server recommendations please

[groovin]

im looking for a new file server to replace one of our old ones, 20 users so i dont need anything too powerful or expensive. I was looking at the Dell PowerEdges but someone told me that they had lots of problems with them. Anyone got any recommendations? ive only looked at Dell, HP, and IBM so far... anyone know of any other good server builders?

also, would there be any problems having an IDE tape drive do back ups off of SCSI HDs?

thanks

 

[blstriker]

I have 2 dell poweredge 500sc servers and have had no problems with them at all. Great machines and they are very stable. You can take a look at a little article I wrote about this server: Dell PowerEdge 500sc

There should be no problem using an IDE tape drive on scsi hd.

Good luck!

 

[crazydave]

Yeah I've used PowerEdges before and no problems whatsoever.... what problems have you heard about with them??

 

[groovin]

thanks guys,

i heard of some compatibility problems with netware and stability using certain hardware... i cant completely remember what it was...ill contact my sources and get some more specifics and post them.

 

[Darksamie]

I currently run two Poweredge 1500SCs, one 1600SC, and one 2600 mahine. Never had any problem with any of them. In fact, they have been better than the HP and IBM servers that I have had in the past.

If you can afford it, a 1600SC would be your best bet. They are rock solid.

 

[starwarsdad]

man I have a room full of PowerEdges that are great. 8 1500SCs, 2 2400SCs, and 2 2500SCs.

I love 'em.

Don't care for my Dell rep though

 

[gaidin123]

We have a few Poweredge 4300/4400(?)s, 1650s, 2650s and haven't had any major problems with them whatsoever. The only issue I've seen here that I don't quite understand is that our RAID controller very occasionally will eject a drive from various RAID arrays saying that it has failed. Pop the drive out and put it back in and more often than not, the drive is fine.

We've never have one have any failed hardware other than dead SCSI drives and ran Novell 5 on a 4300 for a few years (Novel something before the upgrade to 5.x).

A word of warning though: The new 2650s are great machines but they are very loud...

Gaidin

Edit: For only 20 users I'd recommend getting or building anything with RAID 5 or 1 preferably SCSI but go with IDE if you need to. Redundant power supplies and redunant storage are your main concerns with a file server along with a fast NIC.

 

[starwarsdad]

gaidin123 hit it on the head about the noise. Man when you power on one of the 2500s, watch the lights dim and prepare for take off. They do quiet down a bit once they are at full steam though.

The design and layout is a work of art. It must be nice to have design engineers come up with a layout and then have the cases custom made.

 

[Mucman]

Nothing but Dell PowerEdge servers where I work... We are on their 4 hour support plan which has helped us a few times! Once was when a PS dies, and the other was when a HD drive died
in our database server.... thankfully it had a RAID 5 configuration and a pretty sweep RAID card. It would generate the data dynamically when it had to access data from the dead drive! A couple hours
later a Dell guy with the new HD came by, and all was fine

 

[Relayer]

I've had good luck with Compaq Proliants.

 

[Agamar]

You could also try the 200 series of IBM servers. These can also be rackmounted with the optional kit. I always get mine with a ServeRaid 4Lx card with at least 3 drives in a raid. Don't have to worry as much when you have a raid.

 

[Vegito]

I got a few of the 2550 and 2650.. love the 2650 but the broadcom prob (gigabit nic) may or may not been solve.. basically it dies, you have to restart.. but it might be solve, I just applied a new flash rom to my broadcom card today.. as I type.. so Ill find out within the next few weeks.

I also used a few of the IBM server, they have this neat dvi KVM built in so you dont need an external KVM switch.. kinda cool.. saved u on cable !

Anyway, I go with dells.. how much do you plan to spend ?

 

[groovin]

this doesnt have to be a powerful server since there will be only 20 users connecting to it... but in the near future I will need more servers that can accomodate more users, so for this machine, I dont think I would need to spend more than 2-3k for it.

 

[groovin]

anyone use the 600sc's?

 

[Intelman07]

Why not build your own?

 

[groovin]

build my own? well, im not an expert in server design and id rather get the tech support so i have someone to yell at... jk =) i treat my tech support reps well... heck id tip them if i could.

 

[vi edit]

I've got two SC2500's sitting in my office right now running various things.

Last one I bought from their refurb outlet

P3 1.2 gig
1.5 gig ram
18 gig x 3 Atlas 10k's (I think that's the brand they use)
3 redundant PS's
Perc RAID controller
20/40 gig tape back up
Adaptec 160 SCSI card (nothing hooked up to it, don't even know why it's in there)

My price paid: $3200.

Both of them have been very good to me.

 

[Daniel]

Originally posted by: Intelman07
Why not build your own?

When you aren't overly experienced in it and the server is mission critical I really wouldn't suggest doing that. I build all my own at home but at work there is no way I'm putting myself on the line for a database server that can take the whole company out of production.

 

[Hoober]

We've got Dell PowerEdges here. A mess of 2550's and a few 2600's. No problems with them so far.

 

[Hoober]

Originally posted by: Daniel

Originally posted by: Intelman07
Why not build your own?

When you aren't overly experienced in it and the server is mission critical I really wouldn't suggest doing that. I build all my own at home but at work there is no way I'm putting myself on the line for a database server that can take the whole company out of production.

Yeah, I'd never recommend a home built machine for a production level environment. Too many things could go wrong. Besides, what's the point of saving a few hundred dollars? Pay the extra, get the hardware support, and save yourself the headache.

 

[Diaonic]

I am using a Dell poweredge 1650 rack mountable, it works great.

 

[HypNoTic]

Our network lab run used HP servers (LPR rackmount servers for the applications, few old LH3 and LX for disk space)
Our developpers lab run IBM because we're partner with them
Our Websphere Innovation Center run on RS6000/IBM Mainframe and few AS/400 servers
The prod run on brand new Dell (1650 in cluster linked to an EMC SAN)
The DMZs run on HP (mainly LPR and LP1000r, some modified HP Desktop) and some Compaq Proliant DL servers
For the desktop, we use clone/HP/Dell
For laptop, Toshiba and IBM (Dell to come very soon)
The network is pure Cisco
Some firewall are Checkpoint (Nokia), some are Cisco
We have Voice Over IP (Cisco VoIP) with few Compaq Proliant as CCM

imagine the nightware to troubleshoot that much different hardware and add the fact that it run over 6 differents OS !
(Cisco IOS, Cisco CatOS, Win2K Pro, W2K Adv Srv, WinNT4 Srv, Redhat 6.x, Redhat 7.x, Gentoo, AIX 4.x, Solaris 7, Solaris 8)


I've just got in, i hope i'll be able to clean it up a little bit shortly...


Recommendation : Dell servers have the best ROI/TCO IMHO - stay safe with a good server!

 

[Intelman07]

Well my dad is a DBA and he recomends dell servers. I would go with dell!