Thanks Aaron. Latest thinking is a ML370 with OS/logs in a RAID1 on channel A on 15k SCSI drives, and the first storage group/store on a 4x146gb 10k SCSI RAID10.
I'll have a 146gb drive as a global hotspare, and a single 300gb spindle for backups which will then be streamed to tape. Hopefully that gives the best combination of price/performance for now, and if we need to expand it should just be a case of bolt on an MSAxx cabinet. cheers, Paul -- Paul Hutchings Network Administrator, MIRA Ltd. Tel: 44 (0)24 7635 5378, Fax: 44 (0)24 7635 8378 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Aaron Brasslett > Sent: 06 January 2006 14:25 > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: RE: Hardware Specs Advise > > I've recently spec'ed a similar hardware config. However, I > opted for 72.8 > GB drive for the OS and Logs. Having the extra space for > logs is a good > idea in case you experience a couple of consecutive backup failures. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Paul Hutchings [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 8:51 AM > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: RE: Hardware Specs Advise > > > Thanks for the reply. > > My thinking was hardware RAID1 on the first channel with the > 2x36gb drives, > 12gb (or thereabouts) for the OS partition and the rest as a > log partition. > > RAID5 on the second channel for the stores. > > A full backup would be done every night so I can't see the log > drive/partition filling up unless there's a *long* sustained > period without > a backup. > > I'm trying to think for the future as this hardware has to > last, in theory, > for three years - the ML570 looks like it will do what we > want now and also > allow some future expandability if we outgrow the chassis. > > cheers, > Paul > -- > Paul Hutchings > Network Administrator, MIRA Ltd. > Tel: 44 (0)24 7635 5378, Fax: 44 (0)24 7635 8378 > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of Evan Mann > > Sent: 06 January 2006 12:57 > > To: Exchange Discussions > > Subject: RE: Hardware Specs Advise > > > > If you have a backup failure, your trans logs can fill the > > HDD. If they > > fill the boot drive with the OS, you can blue screen the server. > > > > If the trans logs fill up a separate drive, exchange services > > will stop, > > but no server crash. So, if you are set on single spindle > for the OS > > and trans logs, makes ure you use separate partitions. > > > > I think the 15k drives are overkill for you OS and trans logs, > > perosnally. I think you need more space for your trans logs. With > > only 3 drives for the stores, and one as a hotspare, your talking > > a RAID1. I > > suggest you add a 4th drive and run RAID5 + hotspare. > > > > Get a RAID controller that supports 128mb of cache (or more). > > I'd get a > > dual channel card and run your 2 separate arrays each on their own > > channel. If you opt to add a 3rd array, I'd get a second > card, again > > with 128mb of cache or more, so each array has it's own channel. > > > > I think your performance will be fine with the box you are talking > > about. I've got about 400gigs of stores and only 4gigs of > RAM on one > > of my boxes and don't have any issues. If you run into a > CPU issue, > > you can add a second (assuming your getting a dual proc capable > > box, which I > > suggest you do) > > > > You should look at it this way, Exchange is probably one of > the most > > important boxes in your network, because it runs your > e-mail system, > > and people are heavily reliant on e-mail, and continue to > become more > > reliant every day. If you go overkill now, it will make > the box last > > longer down the road. > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of Paul > > Hutchings > > Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 3:48 AM > > To: Exchange Discussions > > Subject: Hardware Specs Advise > > > > > > I need to spec a replacement Exchange server. > > > > It'll be holding approximately 600 mailboxes, usage varies > wildly from > > virtually zero to large attachments etc, it truly is > totally varied. > > We're currently running 5.5 on a Dual 2ghz Xeon with 1gb > RAM and RAID5 > > for the store and performance isn't an issue, but because > of lack of > > support for 5.5 we're migrating to 2003. > > > > I'm looking at HP hardware. At the moment on price there > is quite a > > difference between going for an ML570 vs a DL360 with an MSA30 > > enclosure > > - the ML570 is significantly cheaper. > > > > What I'm thinking right now is to go for an ML570 with 4gb > of RAM, and > > on the disk side of things I'm thinking: > > > > Internal Channel 1 - 2x36gb 15k SCSI's for the OS + Transaction logs > > > > Internal Channel 2 - 3x146gb 10k SCSIs for the Information > Store(s). A > > 146gb drive as a global spare, and a single 300gb 10k > spindle that I > > can dump a backup onto each night using NT backup. > > > > I know best practice is separate spindles for the > transaction logs but > > I'm not sure it's necessary for our usage levels, and in this > > configuration the logs would be on a separate channel on the RAID > > controller to the store so possibly we'd get better > performance than > > if the logs were on a separate spool on the same channel as > the store > > drives? > > > > Raid controller - thinking Smart Array 6402? > > > > CPU's - my understanding has always been that Exchange is > not heavily > > CPU bound? I'm thinking a single Dual-Core 2.66ghz > processor should be > > enough? > > > > All this box will do is run Windows 2003 Standard, Exchange 2003 > > Enterprise, and Trend Scanmail. > > > > I'd be grateful for any thoughts. > > -- > > Paul Hutchings > > Network Administrator, MIRA Ltd. > > Tel: 44 (0)24 7635 5378, Fax: 44 (0)24 7635 8378 > > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > > To subscribe: > http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > > Jupitermedia Corp. > > Attn: Discussion List Management > > 475 Park Avenue South > > New York, NY 10016 > > > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > > To subscribe: > http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > > Jupitermedia Corp. > > Attn: Discussion List Management > > 475 Park Avenue South > > New York, NY 10016 > > > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > Jupitermedia Corp. > Attn: Discussion List Management > 475 Park Avenue South > New York, NY 10016 > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange > To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > Jupitermedia Corp. > Attn: Discussion List Management > 475 Park Avenue South > New York, NY 10016 > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/read/?forum=exchange To subscribe: http://e-newsletters.internet.com/discussionlists.html/ To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. 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