XPP as Server: Best Power Settings?

gang
wondering if someone has worked through this: I re-commissioned a dell optiplex as a server for our LAN composed of many diverse devices. it works really well thus far.

what I'm wondering: I've had it setup to pretty much be 'hot' 24x7 but the usage is sporadic. Ideally I would like to have it on standby [or some similar low-power state], to be awakened by any request from the LAN.
what is the right way to do that? do I need to enable "Wake-on-LAN" in BIOS or is that function not in play in a case like this?

thx
z

 

You would go into Control Panel -> Network Connections and select the LAN Connection by clicking on it then click on Change settings of this connection in the left panel. Then select the Configure button then the Power Management tab and place a check mark in Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby(see attached). Click OK and close out Control Panel. The computer should go into Standby when not in use and wake up when someone is accessing the LAN connection.

 

Depending on what ever server your running this might not work and could cause lots of issues, most servers arent designed to be woken up sporadically as they get used. Plus regulary network traffic wont wake a computer up you need a special type of packet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake-on-LAN Would be a good read on that path.

 

I bet you're right!
i had forgotten all about that setting - totally.
will give it a whirl and see
z

 

mdonah you win the Gold Star :major
Works just like I had hoped. :cool

takes it about 10 sec or so to get the drives shakin' again and everything responsive which is just fine for what we need. once its alert its quite snappy and streams media well despite not having a 'streaming media' server package installed. someday I'll poke around at that.

Thanks!

 

You're welcome. Glad it's working. In the near future though, you're going to have to ditch XP. I'm recommending 7 Pro as the upgrade but am uncertain as to whether the settings you're using now in XP will work in 7. Have a look at the info referred to by Colemanguy.

 

maybe, maybe not. discussion of the future is interesting. I have 7 ulti, 7 pro, 7 home p, 8.0 and 8.1 running, but also the 'droids ...
I'm really starting to see that we've arrived at the point [with a few improvements here and there] where the droid handset can do everything my laptop can and more, with better multitasking. seen the Note 3?
XPP is essentially free - people trade in units to me that are in good shape with licenses etc simply because the other alternative is it goes to the recyclers. so the supply is endless if one wishes to do a 'server'. I had a lady bring in 2 'desktops' a few days ago. the one she wanted to keep was an old single core 32 bit Pentium 4. the 'throwaway' that was on its way to goodwill, brought as a donor, was a clean core 2 duo 4GB dell in great shape other than a messy hard drive... go figure.
given the death spiral of pc's, windows 7 will be essentially free also, in the form of sub-$100 boxes, shortly. off-lease corporate systems by the thousands, then tens of thousands.
meanwhile the pre-pack NAS servers are going through their sorting process in the market, and we should see these with RAID and Micro-SDHC slots on them shortly if not already [I Haven't checked in a few weeks.].
its certainly an interesting time.

 

Sheesh, I wish I could get hold of some of these "throw aways".

 

i have had 2 minitowers recently that were perfectly good functional units and ended up pitching them to recycle... COA's and all because the market is so soft. priced at $75 or $50 no takers. so, pulled the hard drive and memory and junked the rest. I quit archiving retired COA's because I had plenty - more than I'm going to need.

when you have time for a break, take a look at this [the guy makes phenomenal reviews btw... quite a talent for a volunteer]
http://youtu.be/N8wQexBfGD4

this is the level I've been waiting on and it got here sooner than I was thinking. the multitasking and graphics potency is remarkable

 

In Houston, I've been able to find Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) Dells with 2GB RAM/250GB HDD and Win 7 Home (Genuine Licensed Copy) as low as $89 at one of my wholesalers.

Although the last batch is sold out, here's a link to the wholesaler. Note that you have to register on the site to see pricing. In addition (although they sometimes forget to ask ), you may have to show proof of a business license and/or sales tax ID to purchase from them. They normally send out an e-mail ad when they're back in stock.

http://www.basscomputers.com/items.asp?Tp=&iTpStatus=1&Cc=MAR

PS: They do ship nationwide.