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Server building

B

BioHazard.89

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 25, 2004
Messages
229
i'm once again making a pc for my dad's business. this time its a server... mysql, exchange server, file server, and some other "stuff" - probably meaning near future proof and the ability to add more 'stuff' for it to do.... what are some ideas that you guys have for this server...... i dont know really where to start except at least a gig of ram....

He also wants to use the pc without a monitor but still control it.... realvnc is to slow for him.....
 
why, not questioning you or anything, just want to know why to get 2 of those rather than a 64 bit, or a intel, or sempron (wtf is sempron? )
 
Dual Athlon? Your kidding right. :rolleyes:

He's going to need something along the lines of Dual Xeon, Dual Opteron. I'd say 1gb of ram would be the minium, U320 SCSI drives.

Use remote desktop connection.
 
theres about 7 people at the shack right now... 4 of which will use the server if that means anything to anyone who will help me.
 
Oh... 7 people.. you need exchange for 7 people. What kinda SQL are they doing? Is it alot of hits or no?

Maybe Dual Xeon/Opeterons might be overkill.

Need more info on what else the server is going to be used for, is there going to be alot of traffic, alot of query's? ECT...
 
I run sk8v with a opteron 148 (fx51 equiv in speed) It hosts almost the same stuff as you and has no probs.
 
Okay, they want a:

- File Server
- Exchange
- mySQL
- Access
- and it "needs to load up server pages"

i'm more amd based, i havent worked with intel's but I'm not limiting my self to amds...... I'm thinking 2.5ghz, 2gb ram, scsi / sata 40 - 80gb+ drives,

Should i look into dell servers or something? it's going to be stuffed into a storage closet so tell me the best case for this work as well ;)
 
How much traffic really governs how much you need.

If there is only 7 people accessing it, I dont think a dually would really be neccessary.

One thing you must think about when considering pre-built vs building it cheaply on servers is...

How Important is it to the company?
 
it's quite important, got told about it sunday morning and was told they wanted it up and running by wednesday.... told em aint gonna happen.... They dont have anything similar and my opinion have been begging to have one.... they dont think they _really_ need it but it would increase performance and then could better work with the other partner on the other side of the country.....
 
BioHazard.89 said:
oh and what about pre-built servers? should i look into that at all?
Click to expand...

i can put you into a Celestica/Newisys 1U dual opteron barebones for pretty cheap.

cheers,

dave
 
thanks for the offer bud, i'll keep you in mind.....I'm looking right now to build my own, just curious if prebuilts were " better"
 
hmmm.... what kind of processor should i be looking into? Do i really need to ask questions to get some more responses ;) curious if anyone would give me a small list of parts i need as all i know is that sql is a mem hog
 
First off, why put MySQL and Exchange on the same box? MySQL is really only excellent on Linux. On Windows it takes a backseat to MS SQL Server.

What you need to do, software-wise, is pick yourself up a copy of MIcrosoft Small Business Server 2003 which comes with Exchange 2003, SQL 2000, Windows 2003 and a bundle of other apps, + 5 Client licenses. Purchase another 5 and you're good for 3 more users.

Second, for that small amount of users a basic server would run you well. Get a Dell, 1600 perhaps. Get something a single Xeon but dual capable. Get 1GB of RAM. Get a RAID-1 SCSI array. You might think pre-builts are fun but you can get a very nice Dell with sweet support (4hr onsite) for relatively cheap.

SQL isn't a memory hog. It's CPU intensive. On the other hand, Exchange is a *HUGE, HUGE, HUGE* memory hog. One of my clients with ~15 people has store.exe taking over 300MB in RAM easily. 1GB will be fine though since the rest of the processes are relatively light.

-MrD
 
If it's business critical, you should really consider something like an HP Proliant. You REALLY REALLY want to have that support in place when disaster strikes. I have seen literally hundreds of small businesses trying to do it themselves..only to get burned when something on the server dies. Take this as a shameless bump, if you want, doesn't matter. There's a reason why people dump their little no name servers or home brew ones for a real business class server with the included support contract. It just depends on how willing you are to struggle when something goes wrong with the server...and how much that data and server uptime mean to you.
 
I don't see why a single Opteron with 2GB of RAM, and an Ultra 320 SCSI RAID-1 array wouldn't be sufficient enought for what you're requesting. Make sure you have an OFF SITE backup as well. Many people neglect that.
As was said before, get Microsoft SBS 2k3 as it's the best value.
 
