What CPU for a Server?

[Slime101]

The obvious choice is a Xeon, howeverit seems if you want a decent amount of RAM and decent drives/raid etc it costs a lot more than we can afford, so, is it worth looking at an i7, i5 or perhaps over to AMD with a hex core offering or something else???

The machine works as a print server controlling 3 commercial digital printers (not rip tho) and also as a file server for 5 users. It will be running SBS2008 most likely.

 

[Slime101]

But what AMD, i am very very out of touch with whats good/bad/indifferent!!

 

[Slime101]

We currently run an E8400 with 4gb ram, its ok but it wont like sbs2008 and the intended tasks as loads increase with more traffic, more print data, and running our internal bespoke software that handles our customer info and ordering system.

Not only are we moving to SBS2008, so it will handle files, profiles and filer serving for 5 users normally, but also moving to a new bespoke system which will be run from a second server running server 2008

 

[Slime101]

Budget.....ZERO! (We're only small!) We dont have an IT budget or an IT department.

In our 18 year history not once have we needed to use support on our "servers", hence why we dont bother buying from dell/HP etc as to get a better spec than the one we have costs a fortune. Sure they have a place in big business but for small businesses they are simply too expensive without offering anything of use for the money.

Its all very well saying its only 3 printers....these arent desktop lasers they are commercial production printers and we are looking at adding a new one next year which will be feb by this and a dedicated RIP.

I shall take a look at Dell and HP (and others) again and see what they have to offer, we are after a tower as we dont have rack facilities or a dedicated server room so we like it to be quiet, our current server is silent!

 

[Slime101]

Thanks for the (serious) replies guys.

The Zero budget is no joke, money for this kind of thing is really tight and whist we are flat out and business is booming the money is haemorrhageing from our accounts at a serious rate - 40,000 catalogues (mail order business) 20,000 of them posted, corportation tax bill, VAT quarter, and many many other expenses.....business as usual really!

We use RAID5 currently although our new system due next year (another massive expense) is much more disk intensive so i am considering RAID10.

I currently work in a sme with 50 employees and about a 10million turnover so understand the constraints that your dealing with

We are 10 times smaller than that in both respects......

 

[Slime101]

Forgot to add, we have UPS's on all machines

 

[Slime101]

I understand you have very little budget, but tbh 1K would get you a decent enterprise class server on SBS that could handle everything you need. With business support, RAID, etc.

Eventually, somewhere, your IT will die - question you have to ask yourself is how long can you be without it before your business suffers?

If you cant find it in your budget to support the required IT that, essentially, is the backbone of your business, then sounds like you might be heading for a disaster

This may well been true, we have probably been very lucky over the last 18 years and not had any problems other than 1 hard drive failure - that was a problem as the backup didnt work, we learnt an expensive lesson that day but in fairness a warranty wouldnt have solved it, only a decent backup would. (This was 10 years ago).

I shall reconsider the budget and see where we go from there, i appreciate all the advice.

 

[Slime101]

Yea, id be quite interested in hearing how you get on as well.

Edit: Also Slime... Am I right in thinking that your working with a print company?

I own the place!