Hello, first message at spcr...

I'm building a server for use in my home office. It'll run linux and mostly be used for file serving, but I'll also run some web/db apps on it. Anyway there's no reason for it to super powerful or anything.

I'll be building my own steel frame case (I'm not satisfied with the form factors of available large cases and I enjoy making sparks with the angle cutter).

The motherboard wishlist is basically this:

integrated GB Ethernet and simple vga
a couple of usb ports
firewire
sata

For example, the Intel DG965RY looks about right: http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/ry/ry_available.htm

There will probably be lots of disks in it, so expandability is nice.

I'll be running some kind of low-power cpu, perhaps a celeron if I go with the above board.

What I'm wondering is if anyone knows of some good alternatives to this board, maybe some that can take a Sempron?

...double post...

saeems like your OK with a desktop mobo rather than a server class board.

Honestly...the Intel board you linked is solid. and a C2Duo 6300 would be great.

Or...this:

http://supermicro.com/products/motherbo ... /PDSBA.cfm

Our small company has just had the best luck with Supermicro. Though not sure if model above is out in channels yet.


If you want to go Sempron. Asus M2R32-MVP

An Antec 450watt HE or Seasonic S-12 should be more than adequate.

no RAID right?

Celeron D are the worst CPU's you can buy at the moment. Since that is Netburst technology, they use too much power (=energy) for the power (=computations) they deliver.

Thanks for the replies!

I don't need a server motherboard, no.

Re: the raid I'm thinking software raid 5, I've done some tests with another computer and it's plenty fast for me. So the mobo doesn't have to have raid support.

Tibor: thank's for the info on the Celerons, I'm a software guy really and have next to no experience with processors. Perhaps it's better to go with a Core/Core 2 chip even though it's really "too fast" for my needs.

A suggestion.

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInf ... oupID=1526
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInf ... oupID=1528

They are cheap, upgradable and have more power than you need right now, they are also low power, and very easy to cool.


Andy

For a low power server intel is a bad choice at the moment. The Celeron D is too hot and the Core / Core 2 platforms too expensive.

One of the mobo's one post up and an AMD Sempron for SocketAM2 would be the direction I would be looking for a home office server. It's cheap and provides enough power. Plus it is still the "newest" technology, so if something breaks in a year or two (you never know), then you can still get replacement parts.