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I am building a replacement home/office server for a small software company. The server functions as a print server/web server (internet and intranet)/file server/sql server. Currently, the OS (2003) and other files are only using about 38 GB. I have a 64 GB Patriot SSD that I had planned on putting everything on. (Server 2008 r2, SQL Server 2008, etc.) I also have a Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 drive that I was going to use for system backups and sql log files. Other hardware in the new build are a AMD Phenom II X4 955 (3.2 GHz) and 8 GB DDR3 RAM. Most of the SQL databases are used for web reporting applications for yearly data, and so are mostly read heavy. (at least 90%) I have searched for information on best practices for using SSDs in production servers, but can't find enough information to make a decision on where to best implement the SSD in this scenario...as the main drive with the OS and applications, or as a secondary drive for only certain things like sql data files, web resources, etc. I am open to any suggestions. Thank You
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Today's Insider (the CodeProject daily newsletter) had a link to this blog[^] that may interest you.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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Thanks, I did see that article, which left me more confused than before. I went ahead with my initial plan and put the OS and apps on the SSD. Aftert installing SQL Server 2008 and Crystal Reports XI, I still have over 36 GB left over. SQL Server log files (including tempdb) are located on the secondary drive, as are all development files, database backups, system restore image, documents, etc. All in all, this was a very boring build...I spent more time planning it than it took to put together. Everything worked the very first time. It seems to be a very speedy system, from POST to desktop in less than 10 seconds. (not counting typing the login)
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Yes, I usually hear good things like that about SSD; the article I mentioned was the first negative I saw. You should report back in 12 months or so...
Good luck.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum
Please use <PRE> tags for code snippets, they preserve indentation, improve readability, and make me actually look at the code.
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What is the goal of using a SSD?
Is there something specifically that you want to fix? Or you just want to use one?
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It was more a lust for speed combined with the price decreases. I also believed that the SSD would be more energy efficient and reliable. Needless to say, I was a bit conerned reading the aformentioned article about failure rates...with my shiny new SSD still in the box. It wasn't a fix for anything...I really have no complaints whatsoever with the current server. (single core 2.8 Intel, 3.7 GB DDR, SATA II master/slave, running Server 2003) If I didn't have to keep up with what the customers are using, I'd stick with it forever. This box has run 24/7 for over 5 years, aside from an occasional power outage or upgrade. I just hope I can get the same from my new setup.
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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After 5 years I'd want to replace anything that's intended as a high availability system even it's not overloaded yet. MTBF's start adding up as your parts get older.
3x12=36
2x12=24
1x12=12
0x12=18
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Doesn't matter then.
A server shouldn't be rebooting much and small performance improvements there don't matter.
And you don't seem to be concerned about application speed either.
As an administrator I would put the OS on it. And anything else that was implicitly recoverable such as applications.
That speeds reboots and updates (administrator time) without endangering business data.
Once you have more personal data on SSD and once SSDs have in fact actually been around long enough to be more realistically evaluated then you might use it elsewhere.
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I have investigated in the past the SSD technology and there is not an easy decision. You should select very carefully the SSD part to check wear-leveling algorithms, error correction strength etc.
Also it depends from your OS. The numbers that the manufacturers present as a reliability are not representative (ie. 20GB/day for 10 years). According to these numbers there would be no question. However nobody states that the least erasable sector is 128K (or more) so if you need to update one byte in the file you will need to erase 128K bytes (or consume a new sector). Of course this could be refined and minimize this to 4K sectors. Nevertheless although you might write 1byte, you consume 4K and thus the numbers changes.
I would propose that if you have linux you can place your OS there in read-only mode (place temp and swap partitions to a standard HDD). Also you can save there your data. However keep in mind that the data retention on SSD is 10years (you can just write a cron script to copy the files once per 2 or 5 years  ). If the application that handles the data does not do many write access (either append or change) you are pretty safe.
In case of windows i would recommend to place the OS on a HDD. The application could be to a SSD (assuming that these do not do heavy write activities inside their directory). You can use the sysinternals diskmon tool to gather actual read-write events to your HDD. Then you can make a histogram on Excel and see how many writes your system have. I believe you can select which disk to check.
