20050307: corrections to equipment RFP: assistance with hardware requirement

>From: Unidata Support <address@hidden>
>Organization: UCAR/Unidata
>Keywords: 200503041554.j24FsHv2021427 equipment

Hi Jeff,

After meeting with NOAA/FSL folks today, I find that I need to update
some comments I sent to you this morning.

re:
>The only comment I would like to make is that the UPC is moving towards
>64-bit systems, and Xeons are 32-bit.

This is incorrect.  The Dell PowerEdge 2850 Xeons are apparently 64 bit
processors.  This was news to me.

re:
>The configuration of the V20Zs we have is:
>
>dual 2 Ghz Opteron
>4 GB RAM
>dual 72 GB 10K RPM SCSI (I am not positive on the disk space here)
>cost of $3000 under an educational discount program that has now ended
>unit is in a 2U box

Our machines have dual 36 GB 10K RPM SCSI disks, not dual 72 GB ones.
Also, the V20Zs are 1U not 2U.

Sun has a newer version of this box out that has faster Opteron
processors, dual 72 GB SCSI disks, but not as much RAM (2 GB vs 4 GB)
for -- I believe -- $3500.  Your PowerEdge 2850 specs has a lot of
disk, and that will significantly bump the cost of a machine.  We don't
need much disk on our IDD relay machines, so we were not concerned with
purchasing added capacity.

The rest of my comments stand:

- we have found the V20Zs to be excellent performers for LDM relay
  activities
- we really like Fedora Core 3 64-bit, and were informed that RedHat
  Enterprise WS 4 is essentially FC3 turned into a supported distribution
  by RH
- the V20Zs do not perform well as user workstations since its video
  support is poor

>>PowerEdge 2850:
>>-------------------------
>>Intel Xeon dual processor at 3.6GHz/2MB Cache, 800MHz FSB
>>4GB DDR2 400MHz (4X1GB), Single Ranked DIMMs
>>Riser with PCI-X Support and Embedded Raid (ROMB) Support
>>4 x 300GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 SCSI Hard Drive
>>Drives attached to PERC4/DC card, RAID 5
>>PERC4eDC-PCI Express, 128MB Cache, 2-Internal Channels
>>2+4 Split Backplane Daughtercard
>>24X IDE CD-RW/DVD ROM Drive for PowerEdge Servers, All OS
>>1.44MB Floppy Drive
>>Dual On-Board NICs
>>Rack Chassis w/Rapid Rails for Dell, HPQ or other Square Hole Racks, 
>>PE2850
>>
>>With a university discount, the estimated cost is $9,661.80.
>>******************

Sorry for the earlier misinformation...

Cheers,

Tom Yoksas
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