Server Recommendations

[Eudora931]

Dell? HP?

Specs?

Needs to be 2u rackservwr

 

Thanks

[mrbios]

SuperMicro. I used to purchase all HP, but personally find the markup on cost for Dell and HP, as well as additional feature costs (iLO for example) just isn't worth it. Especially now that HP have done that stupid chipped driver caddy thing.

 

Specs? No idea, what are your requirements?

[VeryPC_Anthony_L]

Hi @Eudora931 are able to provide more information on what you are looking for/want to do.

[Eudora931]

Our current server is only used as print server, DNS, DHCP, and a small amount of storage (admin only) - we use google drive for everything else... So, I'm looking to replicate that (single dc) with the option to do virtualisation for backup purposes ...

[Eudora931]

Should also say current server is 2008

r2 rm rackserver...

[ITGURU]

Always had HP servers here, and touch wood never a failure, just off HDDs after 6 years in service 24/7.

Inherited 1 Dell server and had more issues with several drive failures within the first 3 years to the point they said if they kept failing they would need to send an engineer out to assess the unit.

[twin--turbo]

over the past 17 years I have had Dell and HP, including a C7000 with BL460's

 

For 2U boxes , having used both these vendors extensivly. I would go Dell.

 

ServerSource can do some incredible prices.

 

I would avoid IBM/FUJI/ETC brands

 

and white box stuff would not touch.

 

TT

[LytchettNM]

We have replaced all of our server's (25 HP) in the summer with 1u Lenovo rd550's which have been very reliable after some initial firmware issues, low power consumption, quiet and some very very good pricing for the spec.

[synaesthesia]

Serversource and LA Micro do great lines in new & refurbed Dell kit, the former always have shedloads of BOGOF's on the last gen kit too, always well specced. We're eyeing up a pair of 720's with dual xeon e5 2670s, 192gb ram for under 4k for 2, and filling them with 16x960gb SSD's totalling under 10k for the 2.

[speckytecky]

Interesting responses to the OP. I've been in school IT for 12 years now and have always gone with Dells on a 4 hour on site warranty / extended warranty specked, supplied and installed by Capita. These responses have given me food for thought that's for sure. Thanks for the responses. That said I nothing but totally positive comments for Dell server support - tops every time.

[synaesthesia]

Just to add to my post with @speckytecky's info Serversource also supply 3 years 24/7 4 hour support with their refurb hardware.

[LytchettNM]

Just some food for thought with hypervisor technology why pay for 4 hour support when you can cluster the servers and make key services highly available to cover hardware failure which is exactly what We have done 2 clusters across 2 server room with 2 server per room, all school services can run on just one cluster/server room.

So hosts can be patched and if necessary we can add more host to increase capacity.

[mrbios]

I would completely agree with techforyou, unless you're using your server outside of virtualisation 4hr support seems like overkill.

 

Last year i was quoted on two same spec servers, a supermicro build from novatech and a HP Gen9:

2 x Xeon E5-2623v3 CPUs

128gb ddr4

16gb superdom chip in the supermicro (essentially the same thing as a usb pen for running vmware off) no HDDs in the HP.

Dual PSUs

2 x 10GbE NICs

 

Supermicro (6017R-WRF Chassis): £2900 each

HP Gen 9 (DL360 1U): £4400 each

Both with 3 year warranties.

 

SuperMicro hasn't skipped a beat. I was reluctant at first, as anyone would be after leaving what they knew and i expect some here are reluctant to even try moving away from Dell or HP for the same reason, but i honestly couldn't recommend it enough now.

 

Those prices were from March last year, naturally should be a fair bit cheaper now.

EDIT: for the record, not recommending above spec to op, just pointing out prices, and possible savings.

[markwilfan]

Our 4 Supermicro 4u servers have ipmi built in too; so free ilo whoop. Great bit of kit

[markwilfan]

Forgot to add. We have one on order at the mo with scan. Equivalent dell box was twice the price

[PotNoodleTech]

Big fan of dell servers here. Currently running 2 x R730 and 1 x T710. Faultless, fast as stink, and not particularly expensive either. I roll my own disks in them mind which keeps costs low.

[FragglePete]

Been using either HP or Dell during my time here. Found both to be as good as each other (including support). However, sort of favour Dell these days since HP's decision that your need an active Carepack to be able access firmware updates, etc.

 

Our cluster is based on Dells including the SAN.

 

Pete