[BozemanLUG] Newer Server for MontanaLinux?

[Scott Dowdle]

Greetings,

I just wanted to thank Warren Sanders for investing in a newer (to us) server that I, two friends of mine, and he will be sharing.  It's what runs MontanaLinux.org along with several other domains.  I mentioned in a recent blog post that we have switched hosting companies (from one in Florida to one in the Billings area), server hardware, AND I upgraded the distribution used on the host node / container from CentOS 4.9 32-bit to Scientific Linux 6.1 x86_64.  MontanaLinux.org is still running an ancient version of Drupal (4.x) but I hope to change that over the coming months... to Drupal 7.x.

Anyway, the hardware currently in use for the server is one that Warren put together from two partial servers he bought used from someone on the BillingsLUG mailing list... after buying newer (64-bit) CPUs, more RAM and more drives to make a complete single server out of it.

It just so happens that we found a pretty good deal on yet another used / refurbed server that offered some additional capabilities (www.unixsurplus.com).  We had dual dual-core and although the system was 64-bit the CPUs did NOT have hardware virtualization support (no KVM).  The newest server has dual quadcore 64-bit with VT... and maxes out at considerably more RAM (64GB).

When we can find the time, we will be upgrading to the newer server but we still need a few things before that happens... mainly RAM.  It currently has 8GB of RAM but we would like to have 16GB of RAM minimum (which is what the current machine has) and of course... even more would be even better... upto 64GB.  The only problem is that we don't have a lot of disposable income left and Warren has already spent a small fortune on the current server and the newer one.  He plans on selling the current one when we are done with it... but that is a ways off.  Anyway, since it is an older server, RAM for it is pretty darn expensive.  It almost makes me want to buy a bunch of the hot selling, low cost RAM now... and wait 5 years for it to become hard to find... so I can sell it for a fortune... but it takes money to make money and I'd have to wait five years, eh? :)

Anyway, just wanted to reach out to the BozemanLUG and the BillingsLUG members to see if anyone would happen to have any of the RAM we are looking for on hand but unused... who might consider selling it for cheap or donating it to the cause... OR even just donating cold, hard cash to go towards the purchase of retail RAM.

Attached is a PDF of the recommended RAM... and here is a link to what crucial.com recommends:

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=NM46X&Cat=RAM

I know server RAM is expensive but 2x4GB DIMMs (8GB) costs $300... ouch.  That is common for older server RAM and RAM for this system has to be bought in pairs.

If anyone thinks they might have some of this RAM on hand, please look at the PDF and the URL provided to check numbers.  I'm not that well versed in RAM terminology but basically it is DDRII 5300 ECC RAM.

As a little background, the MontanaLinux.org server hosts the BillingsLUG, BozemanLUG, and a few other LUG sites... both current and archive (Ken's old sites).  The containers my friends have on it are all Atari community support related so it is a big chunk of that community also.

Thanks in advance for any consideration,
-- 
Scott Dowdle
704 Church Street
Belgrade, MT 59714
(406)388-0827 [home]
(406)994-3931 [work]
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