Icecast Streaming Media Server

[krazybob]

I have several servers in reserve and I'd like opinions on which is better for a multi-feed server.

DUAL XEON 2.4GHz w/4GB ECC RAID 0

or

PENTIUM 4 3GHz w/4GB RAID 0

What is a better cluster size? 3Ware claims that 64k is best while I have read others say that a smalkler cluster is better.
_________________
Bob Ricci
Christian Hosting Solutions
http://christian-hosting-solutions.com

[konsolenritter]

As far as i could mention an XEON always outperforms better in calculations and handling most data streams in business and productive applications than the P4. So in case of an Icecast Server. Its crunching streams and shifting queues all the time. So XEON seems to be the better choice in every case. And, while its an Dual version one, it is a far more recent model than the P4.

IMO the RAM is far more an interesting factor due to the data structures and queues the icecast is handling for each connection.

So in nearly no case the icecast should be enforced to do anything via disk. But with your question in mind i would say: Look for an ext3 fs and do have a look in the manpages for extended options like "stride" or "stripes" in mke2fs, as far as i remember. So you may outperform a little bit more in combination of physical raid cluster size and the assumptions made by the file system.

If you're running a really heavyload icecast server, i would mention the bottleneck to search for in the areas of the connection handling, buffering and managing several tcp connections by the ip stack and the network interface. Due to overhead in all the handled connections with their respective queue handling a 100mbps connection may be filled by far less client connections (in worst case scenarios, i mean) than expected. It depends mainly on the behaviour and global connectivity of your backbone (if you operate GAN or WAN wide).

So i think you are far head away from ressources icecast needs in the manner of processor and disk speed. Pls correct me if am wrong? I'm running icecast on a virtual server minding nothing more than 256MB RAM and its system load is well under 5 pct with 30 or more listeners.

So the rest of all these things depend strongly which needs and wishes you'll have for you multi-feed server exactly.

Greets.