Just about to buy a server for work to operate as file server, backup, database hub and mail / web server.

Also, need a new desktop PC for myself as my current one is having problems.

This will all be bought through my company.

It's been a while since I've bought PC equipment myself, is Dell as good as everybody says or are there are better alternatives?

Is it worth buying outright these days, or should I just lease??

 

In your position I'd be looking at Dell, HP or IBM kit. Dell are probably by far the cheapest and they have a good reputation currently.

From your description your going to be asking allot of the server, I'd possibly get 2 servers, one to do the mail / web and the other for the file server, database hub and backups.

Take my suggestion with a pinch of salt though, I don't know anything about your organisation and the load that's going to be put on the server, etc.

 

Thanks. We are only small, so will be used by 4 people initially, but up to ten or so by next summer....still not a huge amount of people. Any thoughts>?

 

I was planning a twin processor with at least 1bg ram and raid 1, and probably a USB2 extrenal drive for backup rather than an expensive tape backup system.

 

A simlar question was asked recently here

Darren

 

awesome, thanks for that!

 

Dont forget the UPS mate, bought a new server earlier this year, powercut and the rest cost me a days labour for a network engineer to sort it out

 

hmmm, I wasn't going to bother, but I guess I should really

Anyone have any thoughts on buying versus leasing???

 

Take a look at some of the good deals from Dell/HP on MS SBS (Small Business Server 2003 - Standard or Premium depending on your requirements) which supports upto 75 concurrent users and is very cost effective.

Henry