I’m thinking about changing my blog host setup.  Currently, I host the front end of the blog on my Linux workstation, and host the back end on my MythTV DVR system.  Since I’ve gotten the MacBook Pro, I’m finding I never use the Linux workstation anymore, so all it’s doing is consuming power hosting a blog front end.  I could get a single server to act both as my DVR and blog host, and anything else I might want it to do. If I’m going to consolidate both machines, I’ll probably get a new case, and a few larger hard disks so I can make a RAID5 array, to guard against data loss in the event of drive failure. I might as well make it a dual core box as well. I’ve not noticed either machine having a hard time with blog traffic. The only time I noticed it was in the middle of an Instalaunch.
The real question is whether I want to shell out 500 or so bucks when it’ll take a while to recover that in energy savings.
Nothing says you have to do it all at once :)
But, do you really want your Myth-TV system to be on the front lines? I’m a believer of separation of risks/duties/tasks. Would you like not being about to use your PVR when some bonehead decides to DDoS your site?
Just some quicky thought.
I would think the DVR would already be able to handle the blog, unless there is too much overhead.
Do you have a business account at an ISP? I ask because most do not permit port 80 traffic to home users (or give static IP addresses that are usually required for hosting duties).
I have Verizon FiOS for business.
The DVR could handle it, but certain tasks do need to get all the CPU. Since it’s having to do things in real time, it’s good to have it dedicated. The blog hosting is enough of a background thing to not be a problem for a dual CPU machine, but it currently is only single. I also need a case that can move more air through it. In the current case, it’s running a little hot.
$500 / .12 cents = 4167 KWH. My personal firewall consumes 15-17 watts (It’s only a Pentium 2, and the power used depends on how warm it is in the room) You will be waiting a long time for the energy payback.
I’ve switched over to NearlyFreeSpeech.net for my blog hosting and as of February, I’ve blown a grand total of about $15 bucks.
FiOS is… available in my area. And I may get it…
Get it… it’s really really friggin fast.