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Servers4Linux
This site is about how to use "industrial strength" server hardware. I'll focus more on the specifics of using the actual hardware, and less on generic instructions for using Linux. Pretty much, Linux is Linux. Usually the "hard" part (not so hard, really!) is configuring these servers as required, and finding a Linux distribution that supports them. Running Linux is the easy part. All of these run Debian like a champ. Various other distributions work fine, too.
I sometimes run across interesting or representative storage units. As I do so, I'll write some notes on them.
One reason I have this site is that I LIKE to use servers that are not x86 (Intel) based. I consider these to be "real" servers. When I first got started using servers like these, there was not a lot of information available on them, so I learned "on the job". Hopefully this site will shorten your learning curve.
If I find x86 based "wannabe" servers that are a particularly good bargain, I may get them and write them up here too. Don't hold your breath.
Servers4Linux on eBay
Sometimes I have servers and accessories for sale. My items for sale are always thoroughly gone through, repaired if needed, and fully functional. I know it'll run Linux, I run Linux on it. I always have actual live console shots of the server running Linux and accurate, detailed descriptions. Most sellers of equipment like this don't even bother to turn it on or take a picture, and charge inflated "But It Now" prices.
More about Servers4Linux
Since I'm on a budget, I like the cheap stuff you can find used. There's a lot of really expensive server hardware on eBay listed for next to nothing. Usually it's a bit "different" perhaps, say running some exotic CPU architecture or something. That's good. That means you can get it cheap because people can't be bothered to figure out how to run Windows on it. Better for you.
If you're running a business, perhaps this idea of used servers seems a bit troublesome. Maybe you've always bought new equipment with a warranty. Yes, it's nice to have a warranty. It's reassuring to have a 1-800 number to call if there's an issue. But if you are particularly budget conscious and if you have system administrators capable of taking care of the equipment themselves you can get by without buying new.
Since you can literally get servers for 10% or less of their new retail price, buy extras. Use one for production and have the others available for parts, hot spares, development boxes, whatever.
Here's a specific example. This is an Ebay auction for 4 (four!) rx4640's for $4000. Each one includes RX4640 Base Server, (4) A7159A 1.3GHz Itanium 2 CPU (note that these are DUAL core CPU's, that's *EIGHT* cores), (8) A6969AX 1GB Memory DIMMS, (1) A9897A 73GB Disk Drive, and Rail Kit, tested with 90 day warranty. That's $1000 for a 8 core box with 8 GB's of RAM. Wow. (I don't know what the retail on these was, but I'm sure it was $20,000 and up...) Just the RAM in these (32 GB total) is worth $4000 used. You could part them out and make some money, but that's no fun.
Other helpful links
Help with consoles. Servers are sometimes a bit "different". You can't always just hook up a keyboard, video and mouse (KVM) to them and get anything. Many servers are set at the factory to run "headless" and default to sending output to a serial port. Read more on consoles.
Help with hooking up keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM). "Real men" run their servers "headless" (no KVM), but maybe you want to see Gnome in all its graphical glory. If you have more than one or two servers, you'll need a KVM switch. Read more on KVM.
Help with power. Many used servers are intended to be run on 208 volts. Maybe your garage already has an unused dryer outlet for 208v. Maybe you server will "auto-range", and accept either 110 or 208. Make sure you can feed power to your server before you buy it. Read more on power.
Picking a rack. Usually most business run their servers in a rack. Many used servers are offered in a rack mounted configuration. You can optionally get a "desk side" conversion kit, but these might cost more than the server does used. Get a rack. You can find racks in all different sizes. Read more on racks.
Help with power distribution units (PDUs). If you have a rack, you should buy one with the correct PDUs in it already, or be on the look out for the correct PDUs that match your racks and servers. Read more on PDUs.
Help with uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs). If you care about surviving fluctuations in power or power outages, you should have at least one PDU (or even better a pair of matching PDUs). The usual thing that happens on used PDUs is that the batteries fail, and then the "dead" PDU is sold for next to nothing. It's pretty easy to replace the batteries. Read more on UPS.
More About Me
I do Linux. I also do Windows. These days I'm doing lots of virtualization with VMware ESX and Citrix XenServer running on Fibre Channel and iSCSI Storage Area Networks. I blog about this on http://greg.porter.name, and write up some interesting how-to's at http://greg.porter.name/wiki. One particularly popular how-to is about using the Open Source storage appliance software Openfiler at http://greg.porter.name/wiki/HowTo:Openfiler.
