kcbergmo
asked on
Hardware recommendations for MS Small Business Server 2003 with 50 users
This isn't much of a problem solving question, but more of an opinion/experience, or "experts" idea I'm looking for. I know I'm asking lots of questions here, but I've gone through all the HP/Dell/IBM websites looking for "recommended" setups for this scenario. What I'd like to see is a consensus among the experts, and a final, agreed upon recommendation. I feel with the time this may involve, that it's worth more than 500 points, but that is all I can assign. I will gladly give more points if the solution satisfies me...which I'm sure it will...I just want a "team" to come up with the best idea. Once we accomplish that, I can post some easy questions for the members that contribute the most (hopefully the moderators will not object!)
Many thanks in advance! I think I've spent more time trying to come up with the right mix of hardware and software, than what it will take to implement the final solution.
The thought of running AD, DNS, DHCP, WSUS, Exchange, SQL, Print queues, firewall, intranet, fileserver, (am I forgetting anything?), on one server scares me.
But I've been asked to setup SBS03 for a small business with 10 users, growing to 40-50 within 2 yrs.
I also want to run Symantec AV 10.1, and Veritas BE.
I'd like the best cost to performance/reliability server, and need some help with the best config options.
My thought is to purchase 2 servers, 1 higher-end to run the main processes, and a lower-end that would serve as a fileserver, backup AD controller, Symantec AV center, print queues.
For now, and maybe forever, the SQL portion of SBS won't be used (at least not by the users, maybe WSUS?)
Do I go with the premium version of SBS or the standard?
Does this look OK? Any thoughts, ideas on this configuration?
For the hardware side (main server):
Processor -- Pentium 4/D/Xeon? FSB speed? Dual proc capable, starting with one?
Memory -- 2GB? I believe SBS is limited to 4GB, go with the max?
HDD -- SCSI, SAS, SATA? What's the performance difference between the 3? How many drives (see RAID config)
RAID Controllers -- 1 or 2? And what kind? Seems they range from $99 - $1600
RAID Configuration -- 2 controllers, 1 or 2 arrays? What level of RAID?
Disk Partitions -- This one always gets me, making to small of an OS partition. I hear some say "just make one big partition", and I got to wonder...if it's all the same array, what difference does it make if you have 4 partitions or 1? I've heard of 1 for OS and one for data so you can blow away the OS and reinstall it w/o harming your data...but I'm planning on SDLT or LTO tape backup to cover that. But if there is some performance benefit to multi-partitions...how do you divide it up for SBS? I'm assuming Exchange data files on one part. And transaction logs on another, probably the initial OS install on one, then the apps on another?
Network Connections -- Dual NIC's/ports for redundancy and load balancing....but I've seen 4-port cards? Is that a worthwhile expense? And how is that usually configured? So I don't create a loop and DoS on the network!!
They currently have a Ricoh copier/scanner/fax....woul d setting up the fax option in SBS (adding a modem to server) be worth anything?
For the second server:
Basically just a fileserver, backupAD, and SAV center (pushing out defs to clients). Not much processing going on, just pushing out files. I thought of a single proc system, 2GB RAM, Minimum 3 drives (2 mirrored, 1 hot spare). Dual NIC.
Maybe bump up the number of drives?? Different RAID config?
I think that about covers it...please criticize and comment at will!
Many thanks in advance! I think I've spent more time trying to come up with the right mix of hardware and software, than what it will take to implement the final solution.
The thought of running AD, DNS, DHCP, WSUS, Exchange, SQL, Print queues, firewall, intranet, fileserver, (am I forgetting anything?), on one server scares me.
But I've been asked to setup SBS03 for a small business with 10 users, growing to 40-50 within 2 yrs.
I also want to run Symantec AV 10.1, and Veritas BE.
I'd like the best cost to performance/reliability server, and need some help with the best config options.
My thought is to purchase 2 servers, 1 higher-end to run the main processes, and a lower-end that would serve as a fileserver, backup AD controller, Symantec AV center, print queues.
For now, and maybe forever, the SQL portion of SBS won't be used (at least not by the users, maybe WSUS?)
Do I go with the premium version of SBS or the standard?
Does this look OK? Any thoughts, ideas on this configuration?
For the hardware side (main server):
Processor -- Pentium 4/D/Xeon? FSB speed? Dual proc capable, starting with one?
Memory -- 2GB? I believe SBS is limited to 4GB, go with the max?
HDD -- SCSI, SAS, SATA? What's the performance difference between the 3? How many drives (see RAID config)
RAID Controllers -- 1 or 2? And what kind? Seems they range from $99 - $1600
RAID Configuration -- 2 controllers, 1 or 2 arrays? What level of RAID?
Disk Partitions -- This one always gets me, making to small of an OS partition. I hear some say "just make one big partition", and I got to wonder...if it's all the same array, what difference does it make if you have 4 partitions or 1? I've heard of 1 for OS and one for data so you can blow away the OS and reinstall it w/o harming your data...but I'm planning on SDLT or LTO tape backup to cover that. But if there is some performance benefit to multi-partitions...how do you divide it up for SBS? I'm assuming Exchange data files on one part. And transaction logs on another, probably the initial OS install on one, then the apps on another?
Network Connections -- Dual NIC's/ports for redundancy and load balancing....but I've seen 4-port cards? Is that a worthwhile expense? And how is that usually configured? So I don't create a loop and DoS on the network!!
They currently have a Ricoh copier/scanner/fax....woul
For the second server:
Basically just a fileserver, backupAD, and SAV center (pushing out defs to clients). Not much processing going on, just pushing out files. I thought of a single proc system, 2GB RAM, Minimum 3 drives (2 mirrored, 1 hot spare). Dual NIC.
Maybe bump up the number of drives?? Different RAID config?
I think that about covers it...please criticize and comment at will!
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