Questions[storage-server](server)

We have a Dell PowerVault NX-3000 server running Windows Server 2008. Every now and then, when I try to login, the server seems to hang at the Welcome screen after I type in the password. However, all other services on the server are running fine - users are able to print off the print server and access their files. It just won't let me login. Any idea why this is happening?

P.S.: I can't look at the server logs, because it won't let me login in the first place. Remote administration is also disabled on the server, so I can't use Remote Administration tools to look at the logs.

I've got a DPM 2007 server with 4TB storage... and since it's DPM there are many, many volumes on the disks when you view disk manager.

I've copied over an ISO of Server 2008 R2 and run an upgrade install. When the server reboots the screen shows "Upgrading Windows..." and stays there for a long time. I left it for 16 hours. Then I rebooted it and it happily booted back into Storage Server 2003.

I remember that when I did an inplace upgrade of a Vista laptop to Win7 it "processed" disk 2 even though the OS was on disk 1. Although in that case user data was redirected to disk 2.

Plus this isn't (I don't think) a supported upgrade path - although the setup didn't complain.

So hivemind... Am I being impatient or am I trying an upgrade doomed to fail?

Thanks

Paul

I appologise if this is the wrong site to post on, but it seemed the most relevant in the Stack Exchange.

I run a small time file host and we're quickly expanding. Because of this, I'm looking to buy two new dedicated storage servers, and I could use your help to find a dedicated server that suites the bill.

For a start it needs a 1Gbit unmetered connection. This is a must so I can still provide a good download service. The next thing it needs is 3TB+ of storage space. I don't mind if it isn't in RAID, but it would be nice so I can always keep a backup of everything. I'm a little bit clueless on the CPU and RAM though. I was aiming for the cheapest CPU the provider supplies, something like a P4 single core and 2GB of RAM. Do you think this is enough to satisfy multiple users running downloads at the same time?

I contacted FDCServers for a quote and this is what they quoted me:

• Dual core Intel ATOM CPU
• 2GB RAM
• 2 x 2TB HDD
• 1Gbit unmetered

The best we can do is $375/mo.

Do you think this is a good spec for the price? I could always go to something like 500Mbps peak time to 1Gbit off peak in terms of bandwidth to make it cheaper I guess.

Suggestions are welcome, as well as companies that you know offer a good deal for this kind of stuff. By Budget is around $350/m.

Thanks. :)

After freshly installing Windows Storage Server 2008, you're presented with a login screen where the system installation process hasn't prompted you for any kind of a password.

What's the default password for Windows Storage Server 2008?

How well do traditional operating systems stack up quantitatively (no gut feelings) against proprietary hardware in terms of performance, reliability, and maintainability for a storage system.

Specifically what are the pros/con's of Windows Storage Server, FreeNas, etc and JBOD running off a real hardware RAID controller compared with something such as HP Lefthand, Dell Equallogic, or a baby EMC SAN.

Are there benchmarks comparing WSS or a software platform with 8/16/32 spindles against a similarly equipped 'real' SAN?

Please also categorize your response in terms of a small install (one or two chassis 8 - 64 drive set) or a large install (one or two racks of drives 64+ spindles). I assume with a two rack's of drives system, the TCO management costs eclipse any savings from using white boxes.