Maximum PC

I need to build a server at work that has these requirements:
- Gigabit ethernet connection to two other computers (only)
- Very heavy ethernet traffic between the three computers
- Probably TCP/IP
- Need a three port Gigabit ethernet switch to connect them as well
- Probably dual Xeon CPUs unless AMD has something faster
- It needs a lot of RAM
- Need 200GB or more storage
- OS will be Linux or Windows Server 2003 32-bit, probably the later
- I dont give a crap about graphics, keyboard, mouse, Internet, games, antivirus, or security, etc. Only three computers that are not networked.
- I just need to send and receive huge amounts of data over gigabit ethernet, store and process it, the quickest way possible.
- I have about $4,500 to spend

The server has to process it or what? I'm still unclear on its use. How important is uptime and redundancy?

hmm sounds like he is building a prono server, or a media server.

Get 4 sticks of 1 GIG ram.

A huge server case.

A whole bunch HD's in Raid, most likely SATA.

It, sounds like you already know what you want, what info do you want from us?

it doesnt get any easier then this you get exactally what you want and on the exact budget you set

The server mainly has to store raw data and be able to spit it back out without much processing. Since it is a simulator which is not mission critical, uptime and redundancy are not very important.... if it crashes once per year no biggie I'll just reload it.

It stores flight data (azimuth, elevation, heading, air speed, position, etc while an aircraft is flying around at 300knots per hour... so data latency is important.

I know what performance I want... very fast, low data latency. I am looking for:
Best dual CPU MOBO?
Fastest dual 32-bit CPUs?
Fastest, low latency memory?
Fastest hard drive?
Best 4-port gigabit ethernet switch?

The problem is that although I build computers for a living, I don't always get to keep up on what is the ultimate best or fastest. I get stuck with what I can get with the money I am allowed to spend.

Perhaps something you actually have experience using, or a good hardware review?

Just so you know knots is Nautical Miles per an hour, so knots per an hour is incorrect.

Anyways I other than AMD Opteron, I frankly can't give any advice, as frankly I am not going to do for free on a forum, the job I get paid to do.

And if this is for flight tests, they are very specialized equipment, you should get a hold of your equipment provider and see what they recommend exactly for storing the telemetry.

I should mention that in reality, it isn't that much data, sure it's a constant stream of data, but if it's at the frequency and amounts of say the average FDR, it's not that much total data. At least according to my friend that works at L3.

That's what I mean't. "Knots" is easier to spell.


I'm thinking Opteron or dual socket 940.


Not flight test. It will be used in a system integration lab to test software.


I got some more requirements today so I have a better idea what I need. They want a Linux system with 300GB+ hard drive with 8mS average access time and 60MB/sec sustained R/W, and two 4GB Cardbus PCMCIA cards with 15MB/sec sustained R/W, and Gigabit ethernet. The spec document was written in March 2004 so I am sure I can find server hardware to meet the requirements.

Well based on your spec, I would get a dual capable Opteron, but only get a single processor.

And a 0+1 array of SATA hard drives should do it for you.

Your are going to have to look around for the PCIMA cards, those may be hard to find.