[nmglug] Production server question

[Brendan]

Andres Paglayan wrote:
> So from my limited experience, I'd say,
> 0./ some raid redundancy
> 1./ a good power supply,
> 2./ no cheap mobo,
> 
> what your input would be on this list?

My number one failed component is hard drives.  Use RAID for everything, 
boot, slash, swap.  Everything.  And at least one hot spare for RAID5. 
Memory either works or it doesn't.  Motherboards either perform 
acceptably or they don't.  A robust power supply is great, but it's 
probably just as important that your power source is clean, your server 
isn't vibrating or running hot.   If your machine absolutely must not go 
down, get a redundant power supply with redundant power conditioning 
UPSes on redundant circuits.  And at that point it may make more sense 
to throw a number of commodity parts at the problem and put storage in 
one place, execution environment in many others.

-Brendan