NetTecture
Registered: Mar 2009
Posts: 1010 |
05-28-12 09:41 PM
> Does Dell still produce something that is hard to kill?
Noone does, everyone does.
This is only a gamble, sorry. 3 years is a lot of time - not saying machienes are not robust, but even if you get a passively cooled system (low power, but ok) there is a chance you just get some crapped out RAM.
Anyhow, you need:
* SOmething with no moving parts, sorry ;) THat is a low power Atom - anything with a FAN has a chance that you must replace the FAN. Warranties of Dell are USELESS for your requirements -because you talk about "not needing the warranty".
Just yesterday my secretaries computer failed. Reset for patching. no start - hard disc did not come up. Bad luck - nothing would be different with a Dell. Now - the Warranty may mean Dell ships you another one, but that is not the question ;) The machine is out. Not that it took us long - replace disc, reinstall OS (nothing stored there anyway). But anything mechanic may fail.
The only way to do that is:
* Run 2+ machines - 3 is standard.
* Program in such a way that the system handles the loss of 2 machines.
If you want tom inimize the risk on one system, you need a system that has zero moving parts (SSD, no fans) and is redundant on important stuff (ssd mirrored, ECC ram, dual power supply hot swappable, get a GOOD USV to reduce downtime and scrub your power).
Point.
If that is not possible, GET 2-3 machines - keep them ready. If that must work, then waiting for spares does not work. Sorry ;) Life is as it is.
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