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From: Joel Koltner on 17 May 2010 11:19 "Nico Coesel" <nico(a)puntnl.niks> wrote in message news:4bf159f5.2008126656(a)news.planet.nl... > This actually makes a lot of sense. From my experience as a system > administrator I must say that seperating functions helps stability a > lot. Especially back in the NT4 days. Having 20 people do nothing can > cost more than $3k per day. Well there's a good argument for switching to Linux... :-) If you really feel the need to use separate machines, perhaps you could at least use good quality, stable-but-inexpensive machines? A $500 or even $1k desktop rather than a fancy $3k rack-mount PC gives you $2500 with which you can buy an awful lot of electricity...
From: Joel Koltner on 17 May 2010 11:22 "Joerg" <invalid(a)invalid.invalid> wrote in message news:85d50kF7laU1(a)mid.individual.net... > Yes, it's almost to the point where you'd better buy an exact same box again > so you have a spare. Probably best to configure and then store. Else, if > this box croaks your whole system will be dead in the water. If your phones > run through this I'd definitely have a spare. I'm thinking that's a very smart idea... I do have individual spare components (DSL modem, routers, etc.) that could be pressed into service, but we're definitely talking some hours of, "let me remember/figure out how to get everything hooked up/configured again" rather than just "swap the box with this identical one and call it good." The phone system does run through this, although at least there cell phones are a good backup.
From: D Yuniskis on 17 May 2010 11:31 Hi Joerg, Joerg wrote: > D Yuniskis wrote: >> Hi Joerg, >> >> Joerg wrote: >>> Joel Koltner wrote: >>>> The average percentage CPU load on any of these machines was in the >>>> single digits, of course. >>>> >>>> What a waste... >>> >>> Happens with individuals, too. "Oh, the old PC? That's now my print >>> server". Burning 50+ watts all day long. I have several office >>> printers yet never needed a dedicated print server ... >> >> That depends on the printers that you have and how you use >> them. E.g., most of my printers have network interface cards >> built in. So, I don't need anything special to talk to >> any of those. >> >> OTOH, the printer that I use most often (an LJ6P) does NOT! > > Well, my 5L is connected to the LAN router which has a parallel port. Ah! That's handy! I just use a regular switch "inside". The bastion host does the routing (and, as such, I guess I could say *my* router has a parallel port, too! :> ) > Works like a champ. Unless it has a hang-up but that it does no matter > what it's connected to (HP forgot a reset button). The big office HP is brain damaged when it comes to user interfaces. I have no clue as to what the two buttons on my 6P do. I know when something goes wrong (out of paper, jam, etc.) I invariably push the *wrong* button and end up having to resend the job :( > printer is directly on the LAN and that's how it should nowadays be. Yup. Especially as it is *so* commonplace to have multiple machines nowadays. >> So, I connect it to my bastion host (which serves as my >> local DNS, NTP, TFTP, BOOTP, xfs, HTTP, FTP, etc. server). >> I.e., the "print server" functionality is "free" -- since >> all those other services need to be running, anyway... > > Other than the work computers here there's nothing that must run all > day/night. In the evening everything is powered off unless I need to run > a major SPICE simulation. Some machine here is always doing *something*. E.g., make world, render 3D model, etc. It's just easier to leave the bastion host up 24/7 and work to reduce its power consumption. The little "shoebox PC" uses a laptop drive so saves there -- but pisses away any savings by running a P4 :-/ >> I don't tether any printers directly to a specific machine >> (well, that's a little lie... the color inkjets are hardwired >> to my multimedia workstation -- but nothing else *needs* >> to talk to those) as doing so would force that machine to >> be up and running *just* to use the printer. :-/ (I have >> probably 6 or 7 printers that see different kinds of use >> from different machines, etc.) > > 6-7 printer? Yikes. Time to part with some? I have the 6P for "one off" prints -- this is what sees the most use (in terms of print *jobs*, not *volume*). It's relatively low power, quiet, etc. I keep a 4M+ w/duplexer for big runs -- like when I want to print a manual (duplexer helps cut down on paper use). I have three color inkjets (only one of which is networked) that I typically use for art, near-photo ready artwork, etc. All are wide formats (I think the narrowest is 11" and the widest is 17"?). I have a "postcard" printer for color photographs (I think 4x6"?). A color laser for proofing manuals. And two color phasers (solid ink) for "prerelease" manual pages (i.e., something that rivals what a printshop would produce). Hmmm... I guess that's *9* printers :< The phasers will find their way to recycling once I run out of ink -- too damn expensive! (and, they are large machines -- probably twice the volume of an LJ3) But, they smell really cool when they are running! :>
From: D Yuniskis on 17 May 2010 11:40 Hi Joel, Joel Koltner wrote: > "D Yuniskis" <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com> wrote in message > news:hsrl5t$r4r$1(a)speranza.aioe.org... >> I've got these cute little PC's (about the size of a >> 5" floppy drive) that make excellent little (headless) >> servers (http://www.ixbt.com/short/2k2-09/ezgo.jpg). >> Keep a spare one in a shoebox in case the one that is >> in service craps out... :> > > Looks nice! In a similar vein, my mother has one of these at her home > in New Zealand: > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101079&cm_re=shuttle_x27-_-56-101-079-_-Product What sort of power consumption? The little box I am using is a catastrophe waiting to happen (*way* too much power in *way* too small a space!). I don't sweat it because I have a spare (and can get more of them) but object to it "on principle" :< It's also a *wicked* kluge! I think the only things "standard" on/in it are the CONNECTORS! :< (well, it does use a laptop drive but no "regular boards", etc.) > - - I specifically purchased it as something that fits within a U.S.P.S. > flat-rate box so that shipping prices for the inevitable fixes and > upgrades would be reasonably inexpensive! (This has already happened > once -- her friend has holding the thing up in the air to demonstrate > where a mouse plugged into it, lost his grip... and dropped it ~1.5m > onto the floor. Arrggg!) Ha! I'd have asked *him* how *he* was going to fix it! :>
From: D Yuniskis on 17 May 2010 11:44
Hi Nico, Nico Coesel wrote: > "Joel Koltner" <zapwireDASHgroups(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > >> "D Yuniskis" <not.going.to.be(a)seen.com> wrote in message >> news:hspkoc$edm$1(a)speranza.aioe.org... >>> Some firms >>> even faster than that (I saw one firm unload a few hundred >>> 1.4G P4's when 2G machines became available -- sheesh! >>> how much of their budget is wasted^H^H^H spent on IT staff >>> if you have that short of a cycle??) >> I've worked at places where the IT guys felt that "separation of >> functionality" was so important that there was a separate $3k printer server, >> a $3k mail server, a $3k SQL server, a $3k file server, etc. -- for a company >> of about ~20 people. > > This actually makes a lot of sense. From my experience as a system > administrator I must say that seperating functions helps stability a > lot. Especially back in the NT4 days. Having 20 people do nothing can > cost more than $3k per day. <frown> I disagree. Get some RELIABLE hardware and SOFTWARE (I don't think NT4 fits in that category). I see up-times of 100+ days EASILY. And, usually the only reason the machine comes down is because I wanted to upgrade an OS or change some hardware out. 20 people won't tax *anything* that heavily (well, SQL queries might get pokey if you've got some big tables and/or poor keys). |