What is a realistic budget for this system I am looking to build?

[Gagnon]

I want to build a (new) system to use for SQL Server development w/ some SSRS (Reporting Services), nothing too hardcore but I want it to have a little beef and good storage as well as expandability.

I started pricing one out at Dell and easily got above $4k, I don't have a budget per se but I want to be smart about my purchasing decisions and was seeing if $2500-3000 was a reasonable budget.

Current Parts list:

Case: ?
Fans: ?
Heat sink(s): ?
Thermal Paste: ?
Raid 5 hardware controller for 5 drives + 1 hot spare: ?
Raid 1+0 hardware controller for 3 drives + 1 hot spare: ?
$22 CD Drive: ASUS DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS
$150 GPU: Radeon HD 6850
$430 Mobo: ASUS KGPE-D16
$560 Proc: 2x AMD Opteron 6128 Magny-Cours 2.0GHz 8 x 512KB L2 Cache 12MB L3 Cache Socket G34 115W 8-Core Server Processor
$285 Memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 24GB (6 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9T2-24GBRL
$180 PSU: PC Power and Cooling Silencer Mk II PPCMK2S950 950W ATX12V v2.2 / EPS12V
$600 Disk: 10x Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive
=====
$2077

16 cores @ 2.0GHz
24GB memory
10TB of disk to be used for Raid 5 (4 TB) and Raid 1+0 (1 TB)

I will be doing some possibly heavy computations for algorithmic stock trading. This will probably only be a development box, I think when we go live with our business we might look to implement a solution in the cloud.

 

[Dangman]

Moved to Networking and Security subforum since this is more up their alley.

Just to answer a few of your concerns/answers:
- If you're planning on an actual RAID setup and if you're using Windows, yes adding the capability to expand to 16 disks or more will cost much much more.
- If the storage solutions was scaled back tremendously, yes it is possible to get two hex-core CPUs within your budget

I also have a few questions for you:
- Are you looking to build this yourself or have a company like Dell or HP do it for you?

 

[Gagnon]

Assuming it is not water cooled, I think I can put it together myself, not sure how much "skill" is required to apply the processors + heat sinks + whatever "goo" I need to keep it from overheating. I feel like there is too much of a markup with Dell/HP, just pricing out memory and a +1 processor it seems like their profit margins is too great.

SSRS will only be for dev. I'll be coding against the data for the algorithms, we will just use SSRS to chart the data (in 1-min, 3-min, 5-min, 15-min, 30-min, 60-min, 4-h, 1-day intervals) for quality assurance purposes + assume anywhere from 15-30 different instruments (aka securities/future contracts). Storing all tick data going back about 10 years and I am afraid the size of the data could get pretty big. I *think* I can get away with a system/raid controller that maxes out at 8-10 (maybe 12) physical disks. If there is a big jump from 8 to 12 then I think 8 total should be fine.

So mobo + two hex-core + eight 1TB drives + 24GB memory + adequate PSU + passable GPU (maybe powerful enough to power a displayport 30" monitor) + passable RAID controller + case + fans + cables + ? = $4k max I am thinking (possible?)

 

[slowbiznatch]

Assuming it is not water cooled, I think I can put it together myself, not sure how much "skill" is required to apply the processors + heat sinks + whatever "goo" I need to keep it from overheating.

That statement leads me to believe you need to go with Dell or HP. The margins aren't nearly as good as you think they are, trust me. You're forgetting the great warranty that comes with these systems, and the tried and true R&D that goes into each server that keeps things running better than you can imagine.

I'm all for people building their own system and gaining first-hand knowledge of how computers work, but don't do it in a business environment! I assume you're a developer and not a hardware engineer, so stick with what you know and let someone else who is specialized do it.

I'd recommend taking a look at outlet.dell.com for good deals on refurbished and/or scratch & dent products. I've been doing IT management for 10 years and have purchased nearly everything off the outlet with incredible success. They'll typically come with the same or better on-site warranty available on a custom-built server but the price is quite competitive.