Chef Community Wiki
```mediawiki DISPLAYTITLEChef Community Wiki - Server Configuration Documentation
Overview
This document details the hardware configuration utilized for the Chef Community Wiki, a critical resource for the Chef automation platform user base. This configuration is designed to provide a robust, reliable, and performant platform for hosting the wiki, supporting a large and active community. The wiki's demands include high read throughput, moderate write throughput (for edits and new pages), and robust search capabilities. This documentation serves as a reference for system administrators, hardware engineers, and anyone involved in the maintenance and scaling of the Chef Community Wiki infrastructure. This document covers the hardware specifications, performance characteristics, recommended use cases, comparisons with similar configurations, and essential maintenance considerations. It is regularly updated to reflect any hardware changes or upgrades. Refer to Server Infrastructure Management for overall infrastructure policies.
1. Hardware Specifications
The Chef Community Wiki is currently hosted on a dedicated server with the following specifications. These specifications were chosen based on projected load, anticipated growth, and a balance between cost and performance. These are subject to change based on ongoing monitoring and performance analysis, as detailed in Performance Monitoring and Reporting.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6248R (24 Cores / 48 Threads per CPU) - Total 48 Cores / 96 Threads |
| CPU Clock Speed | Base: 3.0 GHz, Turbo Boost: 4.0 GHz |
| RAM | 256 GB DDR4 ECC Registered 2933MHz (8 x 32GB Modules) |
| Storage - Operating System | 2 x 960GB NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD (RAID 1) - Samsung 970 EVO Plus |
| Storage - Wiki Data | 4 x 4TB SAS 12Gbps 7.2K RPM 3.5" HDD (RAID 10) - Seagate Exos X16 |
| Network Interface Card (NIC) | 2 x 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) - Intel X710-DA4 |
| Power Supply Unit (PSU) | 2 x 1600W Redundant 80+ Platinum |
| Motherboard | Supermicro X11DPG-QT |
| Chassis | 4U Rackmount Server Chassis - Supermicro CSE-846 |
| RAID Controller | Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i |
| Remote Management | IPMI 2.0 with dedicated network port |
Detailed Explanations:
- CPU Selection: The dual Intel Xeon Gold 6248R processors provide significant processing power, crucial for handling the numerous requests generated by the wiki, particularly during peak usage. The high core count allows for efficient parallel processing of tasks like search indexing and page rendering. See CPU Selection Guidelines for justification.
- RAM Configuration: 256GB of ECC Registered DDR4 RAM ensures data integrity and provides ample memory for caching frequently accessed wiki pages, reducing load on the storage subsystem. ECC is critical for server stability. Details on memory sizing can be found in Memory Management Best Practices.
- Storage Strategy: A dual-960GB NVMe SSD RAID 1 configuration is used for the operating system and critical system files. This provides fast boot times and responsiveness. The 4 x 4TB SAS HDD RAID 10 array provides a robust and high-performance storage solution for the wiki’s data. RAID 10 offers excellent read/write performance and redundancy. See Storage Subsystem Design for further details.
- Networking: The dual 10GbE NICs provide high bandwidth connectivity to the network, ensuring fast data transfer rates and minimal latency. Teaming is configured for redundancy and increased throughput. Refer to Network Configuration and Security for specific settings.
- RAID Controller: The MegaRAID controller provides hardware RAID functionality, offloading RAID processing from the CPU and improving performance.
2. Performance Characteristics
The Chef Community Wiki server undergoes regular performance testing to ensure optimal operation and identify potential bottlenecks. The following data represents recent benchmark results and real-world performance metrics. All benchmarks are conducted under controlled conditions and documented in Benchmark Methodology.
- Sysbench CPU Test: Average score of 1250 per core, indicating strong CPU performance.
- Iometer Disk I/O Test: Sustained read throughput of 1.8 GB/s, sustained write throughput of 1.2 GB/s on the RAID 10 array. Latency averages 2ms.
- Network Throughput Test (iPerf3): Sustained throughput of 9.5 Gbps between the server and a dedicated test client.
- Wiki Page Load Time (Average): 0.8 seconds for standard pages, 1.5 seconds for complex pages with embedded images and code snippets. This is measured using Website Performance Monitoring Tools.
- Concurrent Users (Peak): Successfully handled 500 concurrent users during peak hours without significant performance degradation.
- Search Query Response Time (Average): 1.2 seconds for typical search queries. See Search Indexing and Performance for details on search optimization.
- CPU Utilization (Average): 30-40% during normal operation, peaking at 70-80% during peak hours.
- Memory Utilization (Average): 60-70% during normal operation, peaking at 85-90% during peak hours.
- Disk I/O Utilization (Average): 50-60% during normal operation, peaking at 80-90% during peak hours.
These metrics are continuously monitored using tools like Prometheus and Grafana, and alerts are configured to notify administrators of any performance anomalies. See Monitoring and Alerting System for more information.
3. Recommended Use Cases
This server configuration is ideally suited for the following use cases:
- **High-Traffic Websites:** This configuration can comfortably handle websites with a substantial number of concurrent users and high page view counts.
