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April 29, 2004

Server Window Shopping

Blogshares - and its associated services that we're hoping to roll out this summer have three basic components: Java Services, PHP/Apache & MySQL. Ideally each of these components lives on its own server (its not so right now - the DB box can't handle any more DBs and Java + PHP/Apache are cohabiting).

So looking forward to expansion I went to look at server offerings from four major vendors for three servers.

A single processor web server with ~2GB of RAM and RAID mirroring, dual gigabit ethernet.
A dual processor java box with no RAID ~4GB of RAM & again dual gigabit ethernet.
A dual processor DB box with RAID mirroring, relatively big disks 8-12GB of RAM and dual gig-ethernet.

All servers were also configured with comparable support options & the necessary rail kits.
No servers were configured with OS except in the case of the Apple machines which would ship with OSX Server and a 3YR maintenance license for the OS.

Dell
PowerEdge 750 2,473.00
PowerEdge 1750 3,244.00
Power Edge 2650 10,481.00
Total 16,198.00
Sun
V60x 3,697.00
V20z 4,707.00
V20z 12,652.00
Total 21,056.00
Apple
Xserve G5 1CPU 5,098.00
Xserve G5 2CPU 7,048.00
Xserve G5 2CPU 10,648.00
Total 22,794.00
IBM
xSeries 305 4,393.00
xSeries 335 7,174.00
xSeries 335 13,152.00
Total 24,719.00

The price tags make me cringe, the main killer is RAM & RAID. The price on quality 1GB or 2GB RAM sticks is frightening. Ultimately we'd probably be better of with the Apple servers - from a daily sysadmins point of view and from performance standpoint I think they would dominate. But its not enough to justify the extra cash and breaking our spirit crushing Debian environment.

Blogshares - and its associated services that we're hoping to roll out this summer have three basic components: Java Services, PHP/Apache & MySQL. Ideally each of these components lives on its own server (its not so right now - the DB box can't handle any more DBs and Java + PHP/Apache are cohabiting).

So looking forward to expansion I went to look at server offerings from four major vendors for three servers.

A single processor web server with ~2GB of RAM and RAID mirroring, dual gigabit ethernet.
A dual processor java box with no RAID ~4GB of RAM & again dual gigabit ethernet.
A dual processor DB box with RAID mirroring, relatively big disks 8-12GB of RAM and dual gig-ethernet.

All servers were also configured with comparable support options & the necessary rail kits.
No servers were configured with OS except in the case of the Apple machines which would ship with OSX Server and a 3YR maintenance license for the OS.

Dell
PowerEdge 750 2,473.00
PowerEdge 1750 3,244.00
Power Edge 2650 10,481.00
Total 16,198.00
Sun
V60x 3,697.00
V20z 4,707.00
V20z 12,652.00
Total 21,056.00
Apple
Xserve G5 1CPU 5,098.00
Xserve G5 2CPU 7,048.00
Xserve G5 2CPU 10,648.00
Total 22,794.00
IBM
xSeries 305 4,393.00
xSeries 335 7,174.00
xSeries 335 13,152.00
Total 24,719.00

The price tags make me cringe, the main killer is RAM & RAID. The price on quality 1GB or 2GB RAM sticks is frightening. Ultimately we'd probably be better of with the Apple servers - from a daily sysadmins point of view and from performance standpoint I think they would dominate. But its not enough to justify the extra cash and breaking our spirit crushing Debian environment.

Hyperinflation Part 1

We hear at BlogShares have recently received a vicious communique from the director of the internet federal reserve - Sir Johansen Purpleledger.

Sir Purpleledger has given us an ultimatum: either we must curb this rampant inflation or he will be forced to shut us down.

Here is an excerpt of his letter,

"Good God man! What do you bloody fools think you are doing. You can't just print money like that - who on earth do you think you are. Fine maybe EverQuest can print money in these quantities but you can't keep it. Hell if you printed money on toilet paper it would be so cheap you could sink the entire toilet paper industry (I'm on to you lot and you better not do that, my nephew Friedrich runs the Luxembourg Toilet-Paper Cartel and if you touch his market share you'll be out of the business for good)."

Our immediate response is to shut down the ability for players to issue new bonds - the bond market is apparently "... summarily & categorically out of control."

We'll be taking more across the board action as time allows in order to curb inflation and get Sir Purpleledger of our back.

April 27, 2004

Premium memberships extended 2 months free

I had promised a free month extension to BlogShares premium accounts; just now I extended all memberships by two. Happy Woody Woodpecker Day. (Shaggy was born today as well.)

update PremiumMember set expires = expires + interval 60 day;