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Richard Brown wrote: > 1. Ram more important than cpu for a file server. Agree. > 2. Rack or tower doesn't matter - noise is a factor. Agree. A proper server is *loud*. IF noise is an issue, consider a normal PC. > Do I need raid configured please? Typically, you set some options in the bios or the raid control (which comes up after bios if you have a raid card), such as type of raid and the disks to include. From then on it is considered a single drive by the OS and you. (Note this only applies to hardware raid controllers. Onboard or card. Don't be going the software raid route) > Should I get a fast sata disk (Neil talked about I/O being a blockage > rather than cpu)? You can. > Can I run a server using 2 x 250 gig hard drives or would it be better > to get one 500 gig hard drive? Depends on the data and personal taste. I prefer fewer bigger drives, simpler to image and lay out. > Should I use Intel rather than AMD? (I am told AMD might not be as > reliable as Intel). Bollocks. Both are 100% reliable in every way. The ONLY difference between comparable versions is some tiny little performance issues on different areas. To the user they're no different. > Back to the Mac thing. I know that the client will want a new box. So > if I buy a new Mac box he will want to use the fact that you can run > 'doze on the box and possibly even Linux. In short it won't be a file > server, it will become a desktop as well. This is a big no as far as I > can tell? You can do it, depends how many files you need to serve and whether you have enough resources free to run a desktop, and are prepared to accept some performance loss when the user is doing something cpu intensive. A file server can be anything from a laptop with a network share to a users's holiday pics to a full-on madly screaming bank of rackmounted behemoths sucking enough power for a medium sized city. > Additional questions outside of the file server. What would you > recommend in terms of ups and backup please? Backup would seem handled > by dvd writer but would it be worth getting a hd caddy as well and > rotate or even usb thumb drives? You'll find it tricky backing up 500gb chunks of data onto a dvd or flashdrive. Backup planning is tricky but basically boils down to "what are you prepared to lose?" and then making a copy of it every xx minutes/hours. Normally you'd have another machine on the lan taking a file or disk image of what you want to keep during the "off-peak" times. If the data is not that important and your time in replacing it when it dies not begrudged, then by all means just image the critical files (configurations) and/or the OS itself onto dvd/flash. I also prefer to use a small drive for the OS and programs, and larger drives just for data. Makes it easier and more flexible in setting everything out. -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG http://mailman.dclug.org.uk/listinfo/list FAQ: http://www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html