Servers

Okay so searching hasn't really been much help so here goes nothing...

Anyway, i've always wanted to have my own server for various reasons. web development, testing, web hosting (not to sell or host anything but tests), practice, etc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230110355739&fromMakeTrack=true

i came across this auction on ebay tonight. Compaq HP Proliant Dl360:

type: Server
Brand: Compaq
Model: Proliant DL360 G1
Speed: Dual 1.266 GHz
RAM: 1GB
HD: 2x 18.2GB Ultra3 SCSI
# Comments: with: CD-Rom and floppy drive;
# 2x onboard NIC ports;
# 1x onboard mini SCSI port;
# 1x Compaq Integrated Smart Array ROC-2 RAID Controller 16MB Module

And i'm seriously considering picking it up. While its not the fastest, it should be more than enough to install a linux distribution and play around. get my feet wet and all. I could do a somewhat minimalistic install of linux (no GUI! oh noes!), and if possible i could add an 80 gig drive and install windows server 2003 and play with that as well..... so i have a few options..

So, do you people think this will be a good start, or a waste of money I have some experience with linux but not a whole lot. I'd really like to learn more about it and more importantly how to configure and use it & the software available for it.

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Comments

Silver Bullet

That looks like a nice deal for someone wanting to get their hands dirty. Looks like HP offers a wide range of drivers for it as well.

Darthn3ss

wow thanks for the link, *bookmarks*

i'll probably pick one up in a few days.

edit: looks like cash supplies are getting low, guess i'll have to wait.

sprkymrk

I don't think you'll be able to add that 80GB drive unless you have a SCSI3 drive handy. I don't think that Proliant has IDE channels.

And FWIW you wouldn't have to install a minimalist Linux on that server, it would run the whole thing just fine. I've been running FC2 (started at Red Hat 9 and upgraded to FC2 when it came out) on a Dell Power Edge 2400 for years now. I use it as a streaming broadcast server (running Shoutcast). It's only a dual P-3 733MHZ with 512MB RAM and a apir of 9GB SCSI drives.

I've also run FC5 on a P-3 933MHH with 384MB RAM and a single 20GB IDE drive. No problems at all.

blargoe

There is no reason to buy a server just for personal web development and testing, IMO. A newer model PC should accommodate any performance, disk space, and data backup needs you have.

Darthn3ss

yeah, although its a PITA to wipe out and re install the computer you have your backups on...and if i want to remotely access something on a linux box i'd have to call someone at my house and tell them to boot into linux for me.. again... hmm....

anyway,a newer model PC would run me $600 vs a older server that'll run linux fine for $200... hmm...

I have my laptop but i don't like to keep that on 24/7, and i didn't like linux on the laptop when i had it installed.

for webhosting i suppose i could pay $15 a month for a year... wait, thats what the server will cost me :-p

sthomas

http://www.intechraoutlet.com/rbwww/home/search_results_servers.asp?bin_id=world

Darthn3ss

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110108332923&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=001

bought this tonight, saw it, had the $100 already in paypal, so i bought it. Pretty good price. Will do what i need it to do. Throw in my 80gb hard drive, some more RAM, i'll be set. Now what distro should i use? I'm thinking of using Redhat, or CentOS, which is apparenlty just like RedHat Ent?

YAY!

TechJunky

CentOS is VERY user friendly.

Mishra

Darthn3ss wrote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110108332923&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=001

bought this tonight, saw it, had the $100 already in paypal, so i bought it. Pretty good price. Will do what i need it to do. Throw in my 80gb hard drive, some more RAM, i'll be set. Now what distro should i use? I'm thinking of using Redhat, or CentOS, which is apparenlty just like RedHat Ent?

YAY!

Thats perfect. Good choice. Better than what you were looking at before.

Linux boxes run perfectly on P-2s and P-3s. Its great.

Darthn3ss

okay i'm pretty sure i need to get a few PCI riser cards so i can add on additional things right? I'd like to add in something like a PCI card with around 6 serial ports, and then an additional fast ethernet port, that way i can have it connected to the lab and the internet without always having to change cables and such.

Darthn3ss

okay finally got the server.... but now i'm running into a small issue... NTLDR is missing, so i cna't boot into windows... they probably corrupted it before selling... but i can't seem to change the boot order at all to boot from the cdrom rather than hard drive... and i don't think i have any floppies but i'll look..

suggestions?

Darthn3ss

fyi... f2 gets you to bios and from there you can install ubuntu. i was going to install centos but i downloaded the dvd of cent os and the cd of ubuntu server... no dvd drive on the server, silly me.

edit:

anyway,anyone know/think i'd be safe taking out a fan or two? this thing is quite loud and i'd like to be able to run it without being annoying to me or anyone else....i'd leave it in my room but theres no wired network access...

Darthn3ss

Server is setup. Need to add a pci card or two that will give me multiple (like 6) serial ports.... one thats compatible with linux... Its running Ubuntu 6.06 Server.

I don't even know if i have slots for another PCI card.... hmmm, maybei 'll open it up.