Hi,

Do you think it's best to build or buy your rackmount server for co-lo? Why?

Any particular items/features in your rackmount servers you feel are "must have"?

Also, how much "burn in", tuning and load testing do you do to your systems before sending them to the co-lo? Any?

Thanks!

Louis

I always like to build my own server (although I also bought some). If your server is only single CPU (with i815 or SIS chipset), 256-512MB memory, then building it yourself will not save you much money. But for a dual CPU proc with 4GB memory on a nice serverworks chipset motherboard, and SCSI drives, then building it yourself will probably save around $1-$2 grand.

Some people will say that by buying a server, you will get warranty that comes with it. Well, make sure you buy it from a company that can actually deliver next day on site support. But even if they can, I am not sure whether the colo facility will let a stranger to come and fix your server. I don't see how warranty play an important role if you decide to colo your server. Chances are, if things go wrong you will ask your colo provider to do remote hand for you or you will do things yourself.

cheers,
:beer:

I buy strictly Dell at this point, though I am working on a project that has me really considering the Compaq BL320's.

I can't afford NOT to have the support you get from Dell, they are top notch have never let me down. I'd also never colo in a facility that didn't let the techs in.

Originally posted by DizixCom
I can't afford NOT to have the support you get from Dell, they are top notch have never let me down. I'd also never colo in a facility that didn't let the techs in.

I did have a tour at UUNet facility, they require everybody to be regitered in their system to even drive through their parking lot. And to enter the server room you will need to have your bone density (yes, your bone density) recorded in their biometric system. Not only that, they require whoever comes to their facility be covered under your business liability insurance. Basically, you can't just tell the data center that somebody (your tech) is coming over within 4 hours. Even if you are there, they would not let your tech to get inside the server room.

You just make it sound too easy for somebody to just enter a server room. Perharps your current data center is not tier 1 in which case things are much more flexible. But even so, if your hardware fails at 8:30pm, when do you expect your tech to come? I will just contact the data center and pay them whatever money it takes to replace the bad hardware and get my server running within the next 2 hours or so.

I bought several supermicro servers and they are so great. But if things go wrong, I will just drive to the data center and fix it myself. Therefore, I really don't see how a top notch warranty will be good in the colo situation. Being cloes to the data center and being able to access it 24/7 is your best warranty.

cheers,
:beer:

I did have a tour at UUNet facility, they require everybody to be regitered in their system to even drive through their parking lot. And to enter the server room you will need to have your bone density (yes, your bone density) recorded in their biometric system. Not only that, they require whoever comes to their facility be covered under your business liability insurance. Basically, you can't just tell the data center that somebody (your tech) is coming over within 4 hours. Even if you are there, they would not let your tech to get inside the server room. That is one reason we did not select Savvis as a datacenter provider a long time ago (among many other things), they looked to be very stricked on security.

Believe me, most are really not that strict when it comes down to it. They make it look all crazy, but it's not that bad. As a matter of fact, I cruse in and out off UUNet/WCom's facility here in STL passing all that jazz :) Also, there is another datacenter that I know of here in STL that is crazy about security, but you can open their front door with a FedEx envelop (it's not that big a deal as they are man'ed 24/7 so there is security there).

I agree too, Dell is the way to go. Great hardware, prices and support!

Hm ... very different from the one I saw in Boston ... the UU datacenter in Boston was very empty, only about 20% of the total floors is filled with racks. And yes, you can't even drive through their parking lot without talking to the security guy via intercom in which they will still have to check against their list for your visit.

Anyway ... I though the more secure it is the better ... why don't you like it, rackmy?

cheers,
:beer:

Really, how much security is necessary :) No one is going to "Die Hard" (you know, the movies with Bruce Willis) into the datacenter and steal servers. And I don't think I would look at a datacenter that would be a target for something like that.

My belief is that a datacenter should have security procedures in place to make sure no one can get to the datacenter infrastructure (routers, power, etc), have the availability to track what comes in and out and to only allow people how have granted access into the facilities. It does not require military type security to do this, just simple procedures.

To me, tight security like that is more an inconvenience more than an important option.

That is just my 2 cents. :)

The idea that a tech can just come in into the server room is bad. That mean everybody can come into the server room. What prevent them from accidentally resetting your servers in an open rack cabinet? I like locked cabinet better in which case only I (or any person that has been authorized) can open the cabinet and do things to my servers.

And since when security becomes a matter of inconvenience?

cheers,
:beer:

The idea that a tech can just come in into the server room is bad. That mean everybody can come into the server room. What prevent them from accidentally resetting your servers in an open rack cabinet?OK, now that is just silly. I did not say that people should be able to walk in a do what ever the want.

And since when security becomes a matter of inconvenience?You have never colo'ed in a very high security facility, have you :) It's a MAJOR pain in the *you know what*.

No I haven't coloed in a major facility. But I do like it and thinking of moving my servers there (although it's much harder to deal with; require busines liability insurance, etc), one of the reason is their security ... call me paranoia if you would like ;)

cheers,
:beer:

The contract I have with my current provider requires liability insurance and quite a few other things.

Techs cannot just go in at will, the center has to be notified and the tech has to be escorted, it isn't a free for all once they get inside. :) This is provided as part of the managed service so it doesn't cost me anything, and Dell support can generally get in and out in under two hours even though they only guarantee 4.

I can sleep well because of this.

The new place I am colocating at now is exactly the same, but they are a fairly quick drive so I can be there as well if need be.

Originally posted by DizixCom
Dell support can generally get in and out in under two hours even though they only guarantee 4.


Even if you encounter the problem at 1 am in the morning?
I thought Dell only offer support at business hours?

cheers,
:beer:

You can get 4 hour support 24x7x365 not only on hardware but software issues too. It does come at a premium though!

They offer 7x24, 4 hour response support. It's a bit more expensive, but 1 AM mishaps do happen.

Heck, just buying the support likely means nothing will happen at all according to Murphies law. If you don't pay for it, you'll almost always need it. So I buy it, and generally never use it. :) I have relied on it in the past and have never been let down by them.

I once went to Energis (UK) Leeds datacentre to work on a couple of our servers. The security was pretty lax. We had to fill out forms and wear a badge :)

We were escorted into the colo area by some lady and left us to it. There was a technician standing over us all the time. Whenever we wanted to touch the hardware he was pretty much sitting on the rack , the rack was full of other servers too.

Only downside from that was I was in there for around 5 hours and came out FFFReeezing ! Coz I was sat right by one of the air con raised floor exhaust units, forgotten the name of them :)

There is my story !