marcmann

Perhaps I'm just being thick or am I missing something here?

I've got to spec out a server for our Citrix installation - it will run windows 2000 server and will cater for about 40 people. Recently somebody in our I.T department bought a SAP server from HP and it cost £5K. It only had 1Gb of SDRAM (which cost £1500!!!!!!!!!!!) and a single P4 2.8Ghz. If i was to build my own machine for that money I could get dual 3Ghz, 4Gb DDR 450Mhz etc etc -you get the picture. What I am trying to find out is whether there is anything fundamentally different between a server and a PC? I could build a dream spec server using components from OCUK or similar with Gigabit network cards etc etc.

Could somebody tell why I shouldn't go ahead and build a high spec server for not much money in comparison to a branded server with not much spec???


I must be missing something i'm sure.


Thanks

Marc

Jeff Wiltshire

Chances are that the HP box has Xeon processors (probable with slots for 3 more) etc etc....

David_Wallis

SCSI..

Redundancy.. etc..

You could build your own server but its just not the best idea when it comes to servers..

Id recommend a g3 Compaq / HP Proliant series..

oh and 40 users on citrix will need a big server..

for 200 users we have 7x IBM X330s 2x18gb (Raid Mirror) 2gb memory per box.. running citrix metaframe xpe (100mb ethernet per box)

David

stevencotton

For a server you'll generally need an SLA with a hardware support company - depends what your business needs are. We'd never build our own PCs (half of our kit is Intel/Linux, the other half Sun), takes too much time. If we buy we get guarantees and support. We support all of our own software. Also consider things like dual power supplies which you'll need for any kind of resiliency. Servers are generally more heavy duty, their specs may be lower than a desktop PC but your average desktop PC doesn't get anywhere near the amount of hammering a server will get. Disks will need to be better, disk controllers will need to be better, need more memory, etc. Again, depends on your application, and your business needs.

Steve.

towzer

try activeanswers for some sizing information on Citrix.

www.activeanswers.compaq.com

Aside from the new 4 way and 8 way ProLiants, nothing new is due to be launched until much later on this year. There will be some faster array controllers launched next month which might be worth waiting for.

I would seriously reconsider your choice of reseller if you are being charged £1500 for a gig of RAM, for the DL3xxG3 1GB memory is no more than £455 - and that's at list price.

To do this properly, I would suggest you start looking at an external disk array, something like an MSA1000 as Citrix environment hammer the disk subsystem. We often see poor performance in Citrix environments tied down to disk I/O and not enough server memory.

If you are going to order from HP then phone the call centre on 0141 270 4000 and order direct.

If you want to know more about HP servers mail me off line.

Phil

Andrewza

Just bought quite a bit from Compaq/HP and the ram was nothing like that. DL380G3's with 2GB ram (it's DDR as well) dual 2.8Ghz xeons, 3x36.4GB 15K RPM as RAID5 on a Smart Array 5302/128 Hot plug everything, iLO, *shiny* £7,240.00 each.

Just found the ram...
1GB 266MHz DDR PC2100 £499.00

Oh, does anyone else have some DL360G3's and are they fscking loud, sounds like a bees nest with the five I got D'uh, forgot to say they've got the dual hot plug PSU option as well...


[Edited by Andrewza - 3/14/2003 1:13:44 AM]

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Well, I got a DL360G2 from someone on the BBS who thought it was LOUD - but it don't bother me...

At least its a proper server, instead of a FSC Scenic T desktop jobby that I replaced with it

You could do worse than have a search on the internet for them, I think that MicroWarehouse have some @ £600 +VAT for the standard ones....

ChrisB

I'd question the need to spend what looks to be over £6,000 on an external disk array (MSA10000) to support 30/40 users. Yes, would be nice to go completely to town and have different arrays on different RAID controllers for everything (OS, swap, apps etc) but budgets exist.

Given a fairly well loaded dual Xeon 2.8Ghz will be inside £5k, I'd just buy another server for the extra £6k and have all the resilience benefits of two boxes over one.

Chris.

towzer

Not more people complaining about 360's being loud!! There's a new RomPaq in beta which will slow the fans down and therefore reduce the noise. The problem is that the processors are kicking out more and more heat as they get faster, and there isn't enough space in the 1U servers to put specific airflow baffles to cool the procs. Although the fans will be slowed down for the immediate models, they will need to go back to the faster speeds once we go to 3Gz procs or higher.

Phil

Andrewza

No no, I'm not complaining. They're in a datacentre far from my poor ears, just I have a DL360G2 and they're way louder than that, I just wanted to check it was normal.

I would rather have the noise than not loose anything out of them, dual procs (though my are single for now), dual hot plug psu and dual 15K RPM discs put out a lot of heat I bet, but make for great redundancy

[Edited by Andrewza - 3/14/2003 5:34:16 PM]

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Phil

I don't mind them being loud - its the sound of happiness for me seeing my dudget (or lack of)

As I said, too much for you? Then I can help!