some practice at enterprise level Linux admin: smp, raid, ldap, etc. So 
this sucker is going to be considerably over-specced.

I'm currently contemplating 

a 'quiet' ATX case, 

an smp ATX mother board with a couple of  mature processors (two older 
processors may cost less than something current and bleeding edge), 

enough  SATA drives to do raid 1/0, with a controller card if that is 
advisable,

and a fairly wimpy graphics card or maybe just onboard video (if SMP boards 
have builtin video). Most admin will be done across the network, but I'll 
need enough graphics capability to trouble shoot the scanner, view pdfs and 
website files, etc.

I haven't built a machine in years: just used laptops on the road. How big a 
power supply am I likely to need for all this?

Does anyone have a 'quiet' case they really like? Or one that turned out to be 
a lemon?

-- 
Elyse Grasso

http://www.data-raptors.com    Computers and Technology
http://www.astraltrading.com   Divination and Science Fiction
http://www.data-raptors.com/global-cgi-bin/cgiwrap/emgrasso/blosxom.cgi WebLog