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Rig Research October 2003

Goal

The goal of this research was to find a suitable upgrade to my current server. The existing server has been working well, but is really big and noisy. Plus, I want an excuse to switch my Madrake Linux install to Debian. So, now would perhaps be a good time to replace it with a small form factor server and perhaps offload the firewall, dhcp, and routing to a dedicated hardware firewall.

XPC Barebone

  1. Shuttle SB61G2 XPC for $309.99 after rebate at Fry's Outpost.com.
  2. Shuttle SB75G2 XPC for $360 at Directron.
  3. Lex Light
  4. Shuttle SB65G2 XPC for $332 at Directron.
  5. FIC Ice Cube IC-VL67 for $279.99 at Fry's Outpost.com.
  6. Intel® Pentium 4 2.6GHz (800FSB) Boxed CPU W/ FIC VL67 Mini BareBone System for $449.99 at Fry's Outpost.com.

A good review of the Shuttle line can be found at Dan's Data. All the listed Shuttles are all aluminum, Intel Socket 478 800MHz FSB, 2xDDR 400MHZ, LAN, AGP8x, Audio w/SPDIF Barebones. The SB61G2 is older, but has built in adequate video support. The SB65G2 is a black aluminum model with built in wireless, but does not have integrated video. The SB75G2 has a gigabit ethernet adapter, but no wireless or video.

I also found a Computex report showing off the new SFF computers, written by Nigel Prescott. I could not find the Shuttle ST62K for sale anywhere, and I could not find easy to use resellers of the fanless LEX Light, based on the VIA Eden platform.

Fry's claims that the FIC Ice Cube IC VL67 is just like the Shuttle SB61G2, but lower cost and with a handle and a plexiglass side window. Firing Squad found "the ICE Cube VG61 to be superior to Shuttle's equivalent offering. The ICE Cube VG61 was equipped with a beefier power supply and sported spiffy case windows and a blue LED on the CPU cooler, giving it a sharp look."

CPU

  1. Intel Pentium 4 2.6GHz 512K 800 FSB Socket 478 Hyper Threading Processor for $189.99 at Directron
  2. Intel Pentium 4 2.6GHz 512K 800 FSB Socket 478 Hyper Threading Tray Processor for $199.99 from Fry's Outpost.com

Memory

  1. 512MB DDR PC3200 for $59.99 after rebate at Fry's
  2. 512MB DDR PC3200 CL=3 Non-parity CT318072 for $91.99 at Crucial Technologies
  3. 512MB DDR PC2100 CL=2.5 Non-parity CT318082 for $75.99 at Crucial Technologies
  4. 256MB DDR PC2100 CL=2.5 Non-parity CT318084 for $43.99 at Crucial Technologies

Storage

  1. Western Digital 250GB UDMA/100 Hard Drive for $149.99 after rebate at Fry's.

Alternatives

Another alternative is to simply upgrade my old dual processor computer
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