New Server Setup --- Recommendations Please!

[TooncesLives]

I’m looking at installing a new server, and want some hardware suggestions. The details of what I’m going to be using the server for are below. I want to build this sever, so if you would please post what you would recommend for either specific hardware, or a general hardware setup, I’d appreciate it. I realize that using one server for all of this might not be the ideal solution, but budget and space limitations in my rack only allow for the addition of one box.

•Server will be running MS Server 2003 (I want about 30 – 40 gigs available for the operating system drive or partition)
•Active Directory will need to be handling approximately 50 users
•Will be running SUS to push out updates
•Run the management client for Norton Antivirus
•Use a separate drive for storage of desktop backups (each backup is approximately 2 gigs –40 backups take place)
•Run our desktop inventory software (Syslist). This is not a very taxing application
•Run raid level one for server backup

Some areas that I’m most curious about are:

•Do you recommend going dual processor for this setup? What brand motherboards have you had good experiences with? What should I stay away from?
•What do you recommend going for as far as a processor is concerned? Our current box uses dual Opteron 64-bit processors—do I need to go this beefy? What are some pros and cons of AMD vs Intel offerings?
•How much RAM should I be running? I was thinking 2 gigs—too much, too little? I’d like to get the fastest RAM available, so board support will be necessary.
•What kind of setup should I be using for my hard drives? I’m guessing SATA would be the happy medium as far as interface, but should I have my OS sitting on a totally separate drive? Also, how big of a drive to you recommend getting as the dedicated user backup? I was thinking just maxing it out at the 250—are there bigger SATA drives available now?

 

[TooncesLives]

Can anyone help me? I need some suggestions.

 

[Lazn_Work]

If this is for a business, not a home situation.. I do recommend buying a HP Proliant or the like so that you can have the 4 hour responce time. If any of the hardware dies, it is nice to have the part in hand that quickly.

True it costs more, but if uptime matters, that is the way to do it.

Otherwise, just be sure to buy quality parts.... But even Supermicro or Tyan support is terrible in comparison to HP server or IBM server support.

==>Lazn

 

[ambit]

I was just poking around on Dell's site and came up with:

 PowerEdge SC1420:
Intel® Xeon® Processor at 2.8GHz, 1MB Cache,800MHz Front Side Bus  [221-5680]
 
   2nd Processor:
Additional Shroud Fan Assembly   1PFAN   [311-4063]   2 
   
 Memory:
2.0GB DDR2, 400MHz, 4X512MB,Single Ranked DIMMs   2GB4D1R   [311-3812]
 
 HD Configuration:
C9, Add-In SATA RAID Card, RAID 1, 4 SATA Hard Drives   SAR04HD   [341-1043]  
   
 1st Hard Drive:
40GB 7.2K RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive   40GS   [341-1024]   8 
 
   2nd Hard Drive:
40GB 7.2K RPM Serial ATA Additional Hard Drive   40SAD   [341-1029]   23 
   
 3rd Hard Drive:
160GB, 7.2K RPM, Serial ATA Additional Hard Drive   160SAD   [341-1438]
   
 4th Hard Drive:
160GB, 7.2K RPM, Serial ATA Additional Hard Drive   160SAD   [341-1438]
 
  Primary Controller:
CERC 6-Channel SATA RAID Controller   CERCSAT   [341-1258]   9 
   
 Network Adapters:
Onboard NIC   OBNIC   [460-6604]   13 
 
  
 CD-ROM / DVD-ROM:
48X CD-ROM   CD48X   [313-2680]   16 
 
 Secondary Optical Drive:
No 2nd Bay Device 4 HDD system   N214   [313-2759]   116 
 
Hardware Support Services:
3 Year Standard Plan

Single fast CPU should be fine. Actually the above is probably overkill. Dual capable if you ever need to drop another in later. 2Gb of RAM is probably overkill too.

