Rack-mountable PCs??

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InTheCube

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Hi. I'm looking for some rack-mountable PCs. They need to have Core i5 processors, 4GB RAM and Windows 7 64bit.

Can anyone recommend a make/brand to look out for? Any particular dealers I should try. Looking to get 4 of these machines. I will also need 4 KVM switches. The machines will be rack-mounted in the server room, and video/mouse/keyboard will be sent over the network via a KVM switch.

Please advise. Thanks.
 
If you are looking for rack mount PC's as opposed to servers, you will probabley ave to buikd your own. I dont know of many brand name rackmount PC's.

Antec do some rack mount chassis, Pinnacle also have a cheapish generic one. Sure there are many more.
 
Why do you specifically need to have a Core i5? There are a lot of different Core i5 CPU's available - both for Socket 1156 and Socket 1155 - from dual core with Hyper-Threading to quad core CPU's.
Also, why does it have to be rack mountable?

I haven't seen any desktop components in 1U or 2U format yet.

Can't you just install like a a two Quad Core Xeon servers with 8GB of RAM each and run Windows 7 x64 within Virtual Machines, with each having 4GB of RAM? Or is your whole reason why you want desktop components in a server rack to save money?
 
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The PCs will be used for streaming video from a high-end CCTV camera system. The PCs will be used as viewing stations, but we don't want them lying on the floor near the actual displays/monitors, for the sake of neatness, safety and security, and for flexibility, so that we can move the viewing stations around the premises quite easily.

I've been told that we HAVE to have a dedicated PC for each viewing station, as the amount of data being transferred and processing power required is quite significant. Keyboard, Mouse and Video data will be sent over the network to a viewing station, using a KVM switch.

I like the idea of a powerful server running 4 virtual machines, but I'm not sure if this will work in the above situation, or if it is recommended. How do we get 4 seperate KVM feeds to the each of the 4 viewing stations? Also, the network card might become a bottleneck.

The other thing is, the premises is quite big (a manufacturing plant with several buildings linked up with fibre) with several small racks/cabinets housing the switches. Idea is to put 2 rackmount PCs in the server room, and another 2 in a new cabinet next to one of the existing wall mounted cabinets that house the switches and fibre equipment, on the other end of the manufacturing plant. As far I know, it would be problematic sending the KVM data accross the network through a switch. The KVM feed needs a dedicated cable from PC to monitor/keyboard/mouse, but this won't be possible, as this cabinet is connected to the main server rack via a single fibre-optic link.
 
AirWolf said:
<thread_necro>

Looking for rack mountable pc to install smoothwall on.

i3 or i5
8GB ram
2.5 drive bay
At least 2 network ports
Click to expand...

What is your budget, what size rack are you using, do you want 1U, 2U, MoreU?

You can get rackmount chassis at a bunch of different places (like https://www.geewiz.co.za/other-chassis/6129-2u-550-rackmount-server-chassis.html) and then just build your own.

You could also try to pick up some used gear second hand but I find it's not that easy locally, eBay is overflowing with the stuff but shipping is always a problem with big items.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
What is your budget, what size rack are you using, do you want 1U, 2U, MoreU?

You can get rackmount chassis at a bunch of different places (like https://www.geewiz.co.za/other-chassis/6129-2u-550-rackmount-server-chassis.html) and then just build your own.

You could also try to pick up some used gear second hand but I find it's not that easy locally, eBay is overflowing with the stuff but shipping is always a problem with big items.
Click to expand...
Ideally 1U.
Thanks, will check.
 
Ive been trying to find a shortish 3/4U (<450mm) rackmount case for nearly a year to put my unraid box in. Not many options locally and overseas shipping on a 10kg case is just mad.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
What is your budget, what size rack are you using, do you want 1U, 2U, MoreU?

You can get rackmount chassis at a bunch of different places (like https://www.geewiz.co.za/other-chassis/6129-2u-550-rackmount-server-chassis.html) and then just build your own.
Click to expand...

That's a really good price. The challenge usually is finding components to fit in there, that are not all expensive server related PSU's and boards. Which may eventually force one to buy an entry level server anyway.

Then again that may be the best option in the first place...
 
Second hand 1u servers are better priced than what you will be paying for just the case and components.
Go have a look on the second hand sites.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
What is your budget, what size rack are you using, do you want 1U, 2U, MoreU?

You can get rackmount chassis at a bunch of different places (like https://www.geewiz.co.za/other-chassis/6129-2u-550-rackmount-server-chassis.html) and then just build your own.

You could also try to pick up some used gear second hand but I find it's not that easy locally, eBay is overflowing with the stuff but shipping is always a problem with big items.
Click to expand...
Used this one and just used the internals from my existing tower.
 
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