Rack Mounted Linux Server?

[ZiaTioN]

I am in the market for a rack mounted server to run RedHat Enterprise on and was wondering if anyone has any links to some decent hardware that would satisfy my query.

[Void Main]

Everyone sells rack mounted servers that run Linux on them. All the big boys sell them or you can go with dedicated Linux vendors and get by a little cheaper.

e.g.
http://penguincomputing.com/

I have used rack mount penguin boxes and I actually really like them.

[Griffin518]

PogoLinux sells a pretty mean setup as well. Of course if you're not looking for support, you could just build one yourself.

[ZiaTioN]

Yeah I had already thought of that but my network will NEVER go for that. It is strange the way great ideas or resources go overlooked sometimes because some people do not understand what they are dealing with.

[Void Main]

We run HP/Compaq Linux rack servers and another company I consulted for runs Dell Linux rack servers. Like I said, just about everyone that sells rack servers sell them with a Linux option.

[ZiaTioN]

I know almost all the big boys sell a Linux version and if they didn't and you tossed enough money their way they would devlop one for you specifically but I was really looking more for personal experience testimony kinda thing where people have used a specific one and love/hate it and why.

[Void Main]

I have personal experience with all of the ones I mention (several Dell rack servers, several HP rack servers up to quad processor with 4GB of RAM). I also have experience with a couple different Penguin servers. I like them all. Obviously the cost varies depending on name/size. What are your requirements? I would depend on requirements as to which one I would suggest.

[ZiaTioN]

Well these servers will serve numerous functions. First, one will act as a secure server authenicator along with a Cisco gateway to allow remote entry to the internal network. The secure software will run on the Linux server and integrate with the gateway to allow or deny access.

More importantly they will be used as network analyzers running Ethereal and MGEN to analyze and emulate traffic. The main traffic they will be deciphering will be of the Cisco SIP nature along with MGCP. As you may be able to tell I want to use these servers to help with our VoIP development.

I am definately interested in dual processors (in the 3 GHz range) with at least 2 GIG's of memory. I would say these requirements are the absolute minumum.

Once in place I am sure I can come up with numerous amounts of other uses too

[Void Main]

We're getting a couple more HP servers for the network security stuff we're developing. A 580 and a 380. We do a lot with snort/tcpdump/ethereal/rrdtools/cacti/flow tools and mass quantities of MySQL apps that we have written in house. We have 4 Quad processor Compaqs (4 2.8Ghz Xeons) with 4GB of RAM that are mostly Oracle database servers. I really don't have a preference though. Dell, HP, 6 of one, a half dozen of the other. As far as I'm concerned the Penguin boxes are still the best bang for the buck but we buy HP at the moment where I currently work.

[kovax]

It really doenst matter what kind of server you get. As long as you have good support. We are a major HP shop and Linux runs fine.