Finding the right hardware

[Mark Appleby]

I am buying a new machine to host filemaker server. Best results are apparently on win2000. Is there anybody making win2000prof machines that will have RAID and scusi drives?

[kenneth2k1]

Hi:

Dell makes the PowerEdge servers that have SCSI drives. So does Compaq Proliant. Most server vendors make them available with SCSI adapters in RAID. But none I've seen have Win2k Pro. They have Win Server 2003 down to Win 2k Server.

Unless you wanted to build your own server (Which wouldn't be that hard!)

Ken

[Mark Appleby]

Surely someone must have gotten their hands on one of these, for use with filemaker!

[kenneth2k1]

I would think that any Windows OS AFTER 98 would be good. You may be able to find a desktop w/ a RAID mobo and SCSI adapter and throw Win2k Pro. Seems like a hassle to me.

ken

[Anatoli]

RE: Is there anybody making win2000prof machines that will have RAID and scusi drives?

Adaptec SCSI card and SCSI 10000 or 15000 RPM Seagate drives. Raid 10 is ideal or plain mirror. IMHO Raid 5 is not the best for FM server.

Intel mobo + Intel P4 > 2.2 GHz, space for 1-2GB RAM, start with 256MB.

Good Intel 1 Gb NIC card.

[Mark Appleby]

I have no clue how to make one of these. Is there any manufacturer that would do this for me?

[Anatoli]

Try http://www.monsterboxpc.com/contacts.htm

Those guys know what they are doing and have good prices.

Tell them Anatoli from Woodland Hills send you. We bought 3 of those babys.

[Mark Appleby]

I Coudn't believe the price Anatoli as I will also have to get it to Ireland. But Dell were able to help me and I can get what is needed from them. Thanks for all the help in this area.

[Anatoli]

Was it good or bad price?

Be careful with 2 NIC (network) cards.

Company I was working for in LA installed FM server on expensive and beautiful Dell server.

The FM server was flying and also crashing like hell.

After disabling the second NIC card in Dell's BIOS, we got excellent FM server.

Then we switched to Monsterbox PC and used Dell for terminal services.

[Mark Appleby]

We have about 8 Dell machines. There has been the odd problem, but it has always been looked after by Dell quickly. We have not had the sort of problems that you are talking about in fact, I am working an Old Dell 800mhz machine with Windows 98 and have yet to experience a crash. Filemaker has hardly been switched off in the last year on this machine. BTW the network card is a pain but for an extra

[Anatoli]

If you can insist on Intel card for FM Server. But 3com is our second and also good choice.

How was the price for MonsterboxPC?