[K12OSN] Recommended Server for 25 terminals on K12LTSP 4

["Terrell Prudé, Jr."]

Wayne Fulton wrote:

>We are looking into setting up a K12LTSP lab with 25
>workstations. What type of server minimal specs (memory, hard
>drive, scsi or ide, processor) do you recommend?
>
>Thanks!
>Wayne
>  
>

Hello Wayne,

I have a 25-user lab, and here's mine:

Dual Athlon 1700+
4GB DRAM
Gig-E over fiber
Twin 80GB IDE hard disks
"El Cheapo" video card, an ATI Xpert98, I believe

The dual processors allow multiple folks to start up applications and 
run them faster.  The 4GB DRAM allows this to happen without swapping to 
disk.  The Gig-E allows them to use their terminals without it feeling 
like they're running across a 1200bps modem.  The video card in your 
server doesn't matter; it can be an old PCI-based Diamond Stealth64 from 
1995.

You'll likely see some recommendations for SCSI and multiple spindles.  
They're right, but...while it is certainly true that SCSI is the best, 
and Serial ATA is better than "traditional" 40-pin IDE, your budget 
might dictate going with IDE, as mine did when my server was built.  The 
DRAM becomes very much a blessing in this case; my server simply doesn't 
swap.  It's been over a year now since this thing was put into 
production, and so far, so good.

--TP
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