Long term project: Super Server
This has been a dream of mine for a really long time and I think with todays, or at least within a generation it might be a reality.
At this point it is spitballing stage...
Have a single powerful computer in the home. I am not talking about one gaming desktop and a bunch of laptops, although that is a possibility...
MS recently released server 2k8 r2 sp1 and windows 7 thin client.
The neat thing about R2 Sp1 is the remoteFX feature. RDP will now transmit 3D APIs, using the host GPU as therendering engine, and the clients GPU as a simple display.
Now, the idea is to have weak little $100 SFF PCs und the house and let the kids all be able to jump online and watch youtube, or play some silly flash game...
All via remote desktop...
Things I need to know before I go further...
1) How much GPU power do I need for possibly 6 clients.
2) How much bandwidth? Possibly get multiport PCIE LAN cards and run each client on a single line?
3) Can I run VMs over RDP and get the 3D API benefits?
3a) Make mobile thin clients. Ability to automatically sync, and run off the server when at home, but itsa laptop/tablet/smartphone that can roam on its own.
4) Am I limited to single 3D desktop? RDP can handle multiple desktops, but what if I was playing a SD video in one and a light game in the other?
Hardware
the idea is not to hear or see the main powerful unit to run little silent boxes all over the house. At this point It is not a feasible situation, when I build my own home maybe. The only option now is to make it the HTPC. Which means Most likely water cooled.
I am not above building my own entertainment center (as unrefined as it might look)No building my own cases, although if I am building hte center, the PC is being integrated....
Which leads me to server style questions...
In a rack that houses multiple heat generating devices... say a laser printer, HTPC/server, HTreceiver, router, modem, wii, and of course the TV....not even bringing up leaving room for a midmounted center channel speaker.. (not sold on that. I like 4.0 surround sound best with speakers that cost less than a car. )
As an HTPC unit, I will have to compact the situation as much as possible. At this point, Z68 with IGP for HTPC duties and a dedicated GPU for RDPs... but.. would that work? Doubt it...
And I would hit another problem.. only K units have the good IGPs... but only the nonK units support V-i/o
So dedicated Graphics it is...
1) I want to keep it cool but relatively noise free. Need to cool the whole cabinet. Is MORA 9x120mm rad enough with low speed fans (or even not 9) to cool a cpu and GPU quietly? maybe also use it as exhaust for the cabinet?
2) what gpu do I need to work with remoteFX AMD or nVidia? More over what generation?
3)How feasible is it to build an indoor outdoor loop? So I can vent heat outside in the summer and inside in the winter? Maybe put pump in basement and go with a 24/7 design?
4) The case for the server... horizontally mounted and muted or no LEDs... buy or build? Or build a cabinet and integrate PC? Reuse my 4U server chassis but modded for water/better air?
Thats it for now... I will post answers to Qs as I get them. If anyone has insight, it is appreciated
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"Don't You understand? This is Greek to me! Except I spek Greek, this is like Aramaic to me, and not the Western Dialect I can read a little." - Dr. Walter Bishop
Special relativity is not "Eat Two Big Macs."
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Right now, RemoteFX is only supporting FireGL or Quadro (at least the last time I checked), with enough memory for each client to run video encoding for streaming (depending on what they watch of course) you're looking at 275 MB of v-mem from the server gpu for 4 thin clients running just on the desktop, no streaming. Something to take into consideration. 
Hybrid Mode
