Re: new (low power use) server

[Jon Wilkins <jonpdwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'd recommend you look at the mini-itx range (as you already mention)
+ add
on serial card

The non-fanned versions should use marginally less than the fanned ones and
nothing you list looks particular intensive so the reduced processor speed
of a non-fanned shouldn't be an issue.

If the serial card has 4 ports (which seems to often be the case) then
you're not limited to mobos with integral serial ports either.  Not sure
how
much additional power the card would pull.

For the HDs, look at 2.5in "laptop" drives. Usually a little more
expensive
but supposed to consume less power.  You could probably use a CF card for
some/all of the OS part of your install, as I would think it would consume
less power than a spinning drive - but put dynamic parts of the filesystem
(/var/logs for instance .. or all of /var) onto a spinning drive so you
dont
exceed the CF's re-writability and for a better write speed.

For the DVD, I'm not sure how much power a DVD drive would use "just
connected" but not being used.  But maybe if you only use it
occasionally, a
plug in USB one would be OK to make sure it's not consuming power when
you're not using it.  Alternatively, for occasional DVD use (ripping a new
movie etc) if you have *another* PC already you could continue to use that,
but just save the movie to a network drive located on the server.

To give you a comparison against your current PC, I've got a epia EN-1200
(fanless) with a 160Gb 2.5 in drive and a conventional cheap PC switch-mode
PSU.  No CD or DVD & only 1 onboard serial port - and it's running XP
in
case that makes any difference.  According to my plug-in meter it's drawing
~29w.  I also have a "silent" PSU set which inplace of the switch
mode drops
that the ~20w though I've had a bit of serial trouble (not sure the root
cause) -- but the point is, even with the cheap switch mode it's about 1/3
what your current setup is drawing.

jon

2009/2/22 Robin Edwards <robin@xxxxxxx>

>   Hi, I'm just trying to sort myself a new server. Requirements are:
> 1: Lower power use than currently (power meter shows my current PC to
use
> about
> 90Watts steadily.
> 2: Run Linux for serving printing, files(via Samba and NFS), home
> automation via
> Mrhouse, Slimserver (for 6 devices)
> 3: Three serial devices (W800RF32AE), CM11 and WMR928NX weather
station.
>
> I'm currently favouring a small machine... based on mini-ITX and would
> welcome
> any comments. (two hard drives plus DVD-RW is my plan as well). The
serial
> ports seem to be the stumbling block these days.
>
> regards, robin
>
>
>


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