[NTLUG:Discuss] When do you save with rackmounts?

[Neil Aggarwal]

Terry:

We use a colocation provider because of these benefits:
1. Physical security of the machines
2. High-availability power
3. High-availability bandwidth
4. 24x7 monitoring and onsite support staff

This allow us to run mission-critical apps for our
clients.

In this case, each U of rack space has a cost.
This is why we use all 1U computers. It is pretty
amazing what you can get in a 1U server nowadays
and we can put 42 in a single rack!

For non-colocated servers, I don't think it would be
worth buying rackmount computers.

Thanks,
	Neil.

--
Neil Aggarwal
JAMM Consulting, Inc.    (972) 612-6056, http://www.JAMMConsulting.com
Custom Internet Development    Websites, Ecommerce, Java, databases


> -----Original Message-----
> From: discuss-bounces at ntlug.org [mailto:discuss-bounces at ntlug.org]On
> Behalf Of Terry Hancock
> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 3:09 PM
> To: discuss at ntlug.org
> Subject: [NTLUG:Discuss] When do you save with rackmounts?
>
>
> Hi,
> Following the "2U" system thread, it's obvious that some of you
> use rackmount
> systems.  I'm wondering what the tradeoffs are.
>
> Obviously rackmount systems tend to be expensive for the same level of
> system, and they save space.  But unless you really are in a
> business where
> the physical computer cases actually take up a large fraction of
> your floor
> space, it's hard to believe that this alone is worth the extra cost.
>
> For comparison, I have been considering setting up a "poor man's rack" by
> using 16" steel utility cases and installing surplus mini-tower
> form factor
> computers (running headless, of course).  The shelves are about
> $10 to $20,
> and the computers, which tend to be a little behind the times
> (say 500 MHz
> instead of 1500 MHz, etc), typically only cost about $150.  I
> should be able
> to fit a good 20 systems on one shelf set, which seems pretty dense to me
> (maybe 4X bulkier than a true rackmounted system).
>
> What other factors should be considered?  Does a rack save you in
> other areas
> (maintenance, perhaps)?  Has anybody listening done both so that they can
> compare directly?  I'm not trying to trash rackmounting or
> anything -- quite
> the contrary, I think they're pretty neat, but I'm wondering what
> you have to
> be doing to make them genuinely practical.
>
> I've considered such a setup for a distributed web server
> solution and also
> for setting up a Beowulf compute server, but I've not gotten so far as
> writing specs or anything.  Any thoughts?
>
> Cheers,
> Terry
>
> --
> Terry Hancock ( hancock at anansispaceworks.com )
> Anansi Spaceworks  http://www.anansispaceworks.com
>
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