[CentOS] OT: Linux recommendations for old Pentium PC

Fri Aug 31 17:20:20 UTC 2018
Warren Young <warren at etr-usa.com>

On Aug 31, 2018, at 8:29 AM, Gary Stainburn <gary at ringways.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> I've got a very small footprint rack server with a 4TB drive in that I wish to 
> be a Bacula storeage device. However, it's got an old board / processor in 
> it.

You’re giving two very mixed signals here.

“Old Pentium,” as someone else said, can mean anything back to 1993, but “4 TB drive” suggests something far newer than that.

I ask because that affects the expected energy draw of the server.  If it’s old, it could be 200 W or so.  If you’re using “old” rather loosely, then it could be down in the double digits.

Here’s why it matters:

   https://www.rapidtables.com/calc/electric/energy-cost-calculator.html

At 12 pence per kWh — typical for power in some places in your country, based on your TLD — it’s going to cost you about 1 pound per watt consumed if it runs all day every day.  If it draws 35 W, that’s £35/yr.  If it draws 200 W, that’s £200/yr.

If the cost is high enough, then it’s probably cheaper to buy a new energy-efficient server, which then lets you buy something that will run any Linux distro you want.