[OT]: Mini-ITX systems (was Re: server questions)

[Yu Meng Chong]

----- "Bruce Marshall" <bmarsh at bmarsh.com> wrote:

> About 3 users hitting the server for email and network use.  Not that
> many but 
> no problems.
> 
> Yes, it is a mini-itx chassis and the whole box is about as big as a
> cigar 
> box.  I just bought another box from mini-box.com  which is really
> nice.
> 
> http://www.mini-box.com/M350-universal-mini-itx-enclosure   and built
> another 
> box as backup using  the Giarda MI-D525 motherboard.
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/65aa8r4
> 
> And all of my boxes run with A/C and in particular, my weather server
> sits 
> under my desk and on top of a huge APC backup pwr supply.   Can't be
> very cool 
> under there with a couple of computers running in the same room.


Very nice! I wish they sold casings like that here in Singapore, but
all we get are very kitschy ones with floral designs(!).

Is the power supply for your casing one of those external power 
bricks similar to laptop power supplies? I think those are more 
reliable than ATX power supplies, but I'm not very sure. The problems
I have been seeing recently all relate to weird environmental changes
in my country. Some days it gets so hot outside that it knocks out the
air-conditioning in the server room (normally just a closet space), 
which is why I need something that runs cool; other times, when there
is a thunderstorm (and those seem far more violent now than maybe a
decade ago) it can fry systems if there is no surge suppression (and 
sometimes, even when there is). I've had to replace quite a few power
supplies already.

One last question: I suppose you are using 2.5-inch hard drives in 
those boxes - how are those for running 24 hours? Are they reliable?  
 
Regards,
pascal chong