The Ethical Hacker Network - not so much as a hacking hardware question

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JJJHS13

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not so much as a hacking hardware question

« on: January 09, 2008, 11:53:46 PM »

Ive gotten mixed messages. So ill ask it here. If money was no issue would it be practical to set up a server as a regular computer, i wanted to make an 8 core system and i have enough but idk if i could use all that processing power. I multi task like no other but would i just be better off buying a quad core and saving the rest of the money.


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don

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Re: not so much as a hacking hardware question

« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2008, 12:59:59 AM »

OK... I'll go for it. If money was no issue on buying a single machine, I would buy the 8 core system, stack it with RAM, load it with VMware ESX and dedicate 1 core and at least 2 GB of RAM each to the VMs and run a slew of OSs.

Of course if money was no issue, then why stop at 1 server? Why not built out a datacenter with enough servers and networking equipment to duplicate an entire corporate network, development lab and a hacking lab. I would also use VMware, so if I destroyed a machine, I could revert to an original image and play some more.

Then again it depends on what you want to do. Do you want it solely for hacking individual systems or do you want it to study infrastructure security with routers, firewalls, IDS/IPS, management servers, DNS, DHCP, VPN, wireless, AD, etc. etc.

I could go on, but I'll let others chime in,
Don


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geekyone

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Re: not so much as a hacking hardware question

« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2008, 06:30:57 PM »

From what you posted it sounds like you are looking to use the server for normal everyday stuff (i.e. check email, play games, surf the Internet). If that is all you really want to do no matter how much multitasking you do I would recommend that you go with a desktop computer with the quad core and spend the money you saved on packing the PC with as much RAM as it will hold and getting the latest and greatest video card also with tons of RAM. A lot of the money you will spend to get the server is not so much extra performance as much as it is the ability to upgrade beyond what you can in a normal desktop.

I do agree with Don that if you are looking to setup a hacking lab and money is no object then yes go with a server "with all the fruit". But unless you are planning to simulate a network with the machine a desktop is probably the way to go.