SSDs for Server

[pritchardavid]

Hi guys.

 

Right we have our new servers in but no Hard Drives/SSDs.

 

We wanted 14x Intel 520 480GB SSDs. But there is no stock anywhere and no ETA.

 

Any ideas what to replace this with? Or do you think it is better to go with the 240GB version which is in stock?

 

I'll post some links later that I found, on my mobile at the momment.

 

Would consumer one be up to the job? Looking at the Intel one, that look's like a consumer one too, but I know Intel are rock solid.

[pete]

Perhaps you could tell us what the servers will be doing (and your "must be working by" deadline), so the advice could be a bit more targetted?

 

For example, if your answer is "scratch space for media studies students while editing DV" or "video server", then use whatever you like.

 

If it was "SIMS database server" I'd say, No, don't use consumer SSDs because it could easily be a RGE.

 

If it's "domain controller" - as above.

 

Mailserver - as above.

 

Size-wise, I assume if you picked out 480s you need the space or was it a nice-to-have? Can you get by with a 240GB mirror per server and then use online expansion/ create a second raid volume when the 480s become available?

[3s-gtech]

The S3700 is the replacement. These are enterprise class drives, but with much more sensible pricing. Don't seem to be that easy to get in this country, but check the reviews - they look ace!

[Arthur]

Any ideas what to replace this with?

The DC 3700 would be my first choice too, although any of the other enterprise-class SSDs linked below would also be fine.

 

• Intel SSD DC S3700
  
• Samsung SM843
  
• Seagate 600 Pro Enterprise
  
• Micron M500 Enterprise
  

[Paid_Peanuts]

Out of interest what servers do you have? Do you have the blank hard drive caddies for the drives you are buying?

[pritchardavid]

Here is the pages I had up before I left work Friday

 

OCZ Vector 512GB – Consumer

(100,000 550MB/s Read / 95,000 530MB/s Write)

 

 

Plextor M5Pro 512GB – Not sure if this is a consumer one, does say it can be used for Server roles(100,000 540MB/s Read / 88,000 470MB/s Write)

 

 

Samsung 840 Pro 512GB – Consumer

(100,000 540MB/s Read / 90,000 520MB/s Write)

 

 

Corsair Neutron Series GTX - Consumer

(95,000 546MB/s Read / 85,000 546MB/s Write)

 

 

OCZ Deneva 2 480GB – Enterprise, can’t find the actual model on the OCZ site of this one, so maybe is a ever so slightly older Model?

(40,000 550MB/s Read / 60,000 520MB/s Write)

 

 

Intel 520 240GB – Consumer (This choice only if 240GB is enough space?)

(50,000 550MB/s Read / 60,000 520MB/s Write)

 

 

The SSDs will only be used for Hyper-V 2012 Virtual Servers. Our File Server will be on a different server where there is 8TB to play with. (14x600GB SAS 10K Drives)

 

Looking at our current servers we are using 750GB in total. We can only can slot 14x drives into chassis. We brought a Intel Modular System in the end which comes with the blank hard drives caddies.

 

So even using 14x240GB SSDs we would have 3360GB - then minus the 750GB we are using now = 2610GB left with the RAID decreasing the space of course, probs go with RAID 5. Would you say that is enough free for the next 5 years? (That's how long they want this to last)

 

 

Looking at the site of the company we brought the server from they are selling the Intel 520 480GB (The one we ordered) this is selling this for £350, so were very limited on what we can get. Not sure we can get any more money put into this, I can try, I guess if really needed, they may give us a bit more money.

 

 

The Intel DC S3700, looks good, but like you said, it's the Intel stock problem again

Only see 2 in stock in most places

Plus its only 200GB, the next step up, makes a massive difference in price, way too much

Would you say 200GB is too small? I could ring them up, see if they can get an ETA, but I'm guessing its the same problem

 

 

The Samsung SM843, can't find any places that sell this either to get a basic price, to see if it too expensive.

Not sure about the write IOPS, looks very low compared to the others. Guess I'll ring the company up for that

 

 

The Seagate 600, way out of our price range

 

 

The Micron M500, can't find any places that sell this either to get a basic price, to see if it too expensive.

Only finding the Crucial M500 consumer version. Guess I'll ring the company up for that too.

 

 

How important would you say it is to use a enterprise\business SSD?

 

 

For the Virtual Servers we will be running the following/expand later.

3x DCs with DNS

 

DHCP separate or on one of the DCs (Worth doing a Cluster on all the DCs?, don't like split DHCP, it's a pain)

 

System Center 2012 (One Virtual Server per Product that we decide to use, expect DPM with is on a physical server.

 

Print Server

 

Lync Server 2013 (Later)

 

Sharepoint 2013(Later poss VLE as well)

 

SQL Server 2008R2 & 2012 (We have a single server at the moment with server point to this remote server) So maybe a cluster of 2 or three this time. Can you cluster reporting server? If not guess that needs its own one? System Center and Sharepoint uses reporting right?

 

Impero Server

 

Maybe 1x RDApp and 1xRDesktop 2012 Servers, haven't decided weather to move them to the old Modular Servers or to the new one from where they are now.

 

UAG 2010 (We are using TMG at the momment, but that's discontinued now, so not going to reset something up that's is now discontinued.)

 

Exchange 2013

 

Some Library software server, if we can find one that's cheap or free, currently have Alice installed on the Liberians computer

 

RDGateway/RdWeb

 

IIS Server (School Website and VLE)

 

APP-V Sequencer Client

 

HelpDesk Client (All the RSAT Admin tools installed and configured, that we can remote into when were not in the office)

 

Test Server

 

Test Client

 

Problery some other stuff I have thought about yet.

 

This part only if it get agreed that we can merge the admin/curriculum networks together

 

Finance Package (Replaced FMS)

SIM.net with FMS (They want to see be able to boot this up when they need to look at old finance stuff)

EPortal/Factility (They want to see be able to boot this up when they need to look at old admin stuff, were moving to the new Progresso version)

Edited May 11, 2013 by pritchardavid

[pritchardavid]

Any other ideas guys?

 

Thanks

[jinnantonnixx]

Before you do anything else, watch the video on this page. You'll be glad you did.

 

The start concentrates on SQL, but there's some excellent advice on SSD technologies. He also gives you links to reviews to choose the best drives based on internal NAND banks, internal controllers, etc.

 

SQL on SSDs: Hot and Crazy Love | Brent Ozar Unlimited

Edited May 13, 2013 by jinnantonnixx