• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Project: Rackmount Overkill

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.
thideras said:
For example, my switch was normally going for $150-200 at the time I purchased it, but I bought it for $30 shipped. That is more an exception than a rule for me, but you get the idea. I don't buy new hardware because it is extremely expensive.
Click to expand...

I have purchased Powerconnect 5224 switches off ebay for around $50 shipped. Keep searching until you find one where they list it as 10/100 instead of gigabit. Those are the ones you can get for cheap
 
cw823 said:
I have purchased Powerconnect 5224 switches off ebay for around $50 shipped. Keep searching until you find one where they list it as 10/100 instead of gigabit. Those are the ones you can get for cheap
Click to expand...
Haha, that is great. :D

I think mine was listed with spelling errors in "Powerconnect" or the model was wrong. Something about it made it not show up with normal searches.
 
Not much has been happening since I will be moving soon. Since the P4-based firewall exploded its power supply, I replaced it with an Optiplex 780. Not installed yet, but I have it here. I'm waiting to move before I get it setup.

optiplex_780.JPG



I also picked up a Uniden Bearcat BCD996T from my father, who replaced it with something more shiny. When I get moved up to the new place, I will run a feed (RadioReference/Broadcastify) since there is not one for the county. I have a virtual machine running on AWK (R710) with a sound card pass through, along with the USB serial device to control the radio. This way, I don't have to dedicate an entire bare metal system to stream.

uniden_bcd996t.JPG
 
Last edited:
When I get moved up to the new place, I'm going to reinstall the OS on Ruby to get it over to a Samsung Pro that I bought a little while back. However, with how easy the PCI passthrough was for the scanner virtual machine, I'm seriously considering using XCP for Ruby.
 
What do you use for as firewall?, and does it i act as your firewall and router or just firewall?

Running Untangle myself.
 
If you mean hardware, it is the picture above. For software I'm running pfSense.
 
Thideras, How did all this server stuff come about? This whole Rackmount Overkill project start? Did you just see a used server online and buy it? Or did you get into this in University? I'm very curious as to how you got into it. Of course if you don't mind me asking?
 
dont do it darren its a trap!!!! once you start you cant stop!!!

im trying to help :)
 
I'm already into the whole computer aspect, now just to get into servers :). That's something that i'm going to college for, Servers. So i want to know if me getting into it now will help later on? I'm guessing it will?
 
lol i was just joking, depends what you do on it and if you work with the same software you use in college. either way it will help with the basics i suppose.
 
It can be frustrating, however, when you setup something at home that your employer is unable to figure out how to do. Once you realize how simple some things are, I find myself wanting to punch a few subcontractors in the throat.
 
been there lol specially when you come in and have to clean up their mess -.-'
 
DarrenP said:
Thideras, How did all this server stuff come about? This whole Rackmount Overkill project start? Did you just see a used server online and buy it? Or did you get into this in University? I'm very curious as to how you got into it. Of course if you don't mind me asking?
Click to expand...
I'm not trying to dodge the question, but this thread explains everything if you start from the beginning.
 
thideras said:
I'm not trying to dodge the question, but this thread explains everything if you start from the beginning.
Click to expand...

Woah, post #1 brought me back haha. Good times! That was when I liked trying to learn instead of wanting to throw things out the window when they didn't work.

Must have had 15 or so P3 / P4 servers I went through then... Went to buy a server with a C2D based quad core xeon the other day and when I asked someone in IT they said "DON'T, that's old junk!". Crazy how much this stuff gets moved around, and it's only getting faster.

I'd like to pick up a single server to have some fun with when the right deal comes along... but for my needs a C2D would probably do the trick. I just need more storage. And speedy storage! I've yet to own a SSD... :chair:
 
Wow took a while to work through that thread. So much info and playing around! :thup: I contemplated summarizing the thread for you but decided there was no way to do it. The summary would be as long as the thread... haha
 
Thideras wont ever admit it, but my started but quickly abandoned rack thread made him do his! That's my story and I wont believe anything different! :screwy:*sticks fingers in ears and starts humming*:blah:

Mine was first, though his rack has ultimately gone over and beyond anything I could even have thought about doing.

I still have servers I havent decided what to do with! :comp:
 
Hey Thid! Spent the last couple days getting caught up on your thread here. Love what you've done, and the information you've provided along the way! :thup:

Not sure if you remember, but I had hit you up awhile back when I was putting a server together. Based on your suggestions I researched, and ultimately went with zfs. I see more and more people using a SSD to cache their pools. I'm just wondering what kind of performance increase I would get by doing this?

I'm currently running 6x 3TB Seagates (7200rpm) in raidz2. Is it possible to add an ssd now that the system is up and running and all data has been moved over?

Thanks, and keep up the great thread! It's astonishing the amount of information provided here!! :thup:

-RYknow
 
-RYknow said:
Hey Thid! Spent the last couple days getting caught up on your thread here. Love what you've done, and the information you've provided along the way! :thup:

Not sure if you remember, but I had hit you up awhile back when I was putting a server together. Based on your suggestions I researched, and ultimately went with zfs. I see more and more people using a SSD to cache their pools. I'm just wondering what kind of performance increase I would get by doing this?

I'm currently running 6x 3TB Seagates (7200rpm) in raidz2. Is it possible to add an ssd now that the system is up and running and all data has been moved over?

Thanks, and keep up the great thread! It's astonishing the amount of information provided here!! :thup:

-RYknow
Click to expand...

Code: 
zpool add $POOL cache $DEVICE
f.ex.
Code: 
zpool add storage cache c4t3d0
Code: 
zpool add storage cache /dev/sdh

It should make the most used files run pretty fast, as they will be running from the SSD.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

storm-chaser
Home server project: 8 core Dell PowerEdge 710
Replies
2
Views
1K
Automata
Automata
C
Understanding Rack Server Power Needs At Residental
Replies
1
Views
782
NiHaoMike
NiHaoMike
cullam3n
Project Baby Rack
2
Replies
32
Views
7K
cullam3n
cullam3n
Automata
Rackmount high-load quality UPS for servers
Replies
7
Views
3K
Automata
Automata
SpeeDj
PROJECT LOG Serve the Home
2
Replies
29
Views
12K
SpeeDj
SpeeDj
Back