patseguin Global Moderator Posted December 6, 2017 Global Moderator Share Posted December 6, 2017 I'm currently running a several year old Dell server with a Xeon X5355 2.66Ghz and 4GB RAM with Windows Server 2008. I need to update to a 64-bit server OS for some software my company runs. Figured now might be a good time for a hardware refresh. How do this look? We primarily just host files on it with an SQL Express database and FIlemaker Server Advanced. It also serves as a domain controller for 5 workstations. http://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/pdr/poweredge-t430/pe_t430_1454?selectionState=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%3D%3D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ve7878 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 (edited) I guess it depends on how much you want to spend but at the very least I would put at least 16GB RAM in there rather than 4. Also I'd add another HDD and configure them RAID one to reduce the chance of downtime if you have a drive fail, you've got Hardware RAID there already so you should be good to go. This is at the very least in my opinion. Also you do realise that you've got server 2016 media there but no optical drive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted December 6, 2017 Veteran Share Posted December 6, 2017 you can get a usb optical for $20, not a deal breaker IMO....the lack of raid, the low memory, and in general cost of it just tells me to keep looking. patseguin 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ve7878 Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Just now, sc302 said: you can get a usb optical for $20, not a deal breaker IMO....the lack of raid, the low memory, and in general cost of it just tells me to keep looking. Of course, just thought I'd point it out based on the spec posted. It comes across to me that it's on a tight budget but there is room there to customise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted December 6, 2017 Veteran Share Posted December 6, 2017 I have a super tight budget I am trying to build a server on....The customer doesn't want to spend much more than 1200. The damned windows licensing costs about that. Working with vendors to get something in spec for under 2k....not going so well.... Basically saying, I know tight budgets. I wouldn't go with that model on a tight budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason S. Global Moderator Posted December 6, 2017 Global Moderator Share Posted December 6, 2017 ive been using Dell servers for many years, and i can assure you that you wont be happy w/ that current setup. can you let us know what your budget is? also, i highly recommend upgrading to the iDRAC Enterprise and the PERC P700 (or whatever the high-end model is). The H330 is extremely slow. tbh, i'd go w/ way more RAM, a RAID set up w/ that PERC P700 card, dual CPUs, dual PSUs. Make the case that this server is replacing a 10yr old server and is expected to last a very long time... plus, you really should have redundancy. Lastly - we use FileMaker Server here... im sorry you have to deal with that! Mando 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patseguin Global Moderator Posted December 6, 2017 Author Global Moderator Share Posted December 6, 2017 2 minutes ago, Jason S. said: ive been using Dell servers for many years, and i can assure you that you wont be happy w/ that current setup. can you let us know what your budget is? also, i highly recommend upgrading to the iDRAC Enterprise and the PERC P700 (or whatever the high-end model is). The H330 is extremely slow. tbh, i'd go w/ way more RAM, a RAID set up w/ that PERC P700 card, dual CPUs, dual PSUs. Make the case that this server is replacing a 10yr old server and is expected to last a very long time... plus, you really should have redundancy. Yeah been chatting with sc302 about it a bit too and he's saying pretty much the same thing. I guess maybe I can probably budget around $3,000 and make the case that it will be for another 8-10 years. I was just keeping the specs down as far as RAM and CPU's because the box really only just hosts FIlemaker database files and an embroidery database on sql express. Nothing that is very intensive at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaP Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Man a budget of 1200$ for a server is a tiny budget. I just paid around 2k for my new workstation ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sc302 Veteran Posted December 6, 2017 Veteran Share Posted December 6, 2017 Man a budget of 1200$ for a server is a tiny budget. I just paid around 2k for my new workstation ... Yep. patseguin 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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