I have a small office with 16 computers each running XP. I want to install a server running Linux to do some basic file sharing, nothing more at this point and I don't want to spend a lot of money. I'd like opinions on what is the bare minimum specs I can get away with on the server and not have the server slow down at peek usage? Would prob look to Dell for the server. Thanks.
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How much server power I need for basic file sharing 3
- Thread starter sazebac
- Start date
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- #2
Add a good bit of RAM to facilitate better caching of files/structures. Disk speed will influence your performance under load. I would think a Pentium II or better would be a good target.
Avoid software RAID if you are not using a powerful system.
Internet Directory
Avoid software RAID if you are not using a powerful system.
Internet Directory
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- #3
rzs0502
IS-IT--Management
- Nov 18, 2002
- 708
Generally, each Samba connection would use about 4MB of memory
In your case, 128MB for all users simultaneously connected to Samba.
So 512 MB of RAM would be more the adequate for a simple Samba server and the rest of the normal Linux processes.
As thedaver pointed out, disk speed is important and as it is not CPU intensive, you don't need the biggest CPU out there.
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."
In your case, 128MB for all users simultaneously connected to Samba.
So 512 MB of RAM would be more the adequate for a simple Samba server and the rest of the normal Linux processes.
As thedaver pointed out, disk speed is important and as it is not CPU intensive, you don't need the biggest CPU out there.
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."
- Thread starter
- #4
Thanks for the info. So probably one of the lower end Dell servers such as
PowerEdge SC420 Intel® Celeron® processor, 325J, 2.53GHz, 256KB Cache, 533MHz FSB 4253SC [221-6734] 1
Memory 256MB DDR2, 400MHz,1X256, Single Ranked DIMMs 2561D4S [311-4131] 3
Primary Hard Drive 40GB, Serial ATA, 1 inch, 7.2K RPM, Hard Drive 40GS
Floppy Drive NO FLOPPY DRIVE N
Mouse NO MOUSE OPTION N
Network Card Onboard NIC OBNICS
CD/DVD Drive 48X, Compact Disk Drive, 680M I, Half Height, Black, for PowerEdge SC CD48X
System Documentation Electronic Documentation EDOCS
Hard Drive Configuration Onboard SATA, 1 Drive connected to Onboard SATA Controller
would do the job?
PowerEdge SC420 Intel® Celeron® processor, 325J, 2.53GHz, 256KB Cache, 533MHz FSB 4253SC [221-6734] 1
Memory 256MB DDR2, 400MHz,1X256, Single Ranked DIMMs 2561D4S [311-4131] 3
Primary Hard Drive 40GB, Serial ATA, 1 inch, 7.2K RPM, Hard Drive 40GS
Floppy Drive NO FLOPPY DRIVE N
Mouse NO MOUSE OPTION N
Network Card Onboard NIC OBNICS
CD/DVD Drive 48X, Compact Disk Drive, 680M I, Half Height, Black, for PowerEdge SC CD48X
System Documentation Electronic Documentation EDOCS
Hard Drive Configuration Onboard SATA, 1 Drive connected to Onboard SATA Controller
would do the job?
rzs0502
IS-IT--Management
- Nov 18, 2002
- 708
I'm running on a Dell 600SC entry level server
1.8 Celeron
256 Mb Memory
4x120GB IDE Drives
100MB Ethernet
Works perferctly well on Slackware 10.
I've heard guys have problems getting Redhat to read the SATA drives on installation. Might want to check up on that if you're going that route.
From a hardware point of view, you've got enough but should look at 512 MB of RAM (or memory is relatively cheap, so maybe 1GB if you decide to create an intranet / database at a later stage)
But for now, I think 512MB would be a good start.
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."
1.8 Celeron
256 Mb Memory
4x120GB IDE Drives
100MB Ethernet
Works perferctly well on Slackware 10.
I've heard guys have problems getting Redhat to read the SATA drives on installation. Might want to check up on that if you're going that route.
From a hardware point of view, you've got enough but should look at 512 MB of RAM (or memory is relatively cheap, so maybe 1GB if you decide to create an intranet / database at a later stage)
But for now, I think 512MB would be a good start.
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."
I agree with rzs0502, more RAM than your base - cheap upgrade.
ALSO, be sure to nuke every service you don't need. Stupid crap like "at", "apmd", "gpm", "X", "portmap", etc....
Those will affect the processor utilization... death by a thousand little cuts....
Internet Directory
ALSO, be sure to nuke every service you don't need. Stupid crap like "at", "apmd", "gpm", "X", "portmap", etc....
Those will affect the processor utilization... death by a thousand little cuts....
Internet Directory
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1
- #7
Be careful with the sata drives, and make sure they are supported under the linux distribution you use. Dell servers come with support limited to one distribution, Redhat Enterprise 3.
I was able to get a Dell PE 420 running with CentOS 4.0 rc1 (a RHE clone) but I wasn't able to get it installed on some other distros. I also couldn't use the Dell's built in hardware raid, but I was able to set up a software raid.
Good luck!
I was able to get a Dell PE 420 running with CentOS 4.0 rc1 (a RHE clone) but I wasn't able to get it installed on some other distros. I also couldn't use the Dell's built in hardware raid, but I was able to set up a software raid.
Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #8
rzs0502
IS-IT--Management
- Nov 18, 2002
- 708
I've seen lots of Forums with people having problems with SATA disks using Fedora 2 or 3. There are some workarounds etc. but I never liked performing workarounds just to get an OS installed.
If you have issues and need to use a mainstream distro, consider using Suse:
else just use the old tried and tested Debian / Slackware / Gentoo.
Ubuntu seems to be pretty good as well.
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."
If you have issues and need to use a mainstream distro, consider using Suse:
else just use the old tried and tested Debian / Slackware / Gentoo.
Ubuntu seems to be pretty good as well.
"If you always do what you've always done, you will always be where you've always been."
I have had good luck with non-raid SATA150 TX4 from promise on RHEL3. Never tried on fedora but they have the source code and many options for linux distros from their download site.
I could never get the adaptec sata 1205SA controller working on linux.
I could never get the adaptec sata 1205SA controller working on linux.
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