Ideas for older Servers/computers

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pwrusr

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I've been kicking around the idea of what to do with some older computers that I've had sitting around for a while...
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The servers:

THE BEAST:
Compaq DL380 G2
Specs:
Dual P3 1.26GHz
3GB ram
4x 15k 36GB SCSI in raid 5 (with one hot spare)
ILO Card (one of the last servers that needed a addon card for ILO newer G3's and better were intagrated)
Dual hot swappable power supplies
it consumes 34 watts plugged into the wall power off. Once the OS loads it settles out to just under 290watts (fluctuates around 287 and 288).

I have a similar speced IBM x220:
three 36GB 10krpm SCSI drives (no raid)
Dual P3 1.26GHz
2GB ram
Single PSU
Only uses around 70 watts once os is loaded.
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The Compaq is quite a bit louder then the IBM from the fan noise and I mostly use the compaq for testing new ideas out with different Linux distros. I may simply end up selling it since I've learned about all I can with it.

Before I go that route I'd ratheir ask to see if there's anything else that can be done with these boxes
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I also have some P4 era computers that I may simply transition to.
Dell Precision 360
Single 2.8GHz P4
2GB ram
SATA Hard drive capability (currently has a 320GB SATA)
Sadly all the USB ports stopped working on this one :(

And lastly a computer that I built as my primary computer several years ago (moved it to a new antec 300 case)
Enermax 350watt psu
AMD 1700+ OCed to 2400+ (2GHz) It's been oced like that since I got it and still runs like a champ, rock solid!
EPOX 8rda+?? one of the last nforce2 boards
2GB ram
Can also do sata quite well. currently has a 250GB drive

If it's better to stay intel I have a extra dell mobo with 2GB ram and a P4 2.8GHz only down side is that it's a IDE only board.

just remembered that I also have a spare intel branded board matching the specs above :D

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So I'm sure you're asking what my intended uses are for the servers are right...
Web server
domain controler
proxy server (untangle)
database server
email server
Is a VM server even possible on this older stuff??

Pretty much all linux based stuff with some windows xp pro servers that I can run as well.
For the most part I'm learning on this stuff to figure out how to build a network and I more or less wanted to see what your collective thoughts were.

In a year or so I may very likely be retiring my primary desktop (C2Q 6600 w/soon to be 8GB ram and lots of HDD room). so that may replace everything via VMs. However I'd really like to learn on physical boxes first.

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In the end I'm really looking for some ideas on what to do with this older stuff to learn some new tricks and such.
 
A VM Server is more than likely not possible.

The GenHard FAQ has a specific section (What should I do with my old PC?) for your question:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1352293

The 70W P3 setup would be enough to run either Untangle or Pfsense.

Though if you can, I say just sell all four systems and the extra Dell mobo/RAM/CPU for at least $200 and get the following:
$59 - AMD Athlon II X2 245 CPU
$65 - Asus M4A78LT-M LE AM3 AMD 780L mATX Motherboard
$49 - Patriot 2GB DDR3 1333 RAM
$50 - Corsair 400CX 400W PSU
---
Total: $223 plus tax.

Reuse an old case, a SATA hard drive and a CD drive and you'll be set.

Significantly less power but offers significantly more performance than all of your old machines combined. It can definitely handle the virtualization.
 
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Actually I was thinking something more along the lines of this or this for pfsence or untangle. I already have the spare memory for that board too :)

Any other Ideas besides selling the stuff? I'm thinking about using the above systems in a lab. I'm just not 100% sure what I should purpose each box as. :confused:
 
Good ideas with the atoms setups.

Those system do use quite a lot of power for the performance they offer. But if you're fine with the power bills, here's what I think would be the optimal setup:

Use "The Beast" as the database server since I'm assuming its RAID 5 array will be faster than a single SATA drive. Use the IBM x220 as the Untangle device. Have the Dell Precision be the web server and email server. Use the AMD setup as the domain controller.

Now that I think about it, this thread will probably be better off in the Networking and Security subforum. Contact a mod to move this thread over there. You'll get more network expert help over there than here.
 
Thanks Danny. Sounds like some great ideas there :)

I've asked a mod to move the thread. so that should happen soon.

If anyone else has any ideas please feel free to chime in ;)
 
use them for testing (like you did) or sell em and make a FreeNAS


keep em and turn em into a pfsense/web server.
 
slayer9019 said:
use them for testing (like you did) or sell em and make a FreeNAS


keep em and turn em into a pfsense/web server.
Click to expand...
Don't really need a FreeNAS box since I currently have a 4x1TB nas that was intel made. I believe it's model is ss4200.
I am pretty dead set (at least short term) to keep em and use them in a lab.
I have a cisco 2950c that should work nicely for lab use :D
 
pwrusr said:
Don't really need a FreeNAS box since I currently have a 4x1TB nas that was intel made. I believe it's model is ss4200.
I am pretty dead set (at least short term) to keep em and use them in a lab.
I have a cisco 2950c that should work nicely for lab use :D
Click to expand...

i wouldnt get rid of them. lab PCs are always nice to have.

i personally cant afford the space or energy for my lab and am going to build a nice i7 virtual environment
 
Dual single core P3s....you said you've learned what you could from them. It won't be a ball of fire running much else...so it's up to you if you want to deal with that big hit to your monthly electricity bill and extra heat and noise.

I'd much rather go with the 1U dual core Atom rig like you linked...those will run Untangle MUCH better...less noise, less electricity, less heat output.
 
I ment I learned about all I could from the Compaq hardware. while it's still 100% functional I simply find it's too much of a power hog to really be of much more use. I only turn it on once every two months at the moment so it would be strictly a lab server if I kept it. I've been wanting to mess with database setup and administration and I think the 380 g2 would be good for that (confirmed above by another poster).

I'll likely sell some if not all of it in the next few months after I have some lab work experience with physical boxes. Then VM server here i come!
 
Blast from the past!

I loaded Windows server 2003 enterprise evaluation tonight on "the beast". I managed to make the room temp jump from 63F to 67F in a matter of a hour or two. This thing works great for winter projects! Helping me learn while also keeping the room temp nice and warm :cool: :D
 
pwrusr said:
I ment I learned about all I could from the Compaq hardware. while it's still 100% functional I simply find it's too much of a power hog to really be of much more use. I only turn it on once every two months at the moment so it would be strictly a lab server if I kept it. I've been wanting to mess with database setup and administration and I think the 380 g2 would be good for that (confirmed above by another poster).

I'll likely sell some if not all of it in the next few months after I have some lab work experience with physical boxes. Then VM server here i come!
Click to expand...

vm server = awesomeness, i love my vm server. I am still liking win2008r2 with hyperv just because i find it nice and easy to use, plus being able to RDP to the HOST server and ad new vm's and play with them is nice, don't need to be sitting infront of the box at all :)

j'
 
Yeah man, that is sweet! It's too bad this old thing can only really be a single server and not a VM server.

I really need to put this old gal up on craigslist when I'm done toying with WS2k3.
My supermicro atom server has more horsepower then this 380 g2 and uses less power then the compaq does just plugged into the wall in standby. Amazing how far servers have come in the past ten years :)
 
pwrusr said:
Yeah man, that is sweet! It's too bad this old thing can only really be a single server and not a VM server.

I really need to put this old gal up on craigslist when I'm done toying with WS2k3.
My supermicro atom server has more horsepower then this 380 g2 and uses less power then the compaq does just plugged into the wall in standby. Amazing how far servers have come in the past ten years :)
Click to expand...

I agree, everything is getting faster more cores but less heat / power requirements needed.!
 
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