ideal server specificaton for colocation

[jackton]

Hi,

Is there an optimum server size/spec for colo?

What I mean by that is obviously you pay for space but you also pay for power and from the numbers I am seeing power can be pretty expensive..

So the idea of cramming 2 quad core xeon processors into a 1U chassis doesn't really help because the amount of power it would need is far beyond the general 1U power allocations..

Does this mean that potentially a 2u or even 4u beast is a better option because a 1U would have limited storage capacity where a bigger chassis would be able to hold more disks?

So is there a "sweet spot" for servers that is optimum for colo applications where processing power/storage capacity/physical size all converge to be the most cost efficient setup?

[Neoeclectic]

Emm, this is a subjective question because it all depends on what you're trying to do. If you're trying to build a cloud environment the requirements for that is far different from having a simple MP3 server.

Most co-lo's I have seen charge according to footprint and/or power consumption. There are some that will charge on a per rack basis that would include the environmentals and power. Some will separate and itemize. I would suggest looking at as many co-los and pricing schemes as possible.

One thing I can say for certain is that although servers may be specc'd for a certain range of power consumption they almost always never consume that much and in most cases not even half. So if a server is rated for 400 watts of power most times I'll see them sitting around 150 watts under normal operating conditions.