I am planning to set up a system running SuSE-11.1 32-bit (due to some dependencies I have) with Nameserver (bind), Apache, Mysql, sendmail, Mailman and a webcam showing a web browseable picture ever few seconds.
This will be hooked up to an ADSL connection with fixed IP. It’s going to run 24 hrs a day. I have limited physical access to the box, just once every few weeks, but remote maintenance via ssh is possible. I am looking for a very good reliability. There will be no gaming at all and expected system load is low. One important factor is noise: it should be as quiet as possible.
What configuration would you pick under the constraints of HW compatibility, best reliability for the buck and giving preference to a small system as opposed to a big tower full blown server?
If for some reason you really need OpenSuSE then perhaps a Asus/Shuttle barebone would meet your requirements.
Go for the booksize Asus or the shuttle (cube-like) barebones.
I have then both and it seems to me that the Shuttle is quieter. On the Ausus I had to place and extra fan in order to cool it on summer … so pay attention to all details when deploying you system. Remember, it must run 24H/day … every single day …
With a barebone you just have to add CPU+memory +hdd. For what you have told us you are looking for a minimal configuration. Just choose the cheapest possible …
But if you can make you intended application in another distro for you particular case I would strongly recommend something like Bubba2 Excito | Small and silent home server.
This consumes only 9W. It is very small (almost the same size as an external USB hdd case), and very reliable.
I have one and you only ear the disk. And even that they have an SSD version … Or, you can build your own …
You can also have a very cheap … -> Asus EeePC !
It even has a built in camera
They make all your requirements and … they are silent and Cheap!
I really think this is the best solution from the pragmatical point of view: Cheap, reliable, efficient, silent and even web-cam enableb! and runs OpenSuSE. _ And you have the wifi on top of that, makes your network scenario even easier.
All very affordable, running OpenSuSE .
Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I have used Shuttle barebones before. Problem was that the harddisks got quite hot because there is no sufficient airflow over them. So my nice and expensive Raptor crashed after 2 years.
Good to know that the Asus has thermal problems too.
Just choose the cheapest possible …
Probably not. I will pick the best industry grade cool running disks I can get. Setting up the whole thing takes a long time and I don’t want to repeat the process soon.
The Bubba2 looks nice, but I will stick to SuSE because I know the setup and don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
As for the small notebooks: These are not really meant to run 24 hrs a day. Probably I should use a mini-tower with very quiet fans.
I must clarify what I said about the Asus Pundit (booksize). Only the Pundit models overheat a little, the booksize models, and even those only if exposed to direct sun light. They behave quite well actually, apart from this issue.
My model is also an old one, a Pentium 4 not even hyperthreading.
I also heard that the new models are much better.
And the models that are a bit bigger, like a shoe card box, they are completely ok.
Probably not. I will pick the best industry grade cool running disks I can get. Setting up the whole thing takes a long time and I don’t want to repeat the process soon.
The Bubba2 looks nice, but I will stick to SuSE because I know the setup and don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
As for the small notebooks: These are not really meant to run 24 hrs a day. Probably I should use a mini-tower with very quiet fans.
Regards, Tom
Well … apart from a solution like Bubba2 or, even better, something you can easily get at LinuxDevices.com – All About Linux-powered Devices like pico ATX from VIA solutions or other embedded stuff that easily runs OpenSuSE, you are likely going to end up spending a lot of cash.
I know EeePC (or equivalent) sound a bit … uncommon … for the lack of a better word … in your scenario situation. But a EeePC is very reliable even for 24H/day operation … quite frankly I doubt anyone can make a normal “box” PC with a reliability matching any EeePC … just the fact that the disk is flash … no heat generation, no noise, lower power …
Just protect the electricity plug where they are going to connect and that’s it.
And they run OpenSuSE … so you get your OS comfort zone this case.
> What configuration would you pick under the constraints of HW
> compatibility, best reliability for the buck and giving preference to a
> small system as opposed to a big tower full blown server?
I would go with a home-build system:
Good case (racked or backplane setup is very usefull to get out the disks
very quickly), micro-atx motherboard (Intel’s one are pretty stable and
well constructed. If you prefer an AMD configuration, Asus and Gigabyte are
also a good option) with integrated vga, a pair of enterprise sata hdd
(carefull with Seagate recent firmware bug), 4 GB of ram (or the maximum
board can handle, see board’s manual to select sticks recommended by the
manufacturer), low-noise fans for case, cpu cooler and PSU. Also, pick a
CPU with lowest TDP (65W preferred).
Branded barebones (Shuttle, Asus, MSI…) are good -generally speaking-, but
if anything breaks you maybe forced to change the whole board because they
tend to use a special/proprietary design. And the cost of such boards is
usually like the whole system :-/
A notebook will quite easily fit the requirements actually, and they are low power and quiet. Prices are quite competitive with box systems these days. I don’t know how they would fare on the reliability front, I suspect most notebooks fail for more physical reasons.
Obviously if you go for a notebook, you’re opting for replace the whole system at one go approach unless it’s the disk or RAM that fails. Access doors are handy for those two.
