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Re: [LUG] Low-power file/mail/web/print server...

 

On Tue, 18 Nov 2008, Rob Beard wrote:

> Grant Sewell wrote:
>> Grant Sewell wrote:
>>> I've been mulling over this for a while now, and I'd appreciate some
>>> input from you lot on it.
>>> r
>>> Basically I'm looking to replace the box I've had running as an
>>> all-purpose 1-user homeserver.  I've pretty much boiled it down to
>>> either a Debianised Buffalo HS-DH320GL 320GB Linkstation Live (ebuyer
>>> code: 139061) or one of those Viglen MPC-L boxes with an external USB
>>> harddrive.
>>>
>>> My thoughts on this so far as that the Buffalo, although it has a larger
>>> capacity it is harder to make it fully useful (ie Debianising it) and if
>>> there are problems with it, it is likely to be harder to troubleshoot,
>>> whereas the Viglen has less storage but can easily be expanded and it
>>> should be relatively trivial to Debianise it, since it can be used
>>> locally too it should be easier to troubleshoot if things do go wrong.
>>>
>>> I'd appreciate your input and experiences.
>>>
>>> Cheers.
>>> Grant.
>> Anyone got any thoughts? I'm still leaning towards a Viglen with bigger
>> harddrive.
>>
>> Grant.
>>
>
> Well it's probably one of the most low powered devices you can get that
> will run standard x86 code, other option I guess would be maybe a Via
> based MiniITX board or even an Intel Atom based motherboard (although
> IIRC it uses about 20 odd watts due to the power hungry chipset).

I missed the original posting, but I build a lot of stuff around the VIA 
fanless miniITX boards - My min. processor speed is 1GHz though. Power 
consumption is 15W without disk drives and without any special 
power-savings going on (lowering processor speed, etc.)

http://unicorn.drogon.net/power.jpg

(That system has a PCI telephony card and a flash IDE drive, so might be a 
watt or so less without them)

I suspect it's hard to get much lower with general purpose/commodity type 
boards, so for really low power, recycle something else... I have a couple 
of Atom based boards (270 and 330 chips), but not had a chance to put the 
meter on them yet. (Curiously, it's not the processor that has the fan on 
the motherboards!)

Gordon

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