Regards
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Really the only good use of a SSD over a conventional rotating disk is in an application where the computer may be exposed to vibration. An SSD is not affected at all by vibration whereas a rotating disk can be brought to its knees. Some of the read/write speeds are really not very noticeably different, manufacturers exaggerate their specs beyond belief. Usually the rates they quote are only burst speeds that the drives can't sustain.
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Hello all,
I'm facing a problem with a LASERJET HP printer:
When I try to print there from any computer in the network the printer prints with some errors... it is like in some places a shadow of what has been printed is appearing.
I've tried to clean the printer from the printer control panel (standing in front of the printer and pressing keys there).
Nothing has changed.
HP recommends me to use HP printer TOOLBOX, but I can't get it from the CDROM neither from the download section of the HP web page...
Do you know if I should make a triple combo un the minesweeper software prior to try to find this software?
Any pointer will be appreciated!
Thank you in advance.
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Hello Hans!
Downloaded it, tried it and... everything is as before... I mean... all the basic settings are ok, IP, network, status... printer gives proper feedback to the computer...
I can't access to anywhere to fix things... realign, clean... strange behavior...
Need this toolbox software... 
Thank you for your feedback though...
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Think that the printer is wasted...
Thank you for your answer...
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If it was my printer, I guess I would give it a good cleaning inside and try to replace toner cartridge (even if current cartridge is not empty).
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It sounds like an internal problem with the printer, Joan. The fuser may be bad, or some other major module inside. I believe there's a diagnostic you can run from the front panel that will display a number for any faults it detects; that may be your best bet. The symptoms you describe don't indicate a network problem.
Will Rogers never met me.
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Yep... I guess you are right...
Replacement printer needed now...
Thank you!
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Not necessarily! I've replaced the fuser assembly on our HP LJ4700n a couple of times, and they're not expensive compared to a new printer. If the self test spits out a number, you can find information online about the failure. If that doesn't work, a few minutes on the phone or in an online chat with support can help to isolate the problem. I'd at least try to get an expert diagnosis and pricing for parts before shopping for a major item like this.
Will Rogers never met me.
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Hi All,
I have created a VM of Win xp by using VM Ware, but I am unable to access pendrive in it. So how to enable pendrive in that VM. I have tried by googling. It said that I need enable it by using Device Manager and Regedit. I tried both the options. The options that stated in the example are not there in my Device Manager and Registries both.
The Virtual Machine is showing some USBs but their names are like Bios and some other mother board item names, I dont know what those USBs are for but they are not accessing the my Pendrive data.
Can anybody please help me how to enable USB drive in my Virtual Machine
Thanks & Regards,
Abdul Aleem Mohammad
St Louis MO - USA
moved on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 8:43 PM
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indian143 wrote: are not there in my Device Manager and Registries both.
This probably won't help, but some programs (especially some MS ones) require the key to be created manually.
Also, have you tried: http://www.vmware.com/support/ws45/doc/devices_usb_ws.html[^]
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!
The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob!
"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
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Could you instead move the files on your USB drive to your hard drive, then access that from your VM?
This is not the age of reason, this is the age of flummery, and the day of the devious approach. Reason’s gone into the backrooms where it works to devise means by which people can be induced to emote in the desired direction.
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Even if I move to my hard drive I cant access because VM runs on a different memory location which would not give access to host OS unless its connected through a network.
The best way is to either use USB or copy one by one to CD or DVD then copy that data from DVD to VM, which I am doing now since morning , very time consuming. If there is any way to copy from Pendrive to VM that would be better and easier.
If anybody know please help me buddies, it would be appreciated. I googled it but not finding anything, anybody already know it, please me yaar.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks & Regards,
Abdul Aleem Mohammad
St Louis MO - USA
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my vmplayer picks up flashdrives automatically but you can try going to the setings for you vm, hardware and "add" then look for your drive in the list that comes up.
Programming is a race between programmers trying to build bigger and better idiot proof programs, and the universe trying to build bigger and better idiots, so far... the universe is winning.
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I'm surprised that the VM you are using does not let you access a shared drive/folder on the host computer?
Watched code never compiles.
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Maximilien wrote: I'm surprised that the VM you are using does not let you access a shared
drive/folder on the host computer?
Have you ever tried to get VirtualBox to actually do that?
See if you can crack this: b749f6c269a746243debc6488046e33f
So far, no one seems to have cracked this!
The unofficial awesome history of Code Project's Bob!
"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid."
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