Server Recommendation - Part Two

[navychop]

As the previous thread was over 90 days, I could not post there. But I thought I'd finish the story of my buying a new server.

I decided to forego Tiger Direct as they did not provide pre-sale support in answering a simple question. I can assume post sale support would be even worse. We do use an outside support firm, but still.....

I eliminated HP servers due to bad press and bad experiences with those I spoke with.

I was pricing no names, realizing there would be no support; but I was hoping for big savings.

Then, on a whim, I contacted my Dell rep, giving them a chance to bid, even though one more lollipop commercial will put me over the edge. I was surprised. They came in not that much higher than no names. I'll get a mobo supporting two CPUs, but will only install a single quad, 2.4 GHz. 16 GB RAM. Three 500 GB HDDs in a RAID 5. No USB 3, that'll have to wait a year. I'll be able to continue to use our RD 1000 for backups, with 3rd party software. Hot swappable HDDs and power. SBS2008 with 10 cals. Etc. All for about $4k.

I'll drop the order early next week.

 

[mike123abc]

Apple Mac Pro (Mid 2010) Review - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

Compares the Apple to a Dell configuration and a hand built one.

 

[diogen]

Talking about servers automatically evokes responsibility: if you screw up you are fired.
And that I believe is the only reason the server market exists today...

There is hardly anything a server of three years ago did that a 6-core CPU running on free ESXi VMWare (with 2-3 Windows/Linux OSs on top) won't be able to do today twice as fast.

But hey, money spending decisions are often (most of the time?) made on different basis and I can't really complain. Running 18 servers on a 2U 4x8 box (R815) is fun...

Diogen.

 

[navychop]

Talking about servers automatically evokes responsibility: if you screw up you are fired.
And that I believe is the only reason the server market exists today...

There is hardly anything a server of three years ago did that a 6-core CPU running on free ESXi VMWare (with 2-3 Windows/Linux OSs on top) won't be able to do today twice as fast.

But hey, money spending decisions are often (most of the time?) made on different basis and I can't really complain. Running 18 servers on a 2U 4x8 box (R815) is fun...

Diogen.

Well, I'm jealous. Pure IT was the track I was on, repeatedly throughout my career, only to be repeatedly sidetracked. I remember fondly running Novell with BNC connectors, which I very much liked. We might one day grow into a 3 server setup, but that's about the most I can expect. Of course, with so many other hats, I've forgotten most of what I once knew. Just kills me to ask how to do something I knew I once did routinely.

We are replacing a server which will be over 8 years in service when the new server takes over, as November turns in to December. And I haven't forgotten you, Van, for the possible final resting place of our current server.

We plan on 4 or 5 years on this one, then probably spend bigger bucks for more horsepower, as we then bring in more remote sites. But yep, if this somehow fails (ain't gonna happen), I'd probably be brushing up my resume. Running it all on a souped up PC might be doable, with some tricks to fool our accounting system's client server expectations- but how far non standard do you want to go?

Can't go Apple, although there is great consideration in doing so. Our accounting system is MS only, and we've learned the hard way that MS Office in any non-Windows flavor is not quite 100% compatible with MS Office Windows. Nor is Star Office. Nor is Open Office.

 

[diogen]

Another 2-3 years and VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) won't cost an arm and a leg. Therefore, desktops won't matter. Network bandwidth will.
Depending on number of users and how different their requirements are you will store half a dozen images that will be loaded on bootup.
Dedup will take care of excessive storage usage.

Can be done today, but expensive and labor intensive.

Today most problems can be solved using virtualization.
Need to run a program that needs Windows XP - here it is: 1 core, 2GB, 20 GB storage. Sliced out of the server assets. RDP into it and do what you need. Somebody else can, too.
Running Active Directory was long a risky proposition to run virtualized. Not anymore. I run three on average almost for 2 years (since ESXi 3.5 was introduced).

Build the DIY server from AnandTech article. 8 cores total. Can easy run 6 servers. Or desktops. One of them will be the exotic OS needing for accounting.
ESXi is free (up to 4x6). Use the latest, 4.1, well worth it. Get more storage (SATA) and run everything RAID1.

To make it secure (if you connect over public network) put the server behind a Cisco ASA 5510 ($1200).
It has now IPSec and SSL for both 32 and 64 bit Windows up to 7. SSL clients for Mac, Linux, WinMo, and even for iPhone and Android.

Main point: forget about horsepower. You don't need it (in 90% cases). Get the slowest CPU with most cores. And gobbles of RAM.
If you need brand name, an older PowerEdge 2970 with 2 Opterons will do fine (8 cores). Can use fast SAS/SATA drives, 2.5 and 3.5".

Total setup should be under $5K.

Diogen.

 

[navychop]

Sounds wonderful. Maybe next time around, both we and the technology will be ready for it. But I'll bet our accounting system won't play nice until it's been out there at least two years.