Ubuntu on Dell PowerEdge 2850

[Rob Kendrick]

On Fri, 2005-09-16 at 15:59 +0200, Patrik Lermon wrote:
> My company are looking for a server to host a web service, and we have
> been considering the Dell PowerEdge 2850 with:
> 
> - 2 x 64-bit Intel Xeon processor 3.0GHz with 2MB L2 cache and
> - Integrated PERC4e/Di RAID Controller (RAID5)
> 
> We would like to run Ubuntu on it, but we would also accept pure Debian.
> 
> I have a couple of questions:
> 
> 1. Does Ubuntu run on multiple 64-bit Intel Xeon processors, as standard?

I have a linux-image-2.6.10-5-amd64-xeon package available, but there
appears to be no -smp version of it.  You may have to build one
yourself, or wait to see if Breezy has one.  Or alternatively I might
have broken eyes, which is always possible. :)

> 1 a. If it does, are we supposed to use the amd64 distribution, even
> though we are using Intel Xeon preocessors?

Yes.  There's a special build for EM64T processors, such as the Xeon.

> 1 b. What processors does the amd64 distribution run on?

I believe it's known to work on 64 bit Althons and Semprons, Opterons,
and EM64T Xeons and Pentium 4s.

> 2. Are all packages that are available in the x86 architecture also
> available in the distribution we are supposed to use?

No.  Some are x86-only.  The most noticeable missing package for me is
Wine.  But you can always install an i386 chroot, and run stuff there
that there isn't an AMD64 package for.

> 3. Does Ubuntu support Dells integrated SCSI controller: PERC4e ?

Can't help there sorry, I don't know.


-- 
Rob Kendrick <ubuntu-users-l at rjek.com>