[olug] Power Cost comparison on firewall boxes

Dave Thacker dthacker at bluestrain.net
Thu Aug 4 05:00:25 UTC 2011


Checking power cost between the two alternatives below. 
 
 -OPPD commercial rates are 6.54 cents per kwH 
-8760 hours per year.
 -Server is always on (firewall)
 

Dual Xeon 1u server    (Rackable Systems) $120
Killawatt says .093 Kwh   draw.     
8760 * .093 * .0654 = $53.28 annual power cost

Looking at Atom based Supermicro 1u barebones $250 plus components
Comments say about .031 Kwh draw
8760 * .031 * .0654 = $17.76 annual power cost

Power savings $35.52 a year 
Cost Difference $200 (barebones would need ram and a SATA drive)
6 year payback

So buying a 1u barebones isnt practical.

I need an atom based desktop unit that would support a second NIC by card. 
Preferably Gigabit.  Anybody got a recommendation?

Here's an MSI I'm considering 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167041

Here's a FoxConn I'm considering 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856119048

Thanks for looking! 
Dave


DT



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