Sparkplug Version III is Coming
For some time now, many of us have noticed that our kernel-panic server
has been overworked. It manages not only a half-dozen mail lists, but
also our public web interface including a wiki, as well as providing
personal folders for website members. Resource demands have grown as the
web software has gotten fancier over the last couple of updates. The
server constitutes an important part of our mission of Linux promotion,
advocacy, and education, but the web interface experience is judged
somewhere between barely tolerable to useless because of performance.
Our existing hardware ("Sparkplug II") has survived 5+ years[1], and it
is thought that picking quality equipment will allow us to match that
for "Sparky-III". The proposed equipment will emphasize CPU horsepower
with a pair of dual-core 64-bit Xeon 5130's, then memory with 4GB of
667MHz DDR2 ECC (leaving room to expand to 8GB), and finally disk with a
mirrored pair of 400GB SATA-2 w/ NCQ. All of this goes into a serious
rack-optimized package -- probably an Intel Server System SR1530HCL[2].
Josh has generously volunteered to manage the acquisition through his
regular commercial channels -- and assemble the works as well! The
estimate totals out to about $2700. A general consensus of the steering
committee (see archives[3]) is that this is an excellent expenditure to
further our mission objectives.
If all goes as planned, we should be able to migrate to the new system
in a few weeks. We are looking forward to not only improving our present
operations but to gaining resource headroom that allows us to consider
adding more member benefits and possible public benefits.
[1] It appears the basic system dates to Aug, 2001. A drive and software
transplant occurred in Apr, 2004 for upgrade purposes (not repair).
[2] http://www.intel.com/design/servers/boards/s5000vcl/index.htm
[3] http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-steer
Regards,
..jim
--
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http://www.kernel-panic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/kplug-list
