help with hard drive

[albertldee]

i'm networking 30 computer on a workgroup 1 of the computer i install a server program the other 30 computer i install the client program on all the computer is XP i'm trying to figure out what's the best hardrive to use in the main computer i need something that will seek fast
do i go with sata or ide or it doesn't matter, what buffer size and so on i'm will to replace the hardrive in the system for the one u reccomend

[YeOldeStonecat]

For 30x computers, sounds like a real "server" job. That's quite a load for just some desktop system to try to handle, especially if the application you're sharing is heavy.

IDE is old, like the floppy drive, ISA cards, 9 pin serial port...shouldn't even be thinking about that.

SATA is current for desktops and lightweight servers.

SCSI, and the newer SAS...those are current for SMB servers.

Have you looked at Proliant and PowerEdge servers from HP and Dell?

I'd also want hardware RAID.

Backup, what is being considered for removable backup?

Battery backup unit

A server operating system, don't forget a desktop operating system is designed for up to 10x concurrent connections only.

A server grade antivirus program.

[albertldee]

thanks
i cannot run a server because the program requirement is Windows 95/98/Me,2000/XP/2003/Vista
so that's why i was asking about the best HD to use also u mention about server virus program what's the best one to use

[YeOldeStonecat]

thanks
i cannot run a server because the program requirement is Windows 95/98/Me,2000/XP/2003/Vista

I see server in there
2000 can be, and 2003 is specifically server.
I just don't see 2008 yet..but they may be slow in updating the list, or the instrux you're reading are a little old.

If you're not going to run a server OS, you don't need a server antivirus.

Out of the 30 computers..will most or all of them be using this program?

What kind of program is this? What are the details? What does it use for a database engine? How large will the data be..in projected long term use?

I like to build my servers and network "around the application"..a setup that is approved by the software vendor(s) of the line of business applications that the business is running. They know their software, they have guidelines of setting things up in the best manner possible. This way you get optimal performance, and more productive work out the application (better return for the money). Would you rather spend $5,000 for a cheap setup that runs pokey and slow and crashes a lot and prevents employees from being productive? Or would you rather spend $10,000 for a solid setup that allows the program to run at its fullest potential, and employees are actually productive with it all day long.

If this computer is to be thought of as a "server"....sharing some application to a network, I'd want to look at some qualities usually seen in a server. Like RAID for the hard drives. RAID 1 minimum. Now if this is a heavier application that uses a database engine like SQL or Progress ...you'll want separate volumes...2 drives RAID 1 for the C drive..system. And at least a pair of drives RAID 1 for the data volume for the database. RAID 10 for the data volume is also preferred as database loads get heavier for many clients.

For sharing to more than a dozen clients..you'll want to have a server grade network card also.

It's just hard to say without referring to documentation from this software vendor. If your goal is to share like a dozen Microsoft Word documents to 30 computers on a network, yeah some old desktop computer with a single hard drive running Windows XPp would do the job. But if you're running some true networked program with a database engine behind it, to 30 people...you have to realize the limitations and poor performance that desktop hardware and a desktop operating system will come with, and look towards a real server as far as hardware and operating system.

Quite shocking to see "Windows 95/98/ME" mentioned in the system requirements.

[albertldee]

here are the program i'm running the register is running cash register express only at the register then it will also run cafe suite www.cafesuite.net the server side of the program will be install on the register to control all 30 computer (client) to give internet access time

because the POS only run on xp and cafe suite will work on xp that's why i was choosing xp with a 350GB 7200RM 32mb cache hard drive u mention about a server grade network card

what u suggest, thanks for your help

[YeOldeStonecat]

Ohhh...OK the cafe suite...that's not much of a networked program, just a tiny agent runs on the client PCs. I wouldn't worry about it then, the "Server" is really just the operators desk, the client agents don't have much back 'n forth traffic with it. Yeah a desktop PC should be fine for that.