RAID1 40Gb boot/OS
RAID1 160Gb for all of your client images.
Both arrays hosted off CERC 6-Channel Card.
Came in around $2,500

•Run raid level one for server backup

RAID is NOT a backup

 

[Lazn_Work]

RAID is NOT a backup

QFT

You need a real backup solution, RAID is just to deal with one possible problem and one possible problem only (drive dieing) and it is not even among the most likely problems you will encounter. (user deletes file accidentally, virus, file corruption, etc. etc.) You need a backup solution, and RAID is not backup.

==>Lazn

 

[BenIT]

First off what would your budget be? the fallowing is for a tight budget.

I personaly like the Dell PowerEdge 420SC, thay are very inexpensive.

Thay can only have 2 harddrive bay's 1 space for a floppy and 2 5.25 bays. This is good for a RAID and tape backup setup, albit a tight one, but it works.

Single prossecor is enough, its the RAM that counts, but thats totaly up to you.

But if you need the expanability room go with ambit said (the PowerEdge SC1420)

 

[Manu]

A lot depends on budget...

I would personally go dual processor if this is going to be the 'main' server for your organization and there are 50+ users.

I'd rather see a dual 2.4 setup than a single 3.0 setup. As someone else indicated, if for cost considerations, you need to go single, get a dual capable box.

Personally, I'd shy away from building myself. Not that I do not trust myself, but with server products reaching lower and lower margins, I'd just go with something that is namebranded with support.

Do you need a rack mountable or desktop server?

I'd check out Proliant DL380 for rack mount or an ML350 for 'desktop.'

Both have hotswapable drive bays (I believe 6), U320 RAID controllers, dual capable, reundant power supplies.

Things like the hard drives you can get cheaply from grey market sellers. I'd check out ebay. New compaq drives can be had for about 1/2-1/3 the cost.

Also, don't buy from HP direct, go to CDW or similar. Get a corporate account rep, and then negotiate...

 

[ktwebb]

Dell with a decent service contract. Building your own server, at least for a business, cannot be done cheaper than purchasing from one of the major direct players when you consider all the variables. Hell even when you don't consider all the variables. Vendor/OEM solutions are just too cheap these days, including servers.

If your going to do RAID then do RAID 5, not mirroring. You'll still need a backup solution regardless of what kind of array you put together. Dual processor and a couple of gigs of RAM. Might not use those resources but better to have more than you need than less.

 

[tdg]

Don't build it yourself. You will open yourself up to being liable for downtime/lost data if you do that.

Personally I'd go with an IBM server, but any major OEM one that fits your needs with a GOOD warranty contract will do fine.

 

[mobiux]

Don't build it yourself. You will open yourself up to being liable for downtime/lost data if you do that.

If he is doing it as a business, he should have a contract spelled out anyway with the purchase.

This is the main reason that I always buy servers (no build) and put a tape drive in it. a failed machine and lost data can ruin your reputation really, really quick, like instantly pretty much.

 

[fibroptikl]

If he is doing it as a business, he should have a contract spelled out anyway with the purchase.

This is the main reason that I always buy servers (no build) and put a tape drive in it. a failed machine and lost data can ruin your reputation really, really quick, like instantly pretty much.

I agree, I work in data backup.

 

[rcolbert]

I wouldn't do that on one server. I'd put in at least three.

2 x HP Proliant DL360 for redundant domain controllers (DL145 if you really need to save money). Single Processor is fine. (Note that DL145's are also essentially PC's in a server box)


1 x HP Proliant DL385 as an application/file server to do everything else. If you can wait, I'd go with a single dual-core Opteron when released, otherwise, go dual-processors.

Buy a tape drive and plenty of backup tapes. Attach said tape drive to the DL385. Store backup tapes offsite on a regular basis. Also, consider installing Insight Manager (free) on the Dl385.

Dell servers are still essentially PC's in a server shaped box. Unless you don't care about any server class features, I'd avoid the Dell's. (I'm overstating, but in truth they're not in the same class as HP or IBM - sorry Dell)

AMD vs. Intel = AMD owns Intel in the server market right now. I'd take an Opteron box over a Xeon box ANY DAY of the week. (We have over 500 Xeon based servers in our data center, and absolutely zero plans to continue buying Xeon. Opteron is a very compelling story these days.)