Very Computer

I expect to build a dual Pentium III linux server.  The system will include
hot swap SCSI disks, a floppy CD and internal SCSI tape backup device.  The
chassis will be rack-mount.  I assume that it will need to be larger than 2U
to support the devices listed above.  I'd prefer to base this on a
motherboard with integrated NIC and SCSI controllers.

I had been considering the L440GXG and STL2 Intel boards.  I'd prefer a 133
FSB system which suggests the STL2 and not the older L440GXG.  The STL2
board is supposed to be matched with the Intel SC5000.  The hot-swap version
of that case does not support HSC firmware update with the STL2 motherboard.

I'd like to expand my horizons beyond Intel motherboards and would
appreciate greatly your suggestions for a motherboard and rack-mount case
combination that is known to work well with Linux (presumably RedHat 7
based).

Thanks.

-- Rich

Most space will probably be needed by the hot-swap scsi-disks.

Quote:> I'd prefer to base this on a motherboard with integrated NIC and SCSI
> controllers.

SuperMicro has some motherboards based on the ServerWorks chipset with
NIC from intel and SCSI from adaptech integrated. However, this Ultra160
will probably need a separate box to take care of hot-swap. I think
there is a company called andataco which makes SCSI-boxes with hot-swap
canisters.

Quote:> I had been considering the L440GXG and STL2 Intel boards. I'd prefer
> a 133 FSB system which suggests the STL2 and not the older L440GXG.

Then you will need a chipset from VIA (lowend, cheap) or ServerWorks
(highend, expensive).

Quote:> I'd like to expand my horizons beyond Intel motherboards and would
> appreciate greatly your suggestions for a motherboard and rack-mount
> case combination that is known to work well with Linux (presumably
> RedHat 7 based).

A good place to find motherboards on the web is a page called something
like "acme motherboard finder" (sorry, I don't have the URL here).

Stay away from motherboards with intel 8xx chipset. Some have APIC
problems in Linux, others have problems with SDRAM as they are optimised
for RAMBUS memory which is much more expensive than SDRAM.

regards Henrik
--
spammer strikeback:

Look at

  http://www.veryComputer.com/

for a 2U case which has five hot-swap slots.  I presume that Atlantec
also sells the case retail (rather than over eBay).  Note that this
case doesn't have room for a 3.5" floppy or a tape backup, but others
might.

Quote:> > I'd prefer to base this on a motherboard with integrated NIC and SCSI
> > controllers.
> SuperMicro has some motherboards based on the ServerWorks chipset with
> NIC from intel and SCSI from adaptech integrated. However, this Ultra160
> will probably need a separate box to take care of hot-swap. I think
> there is a company called andataco which makes SCSI-boxes with hot-swap
> canisters.

I'd personally suggest just getting a bigger box.  A 2U chassis can
cost twice as much as a 4U one, and about the same as a 6U or bigger.
If you're looking for manufacturers, check out Boomrack; I have their
4U model and like it.  (The P/S has been flaky, but they've replaced
it sight unseen with Next-Day-AM delivery, which makes up for it.)

Quote:> > I had been considering the L440GXG and STL2 Intel boards. I'd prefer
> > a 133 FSB system which suggests the STL2 and not the older L440GXG.
> Then you will need a chipset from VIA (lowend, cheap) or ServerWorks
> (highend, expensive).

I advise against a VIA chipset.  It's perfectly reliable for many
applications, but for a server of any sort you want something better.

The Tyan Thunder 2500 is SW-based and takes dual slot-1 CPUs.  All the
SW-based SuperMicros take S370 CPUs (except the Xeons).

Quote:> > I'd like to expand my horizons beyond Intel motherboards and would
> > appreciate greatly your suggestions for a motherboard and rack-mount
> > case combination that is known to work well with Linux (presumably
> > RedHat 7 based).
> A good place to find motherboards on the web is a page called something
> like "acme motherboard finder" (sorry, I don't have the URL here).

Shopping for these motherboards sucks.  Your best resource may be
eBay.  I haven't been able to find a place that sells the SW-based
SuperMicros, and Tyan states on their Web page that they won't sell to
retailers or individuals.

Quote:> Stay away from motherboards with intel 8xx chipset. Some have APIC
> problems in Linux, others have problems with SDRAM as they are optimised
> for RAMBUS memory which is much more expensive than SDRAM.

Something needs to be done about the i840 IO-APIC problem.  I can find
i840 boards by the bushel, and for a sight less than comparable SW
models.

Is anyone working on this at all?  Have we even confirmed what the
problem is?

--

  "Luckily I have the fashion sense of a colorblind street *
freebasing * through a gunpowder funnel, so it all works out."
                        - Something Awful, 12/19/2000

Well, my PIIIDME is stable under 2.4.0-test12. However, I haven't done
anything more brutal than fsck my IDE partitions (20GB disc) and
ext2-formatted ZIP drives on it. I would say that the problem is "in
remission" ... ;-)

Chris