Reasonable spec for a file server..

[Skyrunner]

I work at a fairly small defence engineering company, with around 20 of us. Our server (glorified NAS box) is somewhat lacking so I proposed a move to some new hardware.

Despite working as an IT consultant for 6 years full time and as a sideline I turned the job down as I don't want the hassle of having to support it when I leave.

We've had a local business come in and quote us for a system... Now a file server for 20 people, which in honesty only has around 50GB on it they have quoted us just under £6k.

Their proposed spec:

• HP Proliant ML350 w/ 2GB Registered DDR2 (£1100 + £120 for RAM)
• 3 x146GB SAS-SFF 10,000RPM drives for storage (£682)
• 2x 76GB SAS-SFF 10,000RPM drives for operating (£400ish)
• 5x Small Business Server 2003 CALs to upgrade our 10 (£682)
• Labour (£600)

There are a few bits in there as well but that’s the core.

Personally I don't think and ML350 is required for what is essentially a low use small file server?

The other oddity is why they are insisting on using SMB2003 when we have SMB2008 ready to upgrade to? Have I missed something here?

I've basically given them a revised requirement spec and asked them to go off and quote on it, they seem like a the type of company that saw my MD coming (I'm the first technical guy to look over the quotes) as he didn't have a clue what we were buying!

I'm proposing:

• Lower end Proliant (ML1xx or ML310)
• 2GB Registered ECC DDR2
• 3x 1TB 7,200RPM SATA-II drives in RAID-5
• 5x SBS 2008 CALs

I wanted the opinion of some other people knowledgeable in the area, price isn't majorly important but as with all small businesses we have to keep costs down and I reckoned this was a fairly OTT quote for our requirements?

I have been given the final say on this and ATM I'm standing my ground with them on this.

 

[Skyrunner]

SBS has been chosen by sales (since we already have the licensing), the Chief Engineer wants HP, the day anybody actually takes note of the backup policy I wrote I will fall over dead. The IT policy is awful to say the best, networking gear is basic Net gear switches, no UPS, wonder why I didn't want to do it?!

For reference the current file server is a 5 year old Dell running Windows XP!

Boot volume will be on a separate drive for obvious reasons.

I want to cut the server costing down as with 15 users (soon to be 20), very low data transfer I feel it's OTT for our needs and the funds can go to other areas. TBH I am contemplating washing my hands of the whole affair!

 

[Skyrunner]

No major expansion on the horizon, data security is important; a lot of our data is encrypted using proprietary software depending on the client (MOD, DOD etc).

No AD, possibly exchange, but unlikely. The only reason someone got the idea of an upgrade was we’ve had access issues due to WinXP limiting 10 connections on the file shares, sales panic, the MD panic, they get an IT solution company in who sell them what I think is an unnecessary spec.

All it is is a glorified file dump and place to centrally store phone logs etc, last time I checked it was handling less than a gig in transfer a day.

With regards to RAID, I generally feel happier with some redundancy as no-one will back up more than monthly so when the drive dies we need to be able to at least partially recover data.

Lower end systems like this really aren’t my area, I used to manage systems with 100-150 so this is a bit smaller than what I’m used to!

 

[Skyrunner]

I work for an IT Company in Manchester, so if your based near and want a quote then i can forward you to the right person if need be. Hope it all goes well!

Unfortunatly we're in Maidenhead, bit far!

Hopefully I'll get a revised quote tomorrow, they were a bit annoyed a made some fairly specific requests for the spec change!

 

[Skyrunner]

Space requirments will ballon in the near future, we're converting a lot of old paperwork for digital storage (stuff we will never need but have to have under ISO), quote came to £5,482 + VAT for the server plus CALs, some networking gear (£250ish) plus labour.

I'll dig out the full quote tomorrow morning if anybody is interested

I'm not a fan of the company (had to clean up some of thier jobs before by ex clients), but that's not my choice, much to my protest.

 

[Skyrunner]

Just checked the quote:
ML350: £1100
!GB RAM: £70
2GB RAM: £90 (I suspect it's an optional)
3x 146GB SAS SFF: £640
2x 72GB SAS SFF: £360
Networking upgrades: £215
SBS CALs: £680
Consultancy: £1800
Fitting: £300

The shortfall was the consultancy, I must have blanked it out

 

[Skyrunner]

Well I've knocked £1k off the hardware quote to make it more reasonable, I'm not happy with the £2.1k consultancy fees, but ultimatly it's not my job to argue that, if my MD is willing to pay it and won't shop around it's his own fault!