Hardware

This page collects information on the hardware we plan to install at a colocation provider as part of our new hosting infrastructure. Some older discussion and similar stuff is on NewSystemHardwareArchive.

System setup

Currently, what we know are the uses for the three machines we will base our infrastructure on. We also know our Abulafia machine configuration, and Justin Leitgeb's to-be-donated server configuration. What we need to come up with, is the ideal setup for the third machine that we will have to buy. So, the machine configurations and intended uses follow:

Justin Leitgeb's donation: Dell PowerEdge 2850

Intended use: fileserver and host for all services that don't involve dynamic content provided by non-admins. No user logins.

HCoop's currently-underused machine Abulafia

Intended use: refurbished slightly to serve as a generic shell server and the only machine where usage not strictly related to "Internet hosting" is permitted.

New server, for which we need to come up with hardware specifications

Intended use: dynamic web content and any other Internet services that involve running arbitrary code from members (including custom daemons, etc.)

Switch

We are proceeding under the assumption that we'll use ShaunEmpie's donation (see HardwareDonations), a Nortel (Baystack) 380 switch. He says:

It is not brand new but is working. Here is [http://vpit.net/es380-guide.pdf a guide] that I was able to find to give anyone interested a more in depth view of it.

VLAN Configuration Proposal:

With our new setup, I think it would be best to setup a few different
VLANs for different uses.  For anyone who is unfamiliar with the term, a
VLAN is a virtual lan.  It allows you to have completely separate networks
on the same switch.  This will allow us to setup a private network that
the public and peer1 would have no access to.  This could be handy for
database systems, NAS, backup servers, etc which you'd want to keep off
the public network.

Proposed Configuration:

VLAN 1.     Management VLAN - not used for normal traffic

VLAN 10.    Public VLAN - public/Peer1's network

VLAN 20.    Private VLAN - private subnet for inter-server traffic

For a starting point i think having ports 1-12 in VLAN 10 and ports 13-24
in VLAN 20 would be best.  The VLAN membership of a port can be changed
easily so these would not be set in stone.

The switch allows for many more VLANs than we'll ever need so if anyone
has a suggestion or need for another VLAN it would be trivial to setup.
Any questions/comments, let me know.

-Shaun

ES380 AC Power Specs:

Serial console

Some device to simulate local login over the Internet could be a life saver. JustinLeitgeb mentions a special card that Dell sells that would work with his donation.

Hardware (last edited 2006-07-06 16:48:20 by JustinLeitgeb)