[KLUG Members] Question on Server hardware and Enterprise software

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> I was actually talking about dekstop class hardware. Of course, access to
> it would be limited and it  would be used only as a server

I'd have no hesitation using a quality workstation as a departmental or branch
site server, or for some non-core functionality like CVS or OpenNMS.  Do this
all the time.  Something like an IBM intellistation or a box that has proven
itself solid as a desktop and is bieng retired.  But not some off-the-shelf
beige box or any crap from Dell or Compaq.

If it is an IDE system make sure you torture test it before you start to rely on
it, or you'll walk in some morning to "hda: Drive Status Error..." all over the
console because some cheap component decided to take a few moments off during
the night.  Then you'll reboot and everything will be fine for two or three
months and then "hda: Drive Status Error...".  I've seen this alot.  But if you
grind the harddrive non-stop for a couple of days you can pretty reliably
seperate the proverbial wheat from the chaff.  Two theoretically identical
beige-box systems may exhibit interestingly different levels of stability, this
is less true with real OEM boxen (Compaq or Dell) but still possible.  Your
best bet is *ALWAYS* IBM.