Bruce Momjian <pgman@candle.pha.pa.us> wrote:
>
> pgman wrote:
> > Jim Seymour wrote:
[snip]
> > >
> > > My position is that your data is only as reliable as your hardware,
> > > period.
[snip]
> >
> > There is a basic misconception that all PC hardware is created equal ---
> > that hard drives, mother boards, and RAM are all the same because they
> > are all PC-compatible. Compatible != Similar Quality.
[snip]
>
> Should I add an FAQ discussing hardware selection and the importance of
> reliable hardware?
Scary to think that people who don't know enough about running a proper
server, and thus have to be *told* this, are admin'ing databases.
Start with: Gotta have ECC, or at least parity-checking, RAM.
Mention the (some kinds of?) IDE drives issue.
Mention that hardware RAID systems must have battery-backed write
cache. (I actually had a RAID vendor, whose products no longer had
batter-backed write cache, tell me "Just use a UPS.")
Jim