Posted by William Klein on October 25, 2006 at 06:35:34:
In Reply to: Re: Windows2003 Server 64, test bed specs posted by Jim Guerber on October 25, 2006 at 03:13:00:
Several reasons I would not recommend this to an end user as a server.
1) Fault tolerance - everything will break, it's just a matter of time. For end user's the ideal configuration is mirrored disks for the OS, Raid 5 for data. Call me paranoid, but it will break, the OS will become corrupted and need to be formatted.
2)Service, while I am confidant in my ability to diagnose, tear apart and get working any piece of equipment I'm not so sure about end users. I've been doing this a long time. I was the guy who came in and aligned heads on your 6+6. If I recommend a Dell to an end user I know someone can be there with a part the next day. If they screw it up they come back. If I put it in, all the better but I want that part.
3)Speed - Raid 5 speeds data retrieval significantly. As developers we're not running the same kind of data throughput our customers are. I'd love to be better able to simulate an end user environment but it's easier said than done. Compiling, writing and testing code just doesn't require the same speed.