What to do with a bunch of old servers?

OverdashOverdash Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
So I just acquired 11 SuperMicro SuperServer 5013C-T's and have no idea what to do with them.

They have 4GB's DDR, with 2.4Ghz CPU, dual 1GB Nic's and 2x 120GB Hard Drves.

I want to add them to my lab but not sure yet what to do with them. As far as server OS's I am currently playing with Server 2008 R2.

Any thoughts on how I could maybe lab up on some of this? Thanks!

Comments

  • exampasserexampasser Member Posts: 718 ■■■□□□□□□□
    They might work well as Linux boxes, I'd probably run CentOS on a few of em.
  • OverdashOverdash Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    That's an interesting thought, what services should they host? Like a web server or something? Thanks
  • nhan.ngnhan.ng Member Posts: 184
    send some to me :)
  • alan2308alan2308 Member Posts: 1,854 ■■■■■■■■□□
    1. Dynagen or GNS3. They should run a bunch of routers each comfortably. And with dual NIC's you have options on how to break them all out to a switch.

    2. Running multiple operating systems for a lab. Server 2008R2 is out of the question if they're running P4's, but you still can run Server 2008, 2003, and 2000, Desktop Windows variations, various Linux distros, various BSD's, Solaris/Open Solaris variants, etc. With 4GB of memory you should be able to run a host OS and a VM or two on each.

    3. Send me a couple so I can do 1 and 2. icon_mrgreen.gif
  • exampasserexampasser Member Posts: 718 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Overdash wrote: »
    That's an interesting thought, what services should they host? Like a web server or something? Thanks

    You can set up a proxy server(works great along when used with ssh server for getting past firewalls), samba server, and/or a vpn server just to name a few. Experiment and have fun.
  • exampasserexampasser Member Posts: 718 ■■■□□□□□□□
    alan2308 wrote: »
    1. Dynagen or GNS3. They should run a bunch of routers each comfortably. And with dual NIC's you have options on how to break them all out to a switch.

    2. Running multiple operating systems for a lab. Server 2008R2 is out of the question if they're running P4's, but you still can run Server 2008, 2003, and 2000, Desktop Windows variations, various Linux distros, various BSD's, Solaris/Open Solaris variants, etc. With 4GB of memory you should be able to run a host OS and a VM or two on each.

    3. Send me a couple so I can do 1 and 2. icon_mrgreen.gif

    Darn you beat me to it, I was about to comment on the fact that Server 2008R2 can't be used on 32-bit processors.
  • demonfurbiedemonfurbie Member Posts: 1,819 ■■■■■□□□□□
    wgu undergrad: done ... woot!!
    WGU MS IT Management: done ... double woot :cheers:
  • OverdashOverdash Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Thanks guys! All wonderful suggestions. I would love to give some away to you guys (because I got them free) but I have already decided to donate them to Hackers for Charity when I'm done playing with them.
  • CodeBloxCodeBlox Member Posts: 1,363 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Still not too late to spare one!!! I'll cover shipping :D haha only kidding. Sounds like you should have quite a lab.
    Currently reading: Network Warrior, Unix Network Programming by Richard Stevens
  • nhan.ngnhan.ng Member Posts: 184
    did i tell you im' from hacker for charity? icon_wink.gificon_lol.gif can i claim my free servers now?
  • OverdashOverdash Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    nhan.ng wrote: »
    did i tell you im' from hacker for charity? icon_wink.gificon_lol.gif can i claim my free servers now?

    Haha,

    Then it should still get to you if I send them straight to Jinja, Uganda :)
  • nhan.ngnhan.ng Member Posts: 184
    nah send them to my place. I'll wipe it out, reload the os at home before i bring it back to the office and put them into production :Dicon_lol.gif
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