Proliant 8500

I've been drooling over the 8500s with eight way xeon 700s that are starting
to pop up on ebay. Any experience with running these for MySQL servers with
Linux?

Robert Bates wrote:

I've been drooling over the 8500s with eight way xeon 700s that are starting
to pop up on ebay. Any experience with running these for MySQL servers with
Linux?

All the other Compaq servers work great with Linux, so I see no reason
why this one wouldn't. The MySQL info sheet says "MySQL Server is coded
from the start to be multi-threaded ... makes it easier for MySQL Server
to take full advantage of symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) systems."

How big of an SQL load are we looking at? What are the memory
requirements?

Not sure of my SQL load yet. I plan to go public with a website in the next
45 days that I hope will have a fair amount of traffic. Right now I have
two 5500s with dual 500s and half a gig of ram. Not sure how much they will
tolerate so I am taking a look at what might replace them as this project
grows.


"Jez T" wrote in message
...
Ooof - high maintenance and tempramental. Damned expensive if (when)
anything goes wrong...

It takes 2 people to lift them into a rack safely, so watch out for those
postage costs.

IMHO, look for something smaller, lighter and more recent. I'd guess you
get
similar performance out of a well specced ML350, and for the price of an
8-way 8500, I'd go for a new ML350 that would keep running for 5 years.

"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
I've been drooling over the 8500s with eight way xeon 700s that are
starting
to pop up on ebay. Any experience with running these for MySQL servers
with
Linux?

go 4 way and kick up the ram to no less than 2GB ... 4GB would be
preferrable. And the RAM those boxes use is cheap! The last gig I picked up
was $28 shipped ...

- LC


"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
Not sure of my SQL load yet. I plan to go public with a website in the
next
45 days that I hope will have a fair amount of traffic. Right now I have
two 5500s with dual 500s and half a gig of ram. Not sure how much they
will
tolerate so I am taking a look at what might replace them as this project
grows.


"Jez T" wrote in message
...
Ooof - high maintenance and tempramental. Damned expensive if (when)
anything goes wrong...

It takes 2 people to lift them into a rack safely, so watch out for those
postage costs.

IMHO, look for something smaller, lighter and more recent. I'd guess you
get
similar performance out of a well specced ML350, and for the price of an
8-way 8500, I'd go for a new ML350 that would keep running for 5 years.

"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
I've been drooling over the 8500s with eight way xeon 700s that are
starting
to pop up on ebay. Any experience with running these for MySQL servers
with
Linux?

Having not added hardware to a server currently running Linux, will it
automatically recognize the new cpu's/memory like M$ or do I have to tell
it?


"NuTCrAcKeR" wrote in message
...
go 4 way and kick up the ram to no less than 2GB ... 4GB would be
preferrable. And the RAM those boxes use is cheap! The last gig I picked
up
was $28 shipped ...

- LC


"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
Not sure of my SQL load yet. I plan to go public with a website in the
next
45 days that I hope will have a fair amount of traffic. Right now I
have
two 5500s with dual 500s and half a gig of ram. Not sure how much they
will
tolerate so I am taking a look at what might replace them as this
project
grows.


"Jez T" wrote in message
...
Ooof - high maintenance and tempramental. Damned expensive if (when)
anything goes wrong...

It takes 2 people to lift them into a rack safely, so watch out for
those
postage costs.

IMHO, look for something smaller, lighter and more recent. I'd guess
you
get
similar performance out of a well specced ML350, and for the price of
an
8-way 8500, I'd go for a new ML350 that would keep running for 5 years.

"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
I've been drooling over the 8500s with eight way xeon 700s that are
starting
to pop up on ebay. Any experience with running these for MySQL
servers
with
Linux?

I dont know. I dont do linux ... but if it has a reasonably good kernel, and
its compiled for SMP, it should just use the additonal processors you add to
it. You might need to tweak you loader so that it recognises all the memory.
Again, I dont really know.

Im a windowz guy ...

- LC

"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
Having not added hardware to a server currently running Linux, will it
automatically recognize the new cpu's/memory like M$ or do I have to tell
it?


"NuTCrAcKeR" wrote in message
...
go 4 way and kick up the ram to no less than 2GB ... 4GB would be
preferrable. And the RAM those boxes use is cheap! The last gig I picked
up
was $28 shipped ...

- LC


"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
Not sure of my SQL load yet. I plan to go public with a website in the
next
45 days that I hope will have a fair amount of traffic. Right now I
have
two 5500s with dual 500s and half a gig of ram. Not sure how much they
will
tolerate so I am taking a look at what might replace them as this
project
grows.


"Jez T" wrote in message
...
Ooof - high maintenance and tempramental. Damned expensive if (when)
anything goes wrong...

It takes 2 people to lift them into a rack safely, so watch out for
those
postage costs.

IMHO, look for something smaller, lighter and more recent. I'd guess
you
get
similar performance out of a well specced ML350, and for the price of
an
8-way 8500, I'd go for a new ML350 that would keep running for 5
years.

"Robert Bates" wrote in message
...
I've been drooling over the 8500s with eight way xeon 700s that are
starting
to pop up on ebay. Any experience with running these for MySQL
servers
with
Linux?

You should to recompile the kernel to define the number of processors
to use. Memory should be detected for any PIII architected system.

I *think* most generic SMP kernels are configured by default to support
4 processors.

Making a custom kernel is always recommended as it maximizes
performance and minimizes memory use. There's no sense loading modules
that you'll never use.

VinceV

Me too Nutcracker

Im a windowz guy ...

But Windows Server 2003 x 4 servers = ouch!

So I'm trying to learn to be a Linux guy


"VinceV" wrote in message
ups.com...
You should to recompile the kernel to define the number of processors
to use. Memory should be detected for any PIII architected system.

I *think* most generic SMP kernels are configured by default to support
4 processors.

Making a custom kernel is always recommended as it maximizes
performance and minimizes memory use. There's no sense loading modules
that you'll never use.

VinceV

If you want to learn the nuances of linux do a Stage 1 Gentoo install.

www.gentoo.org has detailed step by step instructions (Gentoo Handbook)
that will walk you through the process. Along the way you'll learn how
to create users and passwords, manage disks and volumes, compile
programs, etc.

Once the system is installed they have guides that will help you set up
services (like mail hosting with pop, imap, and webmail support).
Check out the admin docs for more info.

If you get stuck there is always someone in their forums
(forums.gentoo.org) with an answer.

Picking a flavor of linux can be a lot like choosing a religion...

VinceV wrote:

Picking a flavor of linux can be a lot like choosing a religion...

....and all heretics who don't run Slackware must die. Thus sayeth Bob.

Then again, Bob also said that all of the faithful who run Slackware
will also die - everybody dies eventually.