Ffp server hardware suggestion

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cpnhowdy

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 12, 2002
Messages
186
I need to build a new linux ftp server. My current box is using a Tyan Trinity 400 which allows me to use 4 ATA controller cards. However I would like to upgrade to a faster cpu. It seems most motherboards dont seem like to use more than two ATA controllers.
Anyone have any suggestions for an economical motherboard and controller card solution? I need to be able to accomodate around 10 hard drives and since the server needs to be up 24/7 stability is paramount.

Thanks
 
Well, you could Either go SCSI, or SATA. I have seen SATA controlers with up to 32 connectors, but SCSI could be better, since it doesn't need much of the CPU's help like {S,P}ATA does.
 
Skip the mobo and get an add in controller for the best results. Then the card can help handle operationa and you can control many more drives that way.
 
Keep the OS on the MB controller, maybe?
SCSI would work fine, if the cost isn't a problem. Two controllers, 14 drives.
 
HHunt said:
Keep the OS on the MB controller, maybe?
SCSI would work fine, if the cost isn't a problem. Two controllers, 14 drives.
Click to expand...
I think newer LVD controlers can handle 13 devices can't they?
 
Xipher said:
I think newer LVD controlers can handle 13 devices can't they?
Click to expand...

I have no idea. :D

(My newest normal SCSI-controller is an old 68-pin affair that doesn't seem like it'd appreciate more than 7 devices, and there's only two SCA plugs in the O2. I have little SCSI experience, to put it mildly.)
 
HHunt said:
I have no idea. :D

(My newest normal SCSI-controller is an old 68-pin affair that doesn't seem like it'd appreciate more than 7 devices, and there's only two SCA plugs in the O2. I have little SCSI experience, to put it mildly.)
Click to expand...
oh. Well, SCSI has gone through some changes, although the last one I used myself was the old 50 pin, I remeber helping some one work on a LVD one, it used the Centronics style connector IIRC, and was UltraSCSI3 or newer I think, can't remeber.
 
Thanks guys for the input. My actual accomodation is that I already have 10 250Gb IDE hard drives. I need to be able to put in about 4 controllers in the PCI slots, 8 drives on the controllers and two on the mb. I have had trouble with other motherboards not recognizing more than 2 cards, but with the Tyan it allows 4 cards so far. If I go scsi I have to replace all my drives at a considerable cost.
I might go with a Sata solution later, I saw there is a card that will accomodate up to 16 drives on one card.
 
once you hit 10 drives, it's probably time to consider 'real' RAID hardware, like an external enclosure.
 
ameoba said:
is FTP really that CPU intensive?
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No. ftp.cdrom.com, which held the record for the world's busiest FTP server for a while was a single PPRO 200 with a whole mess of PCI SCSI controllers. It ran FreeBSD. :D

You might consider asking the manufacturers. Their tech support stuff is there for a reason. :) Ask them about your controller limitations.

You could also look at something like a 3Ware 7506-12, which can accomodate twelve IDE drives on one controller. Get a motherboard with a 64-bit slot for that 3Ware, though...You don't need it, but with that many drives the extra PCI bandwidth can't hurt.

You can find 3Ware 7506-8s on Ebay all day long. Maybe two of those would do the trick...Just run the cards in JBOD or just passthrough...
 
good lord
i think if you get to a point where you need that many disks, you should look into getting higher capacity instead of more!

From what I see....
SCSI RAID is very very very nice. performs well under heavy stress
IDE RAID is pretty nice...but under heavy stress, performance goes down quickly


FTP in and of itself is not that CPU intensive, unless you have some sort of encryption going on (sftp, etc)...but if you have IDE drives, then disk read/write operations are handled by your CPU...so even if you just have PCI ATA controllesr, you see a nice performance boost when using IDE drives. and of course, with SCSI controller card, and good disks, you see uber performance....
 
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