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small biz server + backup recommendations
Hi All
I need to buy another application server. I've been given a budget of $3355 to $4100 in $US but can probably get a little more if I mount a good business case
Our current servers have twin xeons. In the DL range the twin processor models seem expensive.
Is there another range that would be better value?
Currently we have SCSI arrays. About 50 users at the moment - business been growing by 10% each year so say 80 users to be safe. Can I cut costs by going to SATA?
The main application currently uses a foxpro database back end and is disk I/O intensive - it is going to sql2005. Is it worth going for the twin processors?
And what should the drive config be - an OS mirror with a raid array for the data or is it better to put the lot on the 6i card?
Thanks tremendously.
I need to buy another application server. I've been given a budget of $3355 to $4100 in $US but can probably get a little more if I mount a good business case
Our current servers have twin xeons. In the DL range the twin processor models seem expensive.
Is there another range that would be better value?
Currently we have SCSI arrays. About 50 users at the moment - business been growing by 10% each year so say 80 users to be safe. Can I cut costs by going to SATA?
The main application currently uses a foxpro database back end and is disk I/O intensive - it is going to sql2005. Is it worth going for the twin processors?
And what should the drive config be - an OS mirror with a raid array for the data or is it better to put the lot on the 6i card?
Thanks tremendously.
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Thx tremendously Gents
To hit the price point it looks like my options are to drop the cache enabler on a dl385 and enable write through caching as versus looking at an ML350 with the enabler
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=03000000LKZO
They seemed happy but http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/70392/hp-proliant-ml350-g4.html had a couple of concerns:
Cooling is nowhere near as good as that found in the TX300, though. There's only a pair of active processor heatsinks, a fan in the power supply and a large variable-speed fan at the rear of the chassis. None of the fans are truly hot-swappable, and the hard disk and expansion bays have no accompanying fans or any facilities to fit one to them.
Furthermore, it was disconcerting to hear the main chassis fan constantly varying its speed, indicating that either its sensor was too sensitive or it was having trouble holding a stable internal temperature.
Are these dealbreakers? What is people's experience of this box?
Whew end of Q - if I have any more I'll post another Q with title:
small biz server + backup recommendations2 Thanks again
To hit the price point it looks like my options are to drop the cache enabler on a dl385 and enable write through caching as versus looking at an ML350 with the enabler
http://www.newsfactor.com/story.xhtml?story_id=03000000LKZO
They seemed happy but http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/70392/hp-proliant-ml350-g4.html had a couple of concerns:
Cooling is nowhere near as good as that found in the TX300, though. There's only a pair of active processor heatsinks, a fan in the power supply and a large variable-speed fan at the rear of the chassis. None of the fans are truly hot-swappable, and the hard disk and expansion bays have no accompanying fans or any facilities to fit one to them.
Furthermore, it was disconcerting to hear the main chassis fan constantly varying its speed, indicating that either its sensor was too sensitive or it was having trouble holding a stable internal temperature.
Are these dealbreakers? What is people's experience of this box?
Whew end of Q - if I have any more I'll post another Q with title:
small biz server + backup recommendations2 Thanks again
ASKER
Whoops I forgot to mention that I was going to go dual CPU in the 350. They don't have dual core options and a single 3.0 Xeon doesn't seem much these days.
ASKER
Oh last Q - IPKON
I like your idea of 3 mirrors - probably need to get a better card. The same argument would apply to exchange wouldn't it?
I like your idea of 3 mirrors - probably need to get a better card. The same argument would apply to exchange wouldn't it?
ASKER
Any ideas? Like to close this Q.
ASKER
Thanks for the tips guys :) Sorry taken so long to close off - been sandbagged with a major project.
ASKER
Could you please explain the raid config a little more - correct me pls but wouldn't raid 10 give me 2x 72 GB as my storage space? Then the prob is that if I go to 120GB disks I've got to buy 6 of them?
And (groan) I've got a 3rd party vendor that says that all us network guys are just SCSI happy and he's using SATA servers all over the place. Any links to ammunition?