So I should actually go with a prebuilt server...... in all cases or most? what exactly "could go wrong" that some advanced computer knowledge couldnt fix? I've built 7 computers, 4 of which are in my room, another 2 in the house, and the 7th, the first engineering pc for my dad's biz.... I'd have to look into the software area a bit more to get it under my finger but besides that, i think i'm a pretty smart dude :p lol
The off site backup will probably be here at the house on a pc that's not connected to the network / internet.
---------------------------------
Someone look over this?
---------------------------------
Module Description Product Code Sku Id
PowerEdge 1600SC Intel® Xeon™ Processor, 3.06GHz, 512K Cache,533MHz Front Side Bus 16305S [221-3218] 1
Operating System Windows 2003 Small Business Server, Standard Edition SBS2K3S [420-3957] 11
2nd Processor Single Processor Only 1P [311-1193] 2
Memory 2.0GB DDR, 266MHZ, 2X1GB DIMMS 2G2D5 [311-3873] 3
Keyboard No Keyboard Option N [310-3281] 4
Monitor No Monitor Option N [320-0058] 5
First Hard Drive 73GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 68pin SCSI Hard Drive 73CS103 [340-7089] 8
Primary Controller PERC4-SC, 64MB, 1 Internal Channel (U320) P4SC [340-8933] 9
Diskette Drive 3.5 in, 1.44MB, Floppy Drive FD [340-7080] 10
Mouse No Mouse Option N [310-0024] 12
First Network Adapter On Board Network Adapter OBNIC [430-0488] 13
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM CD48 [313-0741] 16
Operating System Options 5 Additional CALs for Windows 2003 Small Business Server (Std or Prem) SBSL05 [420-4370] 19
Documentation Printed Documentation 16DOCS [310-1864] 21
Second Hard Drive 73GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 68pin SCSI Hard Drive 73CS103 [340-7089] 23
Hard Drive Configuration Cabled SCSI Drives (2 required) Connected to RAID Card, RAID 1 AR1 [340-7135] 27
Hardware Support Services 3Yr BRONZE Support, Next Business Day Onsite BRNZYW [950-8260][950-8262][960-1305] 29
Installation Support Services No Installation Assessment NOINSTL [900-9997] 32
Power Supply Kits Non-Redundant Power Supply NREDPWR [310-1866] 36
Mail- In Rebate None NONE [463-1832] 81
Purchase Intent Purchase is not intended for resale. NOT4SEL [462-4506] 138
ACCESSORIES
Save $20! Dell 2324 24 port unmanaged switch, 3yr NBD Advanced Exg Qty 1
Unit Price $148.00
TOTAL: $3,841.60
 
BioHazard.89 said:
So I should actually go with a prebuilt server...... in all cases or most? what exactly "could go wrong" that some advanced computer knowledge couldnt fix? I've built 7 computers, 4 of which are in my room, another 2 in the house, and the 7th, the first engineering pc for my dad's biz.... I'd have to look into the software area a bit more to get it under my finger but besides that, i think i'm a pretty smart dude :p lol
The off site backup will probably be here at the house on a pc that's not connected to the network / internet.
---------------------------------
Someone look over this?
---------------------------------
Module Description Product Code Sku Id
PowerEdge 1600SC Intel® Xeon™ Processor, 3.06GHz, 512K Cache,533MHz Front Side Bus 16305S [221-3218] 1
Operating System Windows 2003 Small Business Server, Standard Edition SBS2K3S [420-3957] 11
2nd Processor Single Processor Only 1P [311-1193] 2
Memory 2.0GB DDR, 266MHZ, 2X1GB DIMMS 2G2D5 [311-3873] 3
Keyboard No Keyboard Option N [310-3281] 4
Monitor No Monitor Option N [320-0058] 5
First Hard Drive 73GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 68pin SCSI Hard Drive 73CS103 [340-7089] 8
Primary Controller PERC4-SC, 64MB, 1 Internal Channel (U320) P4SC [340-8933] 9
Diskette Drive 3.5 in, 1.44MB, Floppy Drive FD [340-7080] 10
Mouse No Mouse Option N [310-0024] 12
First Network Adapter On Board Network Adapter OBNIC [430-0488] 13
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM CD48 [313-0741] 16
Operating System Options 5 Additional CALs for Windows 2003 Small Business Server (Std or Prem) SBSL05 [420-4370] 19
Documentation Printed Documentation 16DOCS [310-1864] 21
Second Hard Drive 73GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 68pin SCSI Hard Drive 73CS103 [340-7089] 23
Hard Drive Configuration Cabled SCSI Drives (2 required) Connected to RAID Card, RAID 1 AR1 [340-7135] 27
Hardware Support Services 3Yr BRONZE Support, Next Business Day Onsite BRNZYW [950-8260][950-8262][960-1305] 29
Installation Support Services No Installation Assessment NOINSTL [900-9997] 32
Power Supply Kits Non-Redundant Power Supply NREDPWR [310-1866] 36
Mail- In Rebate None NONE [463-1832] 81
Purchase Intent Purchase is not intended for resale. NOT4SEL [462-4506] 138
ACCESSORIES
Save $20! Dell 2324 24 port unmanaged switch, 3yr NBD Advanced Exg Qty 1
Unit Price $148.00
TOTAL: $3,841.60
Click to expand...

