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needed: cheap 64bit standby server

I need a cheap 64-bit server with 2TB HDD for disaster recovery / standby purposes for Exchange 2007 and NAS purposes at a company of 80 employees. Our budget is LESS than $1000. I've already purchased a Seagate Barracuda LP ST32000542AS 2TB 5900 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive. Ebay shows used, rack-mountable server-class 64-bit motherobards in this price range (I understand that they must support SATA for that 2TB drive, correct?).

Question: Should I buy a server-class motherboard from Ebay or a consumer-level Tigerdirect-style barebones machine? Other options?
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David
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Well sometimes you get what you pay for.  That drive is not suitable for a NAS (but is OK for a standby server).

Did you read the specs?  Quoting the manual
"Drive is rated for 2400 power-on-hours per year"
"Normal I/O duty cycle for desktop personal computers. Operation at excessive I/O duty cycle may degrade product reliability."

The most important thing about the server is the data, don't throw all your money into getting a 64-bit server, when all your eggs are in a single consumer-class disk drive designed for eight hours a day use only 5 days a year.

Buy a used 486 if you have to, but allocate money for a RAID1 controller and, and some quality disks rated for server usage
.. make that 5 days / week, not year, but still you get the idea, the disk belongs in a cheap PC at a discount store for somebody who wants to use the PC to surf the web and save recipes. 2400 hrs/year duty cycle  Better buy 2 at least and mirror them.
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good points. any recommendations for raid'ed drives / systems in the under $1,000 USD price range?
First split the back-up server and NAS into two different computers.

NAS should be with mirrored RAID [with an add-in HARDWARE RAID card] and have lots of LAN bandwidth.
Does not need much CPU or RAM. An old P3 with 512Mb would probably do fine.
A NAS doesn't do much 'thinking'. - It's basically a 'LAN Card' connected to drives.
An old P3 Server board with 512Mb and PCI-X slots [for the RAID card and giga-bit LAN card] would probably do fine.

The RAID & LAN arrangements on your back-up server should be about the same thing.
For Cheap + 64-bit you are likely looking for a Xeon socket 604 board with an Intel 7320, 7520, or 7525 Chipset.
- Stick with Tyan, Supermicro, and Intel boards!
Make sure BOTH the CPU and motherboard support 64-bit or you won't have it. [Called EM64T back then.]
There are some cheap socket 771 boards now and then but the CPU's & RAM to go with aren't cheap.
Here is a place to start looking at CPU's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Xeon_microprocessors
These would be a good board for the BU server but there might be better deals if you aren't in a hurry.
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This one only has 1 PCI-X slot but it has 2x Giga-LAN plus a 10/100 LAN on-board.
Also it's an ATX footprint so it will fit in a -large- but regular ATX case. - And it's only $40.
[Get three, one for the server, one to set up with single CPU for the NAS, and a ready spare.]
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370253805612
http://www.tyan.com/product_board_detail.aspx?pid=379
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270500149090
http://www.tyan.com/archive/products/html/thunderi7522_spec.html
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200336925773
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon800/E7520/X6DHE-xb.cfm
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I think all of those boards support dual-core CPUs but those would cost a bunch more.

The biggest expense will probably be RAID cards and drives.
When I need a bunch I look for 10 to 20 pc lots of 500GB Western Digital RE [or RE_] that are still under the WD warranty. The drives normally have a 5 year warranty but some places change/cycle/rotate drives every 2 years without thinking about that. They might be used but they still have 2-3 years of warranty left which is longer than the warranty on some other models as-new.
Note: The WD___YS drives need a firmware update but it's easy to do. See WD's site if it comes up.
I use 3Ware 9500 or 9550 series RAID cards with 8 or 12 ports. [9500 is 1.5Gb/s, 9550 is 3Gb/s]
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Thank you both. PCBonez, I'll study your post at work tomorrow. In the meantime, am I totally misguided in thinking that I could purchase one of those ebay items promoting "HP PROLIANT DL380 G3 2x 3.2GHZ 6GB RAM 6x73GB 10K" for $400-$800, then buying 4 or 5 of the 300GB 10K RPM SCSI drives for $250 each, and finally configuring the DL380 for RAID 5?
Also, I should mention that the backup server for exchange needs about 600GB of space. Doesn't that exclude NAS--meaning, it must be directly attached, no?
A NAS isn't directly attached. - It's on the network some where.
Network Attached Storage = NAS

The NAS will have to have an LAN-ID [various types depending on what software & OS you use] for other PC's to talk to it.
Your back-up server needs one does too.

Having two LAN-ID's for the same box can cause a sundry of configuration issues both now and later on.
You can work around it but you'll have more hair when you are done if you don't put them in the same box.
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Go with the DL380's & SCSI drives.  That system and disk is designed for 24x7 use and the DL380 has a decent RAID controller + ethernet.  
DL380 w/6x73GB = 438Gb [216GB with mirrored RAID] isn't going to cut it.
Asker needs at least 600GB for database.

Would need at least 20x73GB drives and that's without without any room for growth.
Then get the server with 2x73 for the O/S, and another more of those cheap consumer class disks, and a RAID1 controller.  Performance of the data on the SATA won't be that great, but this is the compromise that they are going to have to be willing to make .
The drives aren't the bottle-neck.
The bandwidth through the board [itself] and the LAN is.

