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Rugged Linux Server For Rural, Tropical Environment?

Posted by timothy on from the crate-of-netbooks-and-solar-panels dept.

travalas writes "Last year I moved to Rural Bangladesh. My work is pretty diverse, everything from hacking web apps to designing building materials. Increasingly a Linux VM on my MacBook Pro is insufficient due to storage speed/processing constraints and the desire to interface more easily with some sensor packages. There are a few issues that make that make a standard server less than desirable. This server will generally not be running with any sort of climate control and it may need to move to different locations so would also be helpful if it was somewhat portable. The environment here is hot, humid and dusty and brutal on technology and power is very inconsistent so it will often be on a combination of Interruptible Power Supply and solar power. So a UPS is a must and low power consumption desirable, so it strikes me that an Integrated UPS a la Google's servers would be handy. Spec wise it needs to be it needs to be able to handle several VM's and some other processor storage intensive tasks. So 4 cores, 8GB of ram and 3-4 TB of SATA storage seems like a place to start for processing specs. What sort of hardware would you recommend without breaking the bank?"

3 of 236 comments (clear)

  1. Try this: EMAC Server-In-a-Box by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    The EMAC Server-In-a-Box (SIB) runs Linux as its Operating System and as such retains all of the networking and communications capabilities one would expect of such an operating system. Right out of the box, the SIB is configured for Ethernet, serial IP, serial terminal, and raw serial connections. Other devices, including PPP modem links, may be added and configured by the user.

    Configuring network devices for a minimal GNU/Linux system can be difficult. As such, EMAC has created a menu-driven configuration utility, which greatly simplifies configuration of SIB services, network interfaces, and communications ports.

    The Rugged SIB is specially designed to live in harsh environments. No Fans, no Hard Drive, and a completely sealed case (with exception of Compact Flash access) allows the Rugged SIB to survive where other computers can't. The Rugged SIB is just as comfortable in a basement wiring closet as it is on a desktop.

    EMAC, has been manufacturing SBCs since 1985 and has been installing our own distribution of Linux in our Embedded Servers since 1998. We know Linux and we know the problems customers have in utilizing Linux. To address this, EMAC has put together a rock solid Embedded Linux distribution and a Robust Eclipse Integrated Development (IDE) package. This IDE provides GCC Cross compiler, Libraries, GDB debugger, Editor, and Project Manager all integrated into the Eclipse framework which includes sample projects. With EMAC's IDE library linking is made easy even when compiling against older libraries. Purchase a EMAC SBC with Linux or uClinux and you should be up, running and building applications the first day.

    So, I guess what I'm saying at the end of the day is, kind Sir: FUCK YOU ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK YOU GODLESS MOTHRAFUCKER!

  2. Re:Laptop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    You are not really in Bangladesh are you?

    What color is the boathouse at Hereford?

    Thanks for jerking us all off douchebag.

  3. Re:Go Small or Go Home by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    The XO keyboards are splash-proof, for surfing pr0n. And you can wind them up with a hand crank if power fails completely half way through Two Girls One Cup O' Noodle.