- **Content Management Systems (CMS):** It provides sufficient resources for running demanding CMS platforms like Drupal, WordPress, and Joomla.
- **Wiki Platforms:** As demonstrated by the Chef Community Wiki, this configuration is well-suited for hosting large and active wiki platforms.
- **Application Servers:** It can serve as a robust application server for hosting web applications, APIs, and other services.
- **Database Servers (Moderate Load):** While not optimized specifically for database workloads, it can handle moderate database loads effectively. See Database Server Configurations for dedicated database server options.
- **Virtualization Host (Limited VMs):** It can host a limited number of virtual machines (5-10) with moderate resource requirements.
4. Comparison with Similar Configurations
The following table compares the Chef Community Wiki configuration with two other similar configurations: a lower-cost option and a higher-performance option.
| Component | Chef Community Wiki | Lower-Cost Option | Higher-Performance Option |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2 x Intel Xeon Gold 6248R | 2 x Intel Xeon Silver 4210 | 2 x Intel Xeon Platinum 8280 |
| RAM | 256 GB DDR4 2933MHz | 128 GB DDR4 2666MHz | 512 GB DDR4 3200MHz |
| Storage - OS | 2 x 960GB NVMe SSD (RAID 1) | 1 x 480GB NVMe SSD | 2 x 1TB NVMe SSD (RAID 1) |
| Storage - Data | 4 x 4TB SAS HDD (RAID 10) | 4 x 2TB SAS HDD (RAID 10) | 8 x 4TB SAS HDD (RAID 10) |
| Network | 2 x 10GbE | 1 x 1GbE | 2 x 25GbE |
| Estimated Cost | $15,000 - $20,000 | $8,000 - $12,000 | $30,000 - $40,000 |
Analysis:
- The **Lower-Cost Option** provides a more affordable solution, but sacrifices performance and scalability. It may be suitable for smaller wikis or websites with lower traffic.
- The **Higher-Performance Option** offers significantly improved performance and scalability but comes at a much higher cost. It is ideal for large-scale wikis or websites with extremely high traffic demands.
- The **Chef Community Wiki** configuration represents a balanced approach, providing excellent performance and scalability at a reasonable cost. It aligns with the current needs of the community and allows for future growth. See Cost-Benefit Analysis of Server Configurations for a detailed breakdown.
5. Maintenance Considerations
Maintaining the Chef Community Wiki server requires careful attention to several key areas.
- Cooling: The server generates a significant amount of heat. Proper cooling is essential to prevent overheating and ensure stable operation. The server room must be adequately cooled, and the server chassis should be equipped with high-performance fans. The temperature should be monitored using Data Center Environmental Monitoring tools.
- Power Requirements: The server requires a substantial amount of power (approximately 1200W). A dedicated power circuit with sufficient capacity is necessary. Redundant power supplies are used to provide failover protection.
- RAID Maintenance: Regular RAID array health checks are crucial to ensure data integrity and prevent data loss. The RAID controller should be monitored for any errors or warnings. See RAID Management Procedures.
- Software Updates: Operating system and software updates should be applied regularly to address security vulnerabilities and improve performance. Updates should be thoroughly tested before being deployed to the production server. Follow the guidelines in Patch Management Policy.
- Backup and Disaster Recovery: Regular backups of the wiki’s data are essential for disaster recovery purposes. Backups should be stored offsite in a secure location. A detailed disaster recovery plan should be in place. See Backup and Disaster Recovery Strategy.
- Physical Security: The server should be housed in a secure data center with restricted access.
- Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of server health, performance, and security is crucial for proactive maintenance and troubleshooting. Utilize the Server Monitoring Dashboard for real-time insights.
- Dust Control: Regularly clean the server chassis to prevent dust buildup, which can impede airflow and cause overheating.
This documentation is a living document and will be updated as needed to reflect changes in the server configuration or maintenance procedures. Contact the Server Operations Team with any questions or concerns. ```
Intel-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Core i7-6700K/7700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 512 GB | CPU Benchmark: 8046 |
| Core i7-8700 Server | 64 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2x1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 13124 |
| Core i9-9900K Server | 128 GB DDR4, NVMe SSD 2 x 1 TB | CPU Benchmark: 49969 |
| Core i9-13900 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i9-13900 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (64GB) | 64 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Server (128GB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x500 GB NVMe SSD | |
| Core i5-13500 Workstation | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 4000 |
AMD-Based Server Configurations
| Configuration | Specifications | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 5 3600 Server | 64 GB RAM, 2x480 GB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 17849 |
| Ryzen 7 7700 Server | 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2x1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 35224 |
| Ryzen 9 5950X Server | 128 GB RAM, 2x4 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 46045 |
| Ryzen 9 7950X Server | 128 GB DDR5 ECC, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 63561 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/1TB) | 128 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/2TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (128GB/4TB) | 128 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/1TB) | 256 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 7502P Server (256GB/4TB) | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe | CPU Benchmark: 48021 |
| EPYC 9454P Server | 256 GB RAM, 2x2 TB NVMe |
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⚠️ *Note: All benchmark scores are approximate and may vary based on configuration. Server availability subject to stock.* ⚠️