Rackmount server configuration
 

Hi all.

I've been asked to spec a rackmount server for a Higher Eduction media dept.

They want rackmount, 2/3tb of storage. They'll have up to a thousand users but only 20ish using the clients at any one time. Clients are a mix of about 20ish each of Windows PC, macs and Laptops.

Probably need some sort of backup solution too but was just looking for NAS/DAS sort of thing for that - nothing fancy.

This is a bit more than i'd normally spec - so any recomendations. Been quoted on a HP Dl380.

Any help appreciated

What's your budget?

Budget?

Seriously, I don't know. I'd said I'd try and look for something as a favour. I think they've been quoted for a Dell PowerEdge R710

Call Dell, tell them what your doing, it's the end of the month so you'll likely get some discount, end of quarter is best.

DL380 - what disk configuration?

Might be worth considering the DL180 G6 which can take 25 SFF drives or 14 LFF drives.

As Jack says, how much $$$$ do you have to play with?

I just priced a build on a DL180 G6 and nearly fell off my chair when I saw HP want £370 for a 1TB SATA drive. Not to mention they only then give a 1 year warranty on it.

Fair enough they have to put it in a caddy and qualify parts but £250 premium over a Barracuda ES2 1TB SATA...

:lol1: you need a chair with high sides before looking at HP prices (we are 100% HP kit, well on wintel side anyway)

Instead of a DL380 what about a DL365 'pizza box'? Cheaper, takes up less space and less power.

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/q.../12799_na.HTML

Been quoted for DL180 too.

Luckily I was at home on the settee that is impossile to fall off :D

Thanks for all your input. :)

What about looking at the HP G5 range - specially the renew ones, same 2 year warrenty but a bit cheaper.

Richard

How do you get access to the renew kit in the UK Richard?

As a side note, the HP Product Bulletin is a great tool for people spec'ing HP kit.

I work for a HP reseller - renew is about 30% of our business

Richard

I work for a reseller too Richard - is renew direct from HP (on a limited basis?)? I've never seen it mentioned by distribution before.

HP sell renew both direct and to within the distribution \ broker chain (dutch market is one of the biggest renew markets so I'm told (I dont work in sales so not 100% up on who actually is HP's biggest market buyer at the moment))
Most of the resellers both HP authorised and non authorised I know sell renew, it does then to have a mixed image - as I'm sure your aware and I have mixed feeling about it myself.

Richard

Oh my old car pic has re appeared for this post

Again Budget would be ideal to make a proper suggestion but if I was going to choose some kit it would certainly be HP and for your application a DL380 as suggested, proper build quality, good scope, good support and managing is easy.

Is this server going to be in your building? If not make sure you purchase an ILO Advanced license with it, will save you all sorts of agro ;)

You can buy additional carepaqs for this kit which isn't that expensive.

Not a lover of Dell kit to be honest but they do come in cheap (might be a reason for that)

I've got 4 poweredge servers sitting behind me varying between 6 months - 6 years old.

Only problem we have ever had is a fan failure on the 6 Y/O box - It did a controlled shutdown. Fan was replaced & jobbs a gooden.

Chris B

if you need anything let me know i work for one of the larger indenpendant brokers in the uk we have a sister company in the us and currently have NEW, RE-NEW, SECOND USER HP and DELL servers in stock, we have the G6 and G5 range. We basicly do anything server or storage related, cpu upgrades, ram, hd's, san, cisco you name it we sell it.

I am near on 99.9% that we will be cheaper than dell or hp, pm me if you are interested?

kind regards

steve

p.s - mods sorry not trying to be a trader just helping a member out so please dont delete