Time to build a new server!
Seems we have outgrown our current server, and an upgrade is needed. Currently we are having issues with not enough memory, and not enough disk space. Other issues include older cpu chipsets that do not do full hardware virtualization, which is a known problem on the Dell 2850 servers. What I propose is we order a barebones new server and upgrade components inside it to bring us exceptional speed, full hardware virtualization, lots of memory and diskspace, and everyone is happy with how fast their websites load and databases perform.
We use enterprise SSD’s for speed/reliability and load it with tons of memory to ensure we never have a memory shortage again. I thank everyone for their patience on this upgrade, I did comment to many people I would commence on this after the new year, and I have, I am hoping to have this completed by worse case scenario, end of March/14. For anyone interested in technical builds, read on below, for the rest, I look forward to bringing you a great hosting platform for March /14.
Completed:
a) Ordered a barebones Dell 2950 generation 3(will provide full virtualization support on 2 quad cpu chipset(8 cpus total @2.83ghz))
b) Ordered a memory upgrade to bring it up to 32gb(arrived and installed today – system detects full 32gb)
In Progress:
a) Memory checks
b) Order bay trays
c) Order Icy Dock Units
d) Order Sata Power Splitter + SSD cabling for checking onboard sata performance vs raid controller.
d) Order Intel s3500 SSD’s
e) Test SSD’s against perc 6i controller for single disks, raid 0, as well as onboard sata performance in software raid configurations.
f) Configure linux operating system using deadline I/O scheduler, VM’s with NOOP I/O scheduler, virtualize with KVM, convert all openvz hosts over to new KVM virtualization.
g) Ship unit to colocation and do final setups over a week period before conversion.
Dan.
SunSaturn Wishes You A Happy New Year