Case with Redundant PSU?

[poncho]

Im in the process of spec-ing up a server to replace the current firewall box our company is using. It will be running smoothwall corporate edition which is basically a customised security hardened flavour of linux. Specs wise the machine doesnt have to be any thing too out of the box as hardware requirements aren't that high but I am looking for stability and availability so want to go with a redundant PSU.

Anyone know of a reasonably priced case/chasis (tower or rackmount) that provides PSU redundancy or alternatively a low end Server from one of the larger providers like IBM, HP, DELL etc that has PSU redundancy.

 

[306maxi]

Don't know of any Redundant PSU's. But you can get a nice UPS Backup to help you out.

WTF? Stop talking crap!!!!!!

It's not a redundant PSU. It's a case with provision for a second PSU which by definition is a redundant PSU because it is not needed to actually run the server. Kinda like a RAID 1 for your PSU's but slightly different. If the PSU dies then the other one steps in and takes over meaning that your server or in this case firewall box doesn't go down. Redundant PSU's are usually hot swappable meaning that you don't usually need to take the server down to swap out the faulty PSU.

I'll be honest and say that I don't know of any manufacturers other than Intel who do these type of chassis' but I'm 100% certain there are others.

This should get you started.

http://www.intel.com/products/server/chassis/index.htm?iid=serv_body+chassis

A UPS is going to smooth out the power and reduce the likelihood of a failed PSU but if the PSU dies it does nothing. If the OP is going to the trouble of looking for a case with redundant PSU's I'd hazard a guess that he's smart enough to already have a UPS.

Seriously mpilchdude..... if you don't know what someone's talking about don't try to answer their question.......

 

[poncho]

Yeah we do by the way already have an UPS system in place however as 306maxi pointed out that is not a great lot of help when the PSU in the Firewall decides to die as it did recently.

Thanks for the link though 306maxi. I have actually already been looking at 2 of those Intel chasis'. I recently built 2 servers using the SR1500 chasis so I considered the SR1550 which is basically the same thing with the addition of redundant PSU but is way too pricey for what I'm looking to spend in this instance.
The other alternative is the SC5299. We have a number of servers using the older SC5200 chasis so it was sort of my first option but was interested to see if there was anything else on the market.

I did just stumble across the Power Edge 1800 server from Dell which can be configured with a redundant PSU with the features we are looking for for around $AUS2000....pretty tempting...save me the hassel of building it.

 

[Doughbuy]

I spec'ed out some servers from IBM that had redundant and hot-swappable PSU's, but those were for their blade center, which is most likely out of your league. I looked around a bit just now to see if anything else had that capability, but I didn't see anything although you should take a look yourself to make sure.

Wait, I take that back, IBM has tower server's also with Hot-Swap redundant PSU's, but they are still pretty expensive since that's how IBM is.

http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/x/tower/x3200/index.html

Here is one of them, actually the price starts at 700 for low end and goes up. Might want to check it out.

 

[doolittle]

Well having 10+ years as a unix admin in a datacenter, I can definitly say looking for a low-cost highly-available solution is an oxymoron. I would have to rank part failures (from a server perspective) as this:

1 - hdd's
2 - PSUs
3 - memory
4 - system boards (mobo / backplane / raid / other PCI cards / support boards, all are about equal)

If you're looking for a server that is headache-free for the administrator you are looking in the right direction - hardware raid (mirror w/ hot spare) and redundant PSU can run about $2,500 looking at the dell poweredge 1950 we usually use. They are conveniently RedHat certified so the smoothwall install may be painless.

A cheaper solution may be to have a pair of cheap servers / desktops and have one as a "warm standby" so if the primary dies, just run a script that on the backup that changes the network configuration and restarts networking. Depends on the SLA you are trying to meet - if a few mins of service outage at the wrong time can cost you unhappy customers, coworkers or your job then spend the $$ it's well worth it.

Also check out Smoothwall's HCL forum it can give you some hardware ideas.

 

[Guest]

SC5400

Got first hand experience with this one, works great, accept 2U passivly cooled Xeon.

With a 5000 series chipset and a 5000 series Xeon, it does work really well...

Dont really know the price, we have great deals since we're channel reseller, 1500$ Can for chassis/mobo/Raid controller (Some raid on the motherboard, I dont think it support auto-rebuilt, wich make the hotswap pretty useless!!!)

 

[306maxi]

Yeah we do by the way already have an UPS system in place however as 306maxi pointed out that is not a great lot of help when the PSU in the Firewall decides to die as it did recently.

Thanks for the link though 306maxi. I have actually already been looking at 2 of those Intel chasis'. I recently built 2 servers using the SR1500 chasis so I considered the SR1550 which is basically the same thing with the addition of redundant PSU but is way too pricey for what I'm looking to spend in this instance.
The other alternative is the SC5299. We have a number of servers using the older SC5200 chasis so it was sort of my first option but was interested to see if there was anything else on the market.

I did just stumble across the Power Edge 1800 server from Dell which can be configured with a redundant PSU with the features we are looking for for around $AUS2000....pretty tempting...save me the hassel of building it.

Where areyou in Australia? A company I used to work for may be able to help you out