Re: [PERFORMANCE] Buying hardware

On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 2:21 PM, A B <gentosaker(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
> So, the eternal problem with what hardware to buy. I really miss a
> hardware buying guide for database servers now that I'm about to buy
> one..
> Some general guidelines mixed with ranked lists of what hardware that
> is best, shouldn't that be on the wiki?.
>
> THis is of course very difficult to advice about, but shouldn't
> geneeral advice be like:
> 1) A fast CPU but not on the bleeding edge

More cores is more important than faster but fewer

> 2) As much RAM as you can fit into the machine without paying way to
> much for it. Use the fastest ram you can find (what is it called
> today? PC 1333 MHz or something like that?)

The speed of the RAM isn't as important as the amount and the speed of
the chipset on the motherboard.

> 3) Fast harddiscs. Best is raid X (what raid should one use?)

Again, more slower disks > fewer slower ones. RAID-10 is almost
always the right choice.

> 4) Use software raid unless you have the money to buy a raid
> controller, in which case here is the ranking of them
> <list of brand/modells>

Areca and 3ware/Escalade are the two best controllers for the money
out right now. They tend to take turns being the absolute best as
they release new cards. Newer Arecas (the 1680 series) use an
ethernet port for traps and such, so no need for special software that
might be kernel version dependent.

Both cost about the same for their top of the line cards.

Make sure you have battery backed cache.