Re: [9fans] compact form server

[Ronald G Minnich <rminnich@lanl.gov>]

jmk@plan9.bell-labs.com wrote:
> On Mon Mar 20 13:05:30 EST 2006, 9nut@9netics.com wrote:
>
>>...
>>no, it's the other way round.  i want a very small server.  it needs
>>to have the same cpu/storage/memory config as the typical laptop, but
>>doesn't need the display or the keyboard.  it would be sufficiently
>>small to have a black box the size of a laptop but smaller thickness
>>(because no display or keyboard)
>
>
> Ron knows more about the very small space then I do, but it sounds like
> you want more processing power than that. I doubt you will find a box
> that is thinner than a laptop, there's no market for that I can think of.
> The smallest you are likely to find is something that takes a Mini-ITX
> form-factor board (or even Nano-ITX) and they will be more 'box' shaped
> than 'slab' shaped. In those form factors your processor options range
> from the Via Eden chips (slower but can be run fanless) up to the Intel
> Pentium-M (laptop chip) and the equivalent AMD (Sempron/Turion). You'll
> also have to consider the peripheral mix and power supply you want (some
> of these boards can be run off an external laptop-style power supply).


As Jim points out, when all is said and done, it is very hard to beat
the power of a laptop with the lid closed. It's economics. The darn
things even have reasonable power. By the time you build an equivalent
box up out of equivalent parts, e.g. Digital Logic adl855pc, you've
spent 2x as much as the laptop ...

ron