Building new server!! Final checklist! Please help!

[touser]

Hi all, i am building a new server for my office, and i am ordering all the parts tonight! Just wanted to see what everyone thinks of the components and if there is ANYHTING they think is better, or that i should change for any reason? Thanks in advance! here is the list:

*edit* One thing i am not sure of is if i need a redundant power supply? Is one really needed, or will the antec i have do for the 2 Xeons? Thanks again!

Mobo-SuperMicro P4DP6 Dual processor Motherboard for Intel Xeon Retail
Specifications: Processor Support Dual Intel® Xeon™ processors up to 2.40GHz and faster with 512K L2 cache.Chipset Intel E7500 chipset
Front Side Bus 400 MHz. Up to 16 GB ECC registered DDR-200 memory in 8 DIMM slots. I/O Expansion Total: 6 PCI-X slots Max up to 2 64-bit 133MHz PCI-X. Default setting: 2 64-bit 100MHz PCI-X. 4 64-bit 66MHz PCI.1 VXB (Virtual Extended Bus). Ports: 2xIntel 82550 fast Ethernet ATI Rage XL 8MB PCI graphic controller.

CPU's- (2) Intel Pentium 4 Xeon 2.2GHz 400MHz BUS, 512KB L2 Cache Mftr Part#: BX80532KC2200D Retail Boxed
Specifications:
CPU: 2.2 GHz
Type: Pentium 4 XEON
Cache: 512K
BUS: 400 MHZ
Socket: 603 Pin (FC-BGA) Retail (Box with Heatsink and fan)

HD's- (2) *in a raid 1* FUJITSU SCSI HARD DRIVE 36GB 15,000RPM MODEL # MAM3367MP - OEM, DRIVE ONLY
Specifications:
Size: 36.7 Gigabytes
Interface: SCSI Ultra2 Wide 68 Pin Ultra160/320
Seek time: 3.5ms
Transfer Rate: 160MB/Sec
RPM:15,000
Cache: 8MB
OEM(Drive alone) 5 Year Manufacturer Warranty


Raid controller- Adaptec SCSI Raid 2000S
48 Mbyte onboard ECC SDRAM
64-bit/66MHz PCI
Adaptec AIC™-7930W microprocessor with hardware XOR

ECC RAM- (4) 512mb sticks of Crucial DDR PC2100 • CL=2.5 • Registered • ECC • 7.5ns • 2.5V • 64Meg x 72

Floppy- SONY 1.44MB 3.5 INCH INTERNAL FDD DRIVE

CD-rom- SONY 52X MAX EIDE INTERNAL CD-ROM DRIVE

Case- Lian-Li PC-76(20-Bay) Aluminum ATX SERVER case. 6 - 5.25" bays, 2 - 3.5" bays, 12 - 3.5" hidden bays, Pentium 4 compatible. Color: SILVER(HARD ANODIZED). 6 cooling fan(4 x 80mm, 2 x 120mm). Size: 265x559x630mm. Available for DUAL CPU M/B. Model #: PC-76, No Power Supply. Power Supply Sold Separately. Model#: PC-76

PSU- Antec 550W Power Supply For TRUE550 ATX Form Factor, ATX12V compliant for Pentium 4 (backward compatible with previous Pentium versions) and AMD systems
+5V Stand-By & Logic On/Off Antec Low Noise Technology Maximum Power 550W Weight 5 lbs. Dimensions - L5.9" x W5.5" x H3.4" UL, CSA, TUV, CB, CE, NEMKO Approved Model#: TRUE550

 

[WyrmMaster]

Looks like that stuff is a bit out of my league, but it looks like its gona fly. I assume it will be folding right?

 

[touser]

hehe you know WyrmMaster, i think i might just have it fold after hours for team 32!

 

[touser]

*bump*! please, anyone?

 

[Malakai]

your gonna need WAAY more cooling for those 2 hard drives.
ive seen some of those 15k HDD's run hotter than the CPU, and 2x of em is gonna bake your case. Id look into the biggest case u can find with LOTS of blowholes, and 1 being over the HDD's really is necesssary for those baby's.

whats the server gonna be for?

and that adaptec SCSI controller is a real beauty

 

[touser]

Thanks for that tip Malakai! hmm, i think you are right, How about some of those hard drive coolers that are made? will any of those help at all? Also, can u recommend any other cases which you think would be better? Thanks for the info!

 

[WyrmMaster]

hehe you know WyrmMaster, i think i might just have it fold after hours for team 32!

AFTER HOURS??? PHHHHFFTTTT. We want 24/7

Remember folding is low priority.

 

[touser]

HAHA ok WyrmMaster, you win , 24/7 it is.. and i changed the case to this: Lian-Li PC-76(20-Bay) Aluminum ATX SERVER case. 6 - 5.25" bays, 2 - 3.5" bays, 12 - 3.5" hidden bays, Pentium 4 compatible. Color: SILVER(HARD ANODIZED). 6 cooling fan(4 x 80mm, 2 x 120mm). Size: 265x559x630mm. Available for DUAL CPU M/B. Model #: PC-76, No Power Supply. Power Supply Sold Separately. Model#: PC-76

 

[Malakai]

yes i can suggest an excellent casae, but in exchange u must fold for team 32 24/7 just kidding, but it runs in idle mode, so it only uses the cycles that would otherwise go unused.

the Lian-Li PC626

its a bit pricey, but dual Xeons arent cheap either
http://www.overclockers.com/articles475/

here ya go, u should have no cooling probs with that case, and HDD coolers wouldnt hurt at al, check out some of the ones at www.sidewindercomputers.com , they are the only other company i shop from besides newegg

 

[touser]

Wow that thing is huge! Where would i possibly get one of those things though? It needs to be here fast, everything is getting fedexed overnight from newegg and mwave.com.. Would the other lian-li i just switched to work just as good as that big one though?

