[SPAM] [rescue] Challenge XL in SE VA Did Not Wait For Me!

[Patrick Giagnocavo]

> 
> What would be the consensus of this bunch of the ideal (preferrably well
> under 100-kilos; arthritis means I can't lift like I used to) server for
> about 7 internet domains, mail (via Postfix with antispam and antivirus a
> la Spamassassin and Clam or similar), web hosting, DNS hosting, and file
> services?

Solaris running on either UltraSparc II or higher, or dual-CPU SMP box
on Intel hardware. 

> I have a dual XEON 833 Linux box that will be up soon now that I have
> cleared some space in my calendar and my basement, but it isn't going to be
> that much better under heavy load than the current machine.  I want
> something longevious, hardenable against the unwashed (operating system is
> flexible, I can deal with most anything), with CPU cycles to spare for
> server duty.

An E250 (though heavy) or even an Ultra2 with external RAID would
probably do the trick.  Just add enough RAM.  Only problem with older
Sun machines is that Perl seems to act like molasses, but C programs
and others fly along quite well.

> Oh, did I mention cheap?  I work at a university help desk.  Even as senior
> tech, the pay "inhales deeply" and my wife is a school teacher which is
> even worse for making the big bucks.

Move to Pennsylvania and have your wife get a teaching job here :-)

A dual-CPU Intel system, with say 2xPII-450s and 1GB RAM should be
quite cheap.  If you look around for deals on Sun equipment they are
easy to find too.

--Patrick