The memory configuration will be expandable to 16GB, and initially configured with 6GB of DDR3 Dual-Channel 1333 MHz Memory. The initial configuration will support a 1.5TB SATA hard drive with the ATA disk controller down on the motherboard to save on costs. The motherboard has Intel HD Graphics 20008 chipsets integrated in, and there are 4 additional PCI slots available if and when the need arises for a more powerful graphics controller and processes. Also included in the baseline configuration is a16X DVD+/-R/RW Super Multi-Drive optical drive and Microsoft Office 2010. The motherboard is configured so that one PCI-E x16 and three PCI-E x1 slots available for future expansion. The system will have ten USB 2.0 ports, (2) PS/2 Ports, one HDMI port, and three audio ports. All of these options are supported on the baseline configuration of the motherboard. Table 2, Recommended PC Configuration Pricing Analysis shows the costing of each component and the total cost to create the expandable, higher-end system at $926 compared to $664.99 for the lower-end unit that did not have the expandable motherboard and additional functionality of supporting additional DR3 Dual-Channel 1333 MHz Memory.
Table 2: Recommended PC Configuration Pricing Analysis
Component
Cost
Intel Core i5-2300 Processor1 2.8GHz with Turbo Boost2 2.0 Technology running at 3.1GHz
$177.00
Systemboard with Intel H67 Express Chipset
$357.00
6 GB of DDR3 Dual-Channel 1333 MHz Memory
$82.00
1.5TB SATA hard drive
$120.00
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 port) networking adapter
Chipset included on motherboard
16X DVD+/-R/RW Super Multi-Drive
$40
Windows 7 Home Premium
$70
Microsoft Office 2010
$60
Cabinet
$60
Keyboard and mouse
$20
Total
$986.00
Module 3: Cost Analysis
The intent of this section of the analysis is to compare the costs of the two recommended configurations. Both systems benefit from a cost perspective due to their reliance on the latest generation Intel processes that have multicore functionality defined within them (Luk, Newton, Hasenplaugh, Hampton, Lowney, 2011). This is a strategy the company has been practicing for nearly two decades with Internet connectivity options as well (Brown, 1991). Neither of the systems are all-in-one units or in self-contained cases with closed motherboard architectures, which...
Both configurations rely on standard Intel motherboards, which also significantly reduce costs due to this company's strategy of differentiating their product lines through continual integration of key features including video and advanced networking chipset support (Savitz, 2011). The costs of each configurations are analyzed in this section with the variations in costs of each analyzed to the component level. The costs attributable to attaining a higher level of performance and expandability in the second configuration are also analyzed as well.
Presented below is a graphical analysis of the cost differences between each configuration. The greatest contributor to the cost variations is the Dual Channel Memory followed by the difference in motherboard pricing. The Serial ATA drive is the third largest difference as the recommended PC Configuration Pricing Analysis requires 1.5TB of storage and the low-end configuration, only 640GB. An analysis of these costs is also provided in a separate Microsoft Excel file.
Module 4: Please see the attached PowerPoint presentation for this module.
References
Brown, Bob. (1991, August). Intel Pushes into Market with New LAN Products. Network World, 8(33), 2
Intel Chipsets Lay Salt Creek, Weybridge Foundations. (2007, June). CRN,(CRNtech 6), 8.
Glenn R. Luecke, Ying Li, & Martin Cuma. (2007). Using benchmarking to determine efficient usage of nodes in a cluster. Benchmarking, 14(6), 728-749.
Luk, C., Newton, R., Hasenplaugh, W., Hampton, M., & Lowney, G.. (2011). A Synergetic Approach to Throughput Computing on x86-Based Multicore Desktops. IEEE Software, 28(1), 39-50.
Peng, L., Peir, J., Prakash, T., Staelin, C., Chend, Y., & Koppelman, D.. (2008). Memory hierarchy performance measurement of commercial dual-core desktop processors. Journal of Systems Architecture, 54(8), 816.
Prachi Patel Predd, & Stephen Cass. (2005). Showdown on the Desktop. IEEE Spectrum, 42(4), 20.
Ralph, N.. (2010, November). ALL-in-ONES for EVERYONE. PC World, 28(11), 93-96,98,100,102.
Savitz, E.. (2011, May). Intel Is Alive and Well: An Interview With CEO Paul Otellini. Forbes,1.
Tian, C., Feng, M., Nagarajan, V., & Gupta, R.. (2009). Speculative Parallelization of Sequential Loops on Multicores. International Journal of Parallel Programming, 37(5), 508-535.
Wong, W.. (2007, September). 10G Ethernet PCI Express Adapters Go Virtual. Electronic Design, 55(21), 30-31.