Dude I've built hundreds of machines. That's besides the point. A server isn't just some glorified desktop. People who have no experience with servers think "oh it's just an expensive desktop." People who go into building a server with thoughts like that are the ones who's boxes I need to tear out from new clients who call me.

Your Dell server looks great, *except* that you need SBS Premium/Advanced/whatever they call it. Standard doesn't have MS SQL Server, unless you're still planning on using MySQL. Otherwise you made nice choices.

-MrD
 
BioHazard.89 said:
So I should actually go with a prebuilt server...... in all cases or most? what exactly "could go wrong" that some advanced computer knowledge couldnt fix? I've built 7 computers, 4 of which are in my room, another 2 in the house, and the 7th, the first engineering pc for my dad's biz.... I'd have to look into the software area a bit more to get it under my finger but besides that, i think i'm a pretty smart dude :p lol
The off site backup will probably be here at the house on a pc that's not connected to the network / internet.
Click to expand...

Well, the way to think of it is not so much of you screwing up as it is bad shit happening. Say for instance you suffer some sort of hardware falure. If the server is critical to the business's operation it needs to be fixed yesterday. Relistically how fast can the most obscure piece of hardware in that the server get to you? This is why most companies go the pre-built route.. Where I work we have a plan from the manufacturer which GAURENTEES a tech will be on site with in 4 hours to fix the problem. On on occasion a part was delivered overnight by a private carrier to get us back up and running.

Another thign to concider is that by building this server you will become enslaved to it. Since you woudl be the person who built it your stuck with it becasue you are the person who knows it inside and out.

Trust me, i've got personal experence with this.. I've gotten the call at 4AM the night before (or day of) 2 finals and had to drive a half hour to get a box back online.
 
alright fellahs thanks for that.... didnt reallly look at it like that. i'll show it to my dad along with this forum when he gets back saturday night.
 
I may have missed it, but do you have a 2nd NIC in that box? If not, get one.

EDIT
Personally I would go something like this:
PowerEdge 1600SC Free Upgrade to an Intel® Xeon™ 2.8GHz Processor at 2.4GHz price 16285SU [462-0158] 1
Operating System Windows 2003 Small Business Server, Standard Edition SBS2K3S [420-3957] 11
2nd Processor Single Processor Only 1P [311-1193] 2
Memory 1.0GB DDR SDRAM,2x512 1GB2D [311-1940] 3
Keyboard Standard Windows Keyboard S [310-1676] 4
Monitor No Monitor Option N [320-0058] 5
First Hard Drive 73GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 68pin SCSI Hard Drive 73CS103 [340-7089] 8
Primary Controller PERC4-SC, 64MB, 1 Internal Channel (U320) P4SC [340-8933] 9
Diskette Drive 3.5 in, 1.44MB, Floppy Drive FD [340-7080] 10
Mouse Logitech PS/2 2-button Mouse with Scroll L2M [310-4405] 12
First Network Adapter On Board Network Adapter OBNIC [430-0488] 13
Tape Backup Unit PV110T, DLT VS80, 40/80GB, Internal TBU, No Controller DL1HNI [340-7299] 15
CD-ROM/DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM CD48 [313-0741] 16
Documentation Electronic Documentation EDOCS [310-1989] 21
Second Hard Drive 73GB 10K RPM Ultra 320 68pin SCSI Hard Drive 73CS103 [340-7089] 23
Tape Backup Software TapeWare, TBU Software, SBS/Enhanced Suite TWENH [420-2958] 25
Hard Drive Configuration Cabled SCSI Drives (2 required) Connected to RAID Card, RAID 1 AR1 [340-7135] 27
Hardware Support Services 3Yr BRONZE Support, Next Business Day Onsite BRNZYW [950-8260][950-8262][960-1305] 29
Installation Support Services No Installation Assessment NOINSTL [900-9997] 32
Power Supply Kits Non-Redundant Power Supply NREDPWR [310-1866] 36
Second Network Adapter Intel Pro 100S w/ IPSEC Network Adapter IN100S [430-0369] 48
Mail- In Rebate None NONE [463-1832] 81
Purchase Intent Purchase is not intended for resale. NOT4SEL [462-4506] 138
TOTAL: $3,660.80

If only 4 people are going to be using the server, 1 GB of RAM will probably do ok. If not, you can always upgrade later.
A good tape backup solution really shouldn't be considered an option.
And, as I said above, if you are going to use SBS2k3, it is highly recommend that you have 2 NICs for the most preferred infrastructure config.
 
I would also agree that you should look into getting a prebuilt one. Especially if its for something mission critical at your dad's business (which it sounds like it is). That way, if something on it fails, you have their support to help out and the burden is not completely put on you.
 
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