Server for Ubuntu running Apache2

ianking · 30 Mar 2010 at 08:59

Apologies if this question has been asked before (I have looked)

I'm planning on setting up a server for a small business run from home. We need a server capable of hosting a series of Drupal installations on Apache. This is not a public server, just one where we can host test sites for us to work on remotely (not everyone lives in the same house) and if necessary enable clients to log in and try things out.

I'm not experienced in self-build so plan on purchasing a pre-assembled box with power supply motherboard, processor, memory, hard disk, etc. I've already got a monitor etc.

My question is - what spec would you advise? Graphics or sound are not a priority obviously, but memory and processor speed probably are.

Budget would be around £500.

Any advice very gratefully received.

Ian

ianking · 30 Mar 2010 at 11:36

Probably a maximum of 3 or 4 users. I'm guessing a mirrored disk system would be a good idea as one of the backup strategies.

I should have mentioned - I'll be using Linux so I need to buy a system with no OS - hence Overclockers as the obvious supplier.

ianking · 30 Mar 2010 at 13:28

Yes but £25-30 a month soon adds up....

ianking · 31 Mar 2010 at 09:35

The one I've been using to try things out is 6 years old, 512MB memory and has a couple of 120GB hard disk in it - things do run rather slowly though and according to the server admin software Apache is using most of the available RAM - I assumed I'd need something with a bit more oomph if we wanted to rely on it. Is 8GB RAM and mirrored hard disks overkill?