The site has become more mature, its forum has started getting popular.., it is regularly read not only by users but search bots of Google and other MSN from Yahoo… This “gang” of search sites has become so big that common users will soon feel the lack of traffic :) Thus it’s high time to think over a new server; the old one can hardly operate with such increased workload and creaks at the seams… I’ve waited for the summer fall of prices on hardware, tightened my belt and…
I start from a small FAQ about servers. Just in case if somebody of modding amateurs doesn’t know this, I’ll tell you about server cases. I’m sure not everyone knows how it looks…
Thus, webservers are placed in a special sealed and cooled room in datacenter area, in a word - at hoster, at special company which provides the service of server hosting. To avoid mess and use datacenter space rationally, common computer cases are not accepted there (to be precise, they are accepted…, but at triple price). Try imagining this on your own: shelves with hundreds of variegated computers… it’s ravings…
That’s why a special server standard for cases has been accepted; it is a 19” stand, a kind of steel cabinet where flat servers are slid into like a drawer into a bureau. Standard space for a server is considered 48*70*4.5 cm; such is the case, don’t be surprised, thickness is only 4.5 centimeter while the width is 48 and length – not more than 70 cm! That’s strange and I also was surprised when I saw it for the first time. It resembles more not a computer but a kind of album :)
It is called 1U. There is also 2U, it is twice as much thick – 9 cm, 3U and even 4U. But they are superfluous for us; 1U can easily accommodate a 4-processors mother board, 700 W power unit and SCSI RAID array of 5 disks.
An acute reader will ask how this huge construction is prevented from overheating… The answer is simple. There are mighty twin-engine turbines that contain two propellers of striking power at promptness of 15000. One or two such monsters are enough for the case conditioning. For better safety and steadiness, up to a dozen of such propellers are mounted! By the way, it’s rather expensive and costs not less than 30 dollars… and drones like a real vacuum-cleaner, but this is not actual for 1U server…
Contents:
What is 1U server?
Construction of 1U server
Intel casing review
Testing of 1U power box Delta
Modification of cooling system
Mounting of Zippy power box
Modding of front panel
Make a backlighted logotype
Final touches…
Gallery of interesting 1U servers
Short FAQ about webservers