 

[SteenkyBastage]

what's the application for? I run a fileserver with 3 medium sized databases, plus a lot of media/file storage with a dual xp1700 with only 512 megs of ram, and raid 1 ide hard drives, and it still has leftover horsepower to let me use photoshop or 3d programs, etc...(and it folds 24/7, too)

curious how much the total $ ammt is up to now...

just wondering how many dual xp systems you could build for the same price, heh.

Last time I looked into them, "cheap" athlon/ide dual servers w/ raid were buildable for around $1100 (if you already have monitor and accessories)

but if your situation demands those... the only thing I would recommend is adequate cooling for HD, as stated above, and a good removeable backup system (like dvd recorder, large capacity tape recorder, or whatnot) so that you can keep backups of mission critical information offsite (in case of disater, like fire).

good luck!

 

[touser]

Welp SteenkyBastage, the total for the system right now withought tax or shipping is at $3366.32, thats including EVERYTHING, but considering i was given a budget of $3700 from my company, i think i did good hehe, the system is going to be used to run MRI, the system itself is overkill right now, but in the future it may be required to do more, so i left alot of headroom, but i was also told to build the best system i could within a $3700 price range, and that it needs to be there and built ASAP because the current system is on it last leg.

 

[touser]

One thing i am not quite sure about, is if the motherboard is going to fit in this case or not!? http://www.pcmods.com/details.asp?ProdID=233

the motherboard is this Size: 12" x 13.05" (W x H)

 

[SteenkyBastage]

I hear ya... but you've still got money left over!!!! (pulls out his list of mods to use up the spare $350) hehe

One other thing that I consider a must for a server... a lock on the side panel, and it's also nice to have a lock on the front door (if your case has a closing front door). Keeps nosy people out of the system. Some of the more advanced setups can even get into an alarm system if the panel is removed, etc... Dont know how snoopy employee's/visitors are around where it'll be at, but it might be worth looking into.

or if you cant find anything else to spend the extra $$ on, rackmount server cases usually cost a good ammount, but would take up a lot less space and be easier to keep in a secure place (rack).

hmm... I know it's not a business technique (usually), but only other thing I can think of is noise control: aka watercooling.

but remember, when all else fails... neon lights, windows, etc can always eat up the spare change!

btw... just kidding about some of that like the modding and watercooling... unless you work at a REALLY cool business, heh.

::edit::

and dont forget... windows 2000 server/advanced server can help eat up the remaining budget (altho they'd probably put you well over your limit, by the time you include client licenses)

 

[nikhsub1]

...but i was also told to build the best system i could within a $3700 price range, and that it needs to be there and built ASAP because the current system is on it last leg.

Then you certainly should ditch the enermax PSU, they are not so good. You said it yourself, "build the best" that means get a PC Power & Cooling PSU. Compare the voltage regulation of the enermax and the PCP&C and tell me what YOU think

http://pcpowerandcooling.com/products/power_supplies/highperformance_d/turbocools/index_hp_atx.htm

 

[touser]

HEHE, thanks for that reply SteenkyBastage! The lock on the side i am not so worried about, the office is quite small, and no one will be trying to open up the new case . Noise isn't going to be a problem since it is a fairly isolated corner of the office away from all the other people, and i would love to throw a window and some neon in it, but i have to keep the price down because shipping (overnight) and the tax is going to be pricey! But i am still not sure if the motherboard is going to fit in the Lian-Li PC-76!? The motheboard is huge! 12" x 13.05" (W x H)

 

[touser]

Hmm good idea nikhsub1
..but i am using an ANTEC PSU..does this still go for the ANTEC's?

 

[nikhsub1]

Hmm good idea nikhsub1
..but i am using an ANTEC PSU..does this still go for the ANTEC's?

The best PSU is PC Power & Cooling, not an opinion but a fact.

Voltage Regulation on the 5V, 12V & 3.3V =
Enermax 5%
Antec True Power 3%
PCP&C 1%

No PSU provides clean consistent power like the PCP&C.

 

[touser]

Thank you for the info nikhsub1, but i think i am going to try the one i have for now.. None of the online stores i am ordering from seem to have it, and i dont want to split my order up into too many different places. The only thing i am really worried about right now is if the mobo is going to fit inside the case! the case says it will hold a mobo up to 12" x 13" (W x H) but the motherboard is 12" x 13.05" (W x H)! I dont know if that .05" is going to work or not!?

 

[touser]

Welp, thats it, everything has been ordered and should be here tommorrow if all goes well, and if not, monday , thank you everyone for all the help, and wish me luck building this monster! hehe oh and for curious minds, the total cost with shipping and tax ammounted to $3761.67. But i didnt go over my budget because the budget was for the system only, not shipping hehe . Thanks again!