Low cost, energy efficient home pc server?

[Tom Metro]

[A resend from a week ago when the list was down.]

Derek Martin wrote:
> ...I never did like the cube-style PC case.  I was hoping to find
> something with a form factor similar to the Dell Optiplex 755 for
> around the same price as the shuttle... :)

Several years ago I built up a few "micro" servers using mATX
motherboards and Antec Minuet cases. The Minuet 350 appears to be its
descendant:

http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=15301

It's a small-form-factor desktop case, similar in shape and size to the
small desktop Dell Optiplex (Optiplexes come in a bunch of form factors,
and I'm not familiar with the 755 specifically).

It is a well built case, and given a carefully selected CPU, can be used
to build a quiet, power efficient PC. Antec claims the power supply
meets the "80 Plus" certification (80% efficient or better):
http://www.antec.com/us/80Plus_info.html
http://www.80plus.org/

(Oddly they don't seem to provide specifications for the actual power
supply efficiency. I didn't think 80% was all that cutting edge these days.)

Given the space restrictions and power supply, you pretty much have to
use a low power CPU, unless you plan to modify the case to fit a bigger
heatsink. (Looks like they've boosted the power supply by 100 Watts to
350, thus the 350 in the name.)

If you turn this case on it's side, you can put a lot of these machines
on a standard 16" x 3' shelf.


> If folks have had good luck with the Shuttle, I may
> consider that more seriously.

I think if I was going to go the cube route, I use a cube case that's a
tad bigger that can take a standard mATX motherboard, like:

http://www.antec.com/us/productDetails.php?ProdID=91380

  -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA
"Enterprise solutions through open source."
Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/