Why would you use a consumer desk class when you can build you own server [same class as DL380] starting with a server board that costs $40.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370253805612
Pairs of CPUs in 3.0-3.4GHz range are going for $30-40
4Gb of RAM for it is $50-70 range
RAID cards is $100-150
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That comes in at $220-300
4x 500GB SATA drives in mirrored&stripped would give him a 1TB of storage for under $200
[And being stripped the drives are faster than the PCI bus bandwidth anyway.]
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That leaves about $500 for a case and power supply.
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PCBONEZ, impressive! Any obvious flaws (do I need thermal glue and CPU fans?) with this combination for a total of roughly $662? That's an amazing price! And, I've already configured a 3Ware 9550 RAID 5 array before but never in a 2U chassis.

1. Tyan Tiger i7322DP Intel E7320 Dual Xeon Socket 604 LA2 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370253805612)

2. INTEL XEON 3.0 GHz CPU SL7ZF 3000DP 2MB 800MHz (PAIR) (http://cgi.ebay.com/INTEL-XEON-3-0-GHz-CPU-SL7ZF-3000DP-2MB-800MHz-PAIR_W0QQitemZ260477754799QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCOMP_EN_Networking_Components?hash=item3ca5af1daf)

3. 3Ware 9500S-8 8 Ports Sata Raid Controller Card W/128
 (http://cgi.ebay.com/3Ware-9500S-8-8-Ports-Sata-Raid-Controller-Card-W-128_W0QQitemZ280426374266QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCOMP_EN_Networking_Components?hash=item414ab6e47a)

4. 4GB Kit Memory RAM Microstar Int. E7320 Master Series (http://cgi.ebay.com/4GB-Kit-Memory-RAM-Microstar-Int-E7320-Master-Series_W0QQitemZ230411302885QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item35a59577e5)

5. Aluminum 2U Case and Powersupply (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320461529369&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123)

6. Western Digital RE (WD5002ABYS) 500 GB SATA Hard Drive (http://cgi.ebay.com/Western-Digital-RE-WD5002ABYS-500-GB-SATA-Hard-Drive_W0QQitemZ230411324049QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPCC_Drives_Storage_Internal?hash=item35a595ca91)
OK lets build a box, (1). 3.06 dual core2duo processor (2).2000ms/1066mhz motherboard with four or six sata ports, (3) two gigabit network interface card, (4) 4 or 6 gig ram (5) case that holds up to six harddrive
(6) aftermarket cool and quiet heatsink and fan (7) 4 2TB hardrive for raid 5 configuration.
You can use freenas and setup your backup or use ms server 2003 as a member server for file backup, if free nas is trouble to configure, then ms is easier it supports raid from any setup.

All this for under $1000.00

Always use raid 5 for redundancy, but if you can squeeze any money out of ur company the scsi is the best way to go for longevity
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PCBONEZ
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PCBONEZ, awesome stuff! My very last question: Do I need a (two) CPU fans and thermal glue? What about SATA cables? Anything other details before I buy?
Thermal -PASTE- .. yes. - [Don't use thermal adhesive, you'll never get it apart again.]
Get something good like Artic Silver.

Yes, you need a heatsink and fan for each CPU.
- I was gonna mention heatsinks but got side tracked. [Wifeus Interuptus]
If you haven't done socket 604 before it will be confusing at first but once you get the idea it isn't hard at all.
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With those CPU's a copper based heatsink is best. [604 Xeons put out heat like P4 Prescotts.]
There are two socket retention types. Side clips [the older style] and spring loaded screws.
You want the spring loaded screw type.
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These two have the spring-screws integrated.
I favor the side-fan types for 2U but that's up to you.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150328124127
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350076784127
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On the newer style 604 boards [as that one is] the heatsink doesn't attach TO the motherboard it attaches THROUGH it making the mobo, socket, and CPU the meat in a sandwich. [so to speak].
The screws go -through- the mobo [without touching] and into threaded posts either on a backing plate or on the motherboard pan.
- Look at the oversize holes in the mobo photo. That's why the holes are so big.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370253805612
Also note the 2 bracket looking plates in the middle pic. Those are called CEK plates.
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There are two usual 'sandwich' arrangements and a cheater's method.
- 1
Heatsink
'Meat'
CEK Spring
Threaded posts on mobo pan

- or 2
Heatsink
'Meat'
Threaded holes in a Backing Plate

- Cheat
Heatsink
'Meat'
CEK Spring
Nuts that fit the screws

#2 and the cheat must be assembled before the mobo is installed in the case.

~~ So
The CEK Springs are apparently included with that motherboard. [Usually are.]
If the chassis has the standard Xeon hole pattern for stand-off posts you are golden.
If not you will need one of: backing plate[s], nuts, or this kit they make to add the posts to cases lacking the hole pattern. [Both the kits and the backplates come in single or dual CPU versions. Two singles is fine on a dual board.]
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Kit
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110461920070
Backplate
http://www.orbitmicro.com/global/bkt-hts-4s-600-21400-g--br-4s-nchs--p-3425.html

If the SATA cables don't come with the card then you just need regular SATA cables that are long enough.
Pay attention though, other versions of those 9500/9550 RAID cards require special cables.
Those model numbers end in ML or MI. The cables are called Multi-Lane.
All they do is combined several cables into one plug at the end.
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If you see one ending in LP that's just a Low Profile card. Uses regular cables.

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PCBONEZ, you are a Triton! You are the reason Experts Exchange is great. Thank you so much.
For budgeting purposes, it may be wise to compare 2U "kits" (e.g. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390124674484). Building from parts alone could cost more, so "kits" may help establish a baseline.