Archive for the 'Hardware' Category

How do I find, read and understand Sun part numbers on hard drives? How can I identify if I have a Sun Original or a Third Party Hard drive?

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

A: First and foremost, you should read this tutorial on understanding Sun part number nomenclature. Once you understand what Sun part#s generally look like, the following tutorial will be easier to understand. Summary: 1) Does it have a Sun part# on the bottom left hand corner of the label on top of the the drive? […]

How do Sun hard drives differ from non-Sun hard drives? Can I use a non-Sun disk in my Sun server?

Friday, February 22nd, 2008

A: The answer is “yes and no.” 🙂 Seriously, though, while it is sometimes possible to physically use non-Sun disks in Sun machines, there are a lot of “if/then/and/or” type questions you need to consider first.One of the most important things to realize is that there is a difference between what is technologically possible and […]

Someone told me to look at the banner. How do I check the banner on my Sun box? What information can I get from the banner command?

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

A: SUMMARY: 1) From wherever you are, bring the machine to the OK prompt. 2) At the OK prompt, type banner. 3) Reading and understanding banner information.

How do I read Sun part number stickers?

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

Reading Sun part numbers might seem like a black art to some, but after reading this quick primer, you too will be an expert. The first thing to know is that Sun is not a manufacturer. Strictly speaking, they do not actually manufacture many, if any, of their parts. For example, they use Seagate and […]

“Bus Fault” when trying to probe-scsi-all on a Sun Ultra 5

Monday, February 4th, 2008

I had a customer recently call me with a “bus fault” when he was trying to probe-scsi-all from the ok prompt. On separate occasions, I had sold him an Ultra 5 and a Dual Differential SCSI card (part# 375-0006) and he had just recently installed the SCSI Card into the Ultra 5 with the aforementioned […]

My Sun Ultra 5 or Ultra 10 only powers on if I don’t have any cards in the PCI slots.

Monday, February 4th, 2008

This tutorial came about as a result of an order we filled for an AnySystem.com client. The client ordered nine Sun Ultra 5 Desktops. The order called for all the machines to be identically configured, except that seven of them needed a QuadFast Ethernet PCI Card and a PGX32 Video Card and the other two […]

Introducing the new “Flying” Sun StorEdge 3310 array.

Friday, January 25th, 2008

Looks like Sun just introduced a new array that flies. Yep, the StorEdge 3310 arrays been flying off the shelves over at at AnySystem.com. Starting about a month ago, quote requests just started coming in left and right and then the orders started streaming in. (And they say Christmas time is supposed to be quiet […]

How can I control my Sun server without a keyboard, mouse or video card?

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

A: Unlike a regular Windows PC, where you typically only use your PC via a direct-attached keyboard, mouse and monitor, you have various options when deciding how you want to “connect to” or “control” your Sun machine.

Rock bottom prices on refurbished Sun Enterprise systems – perfect for learning Solaris.

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

Holy smokes! Prices just went rock bottom on this Sun E4500 and this bundle of Sun E220Rs. These boxes feature rock-solid hardware and run the ultra stable Solaris 10 OS. What more could you want for the perfect box to practice your funky OBP commands and teach yourself Solaris? There’s no time like the present […]

Retro Sun: Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 desktops are HOT!

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

So I’ve noticed a resurgence of interest in Sun Ultra 5 and Ultra 10 desktops at work these last couple of weeks. Perhaps it’s nostalgia kicking in, but these machines have been hot at AnySystem.com since about the middle of December. If you’re looking for an even better deal, don’t forget about Ugly Ducklings.