Business Server

[knightrous]

The company I'm currently working for is doing a major network rebuild in 7 stores in preparation for the new $250,000 Momentum Pro software package they have purchased.

I was asked by the Regional Manager to have a look at the hardware list that was supplied by there usual hardware supplier. I'm no server expert, but I'm prepared to learn more about it for work.

For the main server, they were given these specs:

IBM X346 Server
Xeon 3.4Ghz/1GB/U320/DVD ROM/GNIC. Base unit with the following extras:

Extra Xeon 3.4Ghz Proc, IBM 1GB PC2-3200 RAM, IBM 7K ServerRaid Controller, 7 x IBM 36GB 15K U20 SCSI Drives, and Redundant 625w PSU.

Total cost of AUD$8764.70

I'm a little skeptical about it. I was considering at looking at a possible AMD solution since AMD are providing great servers these days and are generally cheaper.

If anyone is an expert or has experience in this field of work. I'd like some advice on this system and a possible AMD system at the same specs. Not too sure about the whole SCSI setup, dual processor motherboards with PCI-X and ECC RAM.

Thanks in advance! 8)

 

[MadModMike]

I've had alot of experience in Servers, I'll throw my 2 cents in:

I firstly have to recommend an AMD Opteron 64 Server. Reason is because nobody can doubt that Opteron is better than Xeon in Price and Performance. I listed some specs below for an average server with loads ranging from File Server, Terminal Services, etc.

Dual AMD Opteron 248 (2.2GHz)
2GB (512MB x4) ECC PC3200 RAM
6 Western Digital 250GB SATA HDD's in Hardware RAID-5
TYAN K8WE Server Board (Make sure to get version w/ 8 DIMM's)


If you get the setup listed above, it will provide extreme performance, each CPU will have 1GB of memory to use, and your server HDD access times will be superb and you will have redundency on your data, and the cost will be very low.

Hint: If you run Linux x64 and use those 250GB HDD's, you can expect GB/s Sustained read speeds from your data. That might be something to get your boss's to think about, but that depends if your software runs on Linux or if you need that kind of speed.

~~Mad Mod Mike, pimpin' the world 1 rig at a time

 

[knightrous]

Thanks for the quick response Mike 8) Could you explain tol me why you suggested the SATA drives over the Ultra320 SCSI drives? I've always been lead to believe that the SCSI were faster then most SATA, with the Raptor drives being the exception. Have I made the wrong assumption?

Anyway, I'm still a little in the dark about the actual hardware requirements of the new software package and I'm also in the process of getting them to rethink there network structure.

The main server, will have 7 stores(each with 5-10 service/sales PC's) in a 250km radius connected to it. But what I've pointed out is the fact that 3 out of those 7 stores have only 56k internet access due to being rural and the others have 512k Broadband... The 56k stores are going to be bottled necked all the time, which is the exact problem they currently have...

I'm going to propose that they build 7 smaller servers, to handle the 5-10 Sales/Service PCs and then those 7 servers backup there data to the main server every 5 mins to allow the ability to view all stock change and pricing from each store in near real time.