SMB Servers

[Carpeia]

What to recommend?

3-5 users, win server 2003
quad core, 2gb mem
raid with 1tbx2(mirror)

some sort of backup system.

Been looking on the lenovo and hp ones.. (towers)

[hinch]

cheap dell desktop windows small business server 2k3 (cheaper than win2k3 server + exchange) and get an external HD for backing up to good enough for that many users

[vampire]

I personally like the hp servers

[pixel]

uhm, as a pdc or terminal server?

[Carpeia]

The server would work mostly as a file server. With possibilities to expand the use ofc.

[hinch]

seriously stick with small business server that way it can be a pdc, sdc, file server, web server , mail server, anything you want and its all in the one package.
not as powerful as a full blown server + trimmings but its idiot proof

[pixel]

why on earth are u using 2k3 for file serving... get yourself a medium spec system (dual core is fine) with a few gb of ram and 4 disks in raid with a method of backing up... stick linux on it with samba for sharing folders...

if ur not using terminal services the box doesn't need to be particually beefy, if it isn't acting as a pdc it doesnt need to be particually redundant - no point in high spec hardware for a fileserver

[hinch]

if its only for fileserving you could just stick a nas in oO

[pixel]

ah but if he wants to expand in the future and run his own webserver/outskirt mailserver/spam filtering agent/mysql database server/etc... :)

zero future expenditure :)

[hinch]

most nas boxes (certainly the budget ones) are win2k3 servers in disguise anyway :)

[Carpeia]

Well, gotta discuss with customer on monday..

thanks for advices.

[pixel]

it all depends at the end of the day, windows if familiar, linux is 'free' to install, its all about who is going to be supporting the machine and which operating system they're familiar with at the end of the day

[Carpeia]

it all depends at the end of the day, windows if familiar, linux is 'free' to install, its all about who is going to be supporting the machine and which operating system they're familiar with at the end of the day

They asked for win 2k3 servers.. :)

[pixel]

then ignore me :p im just a *nix lover

[vampire]

http://static.flickr.com/90/256076962_b2d43ea3fe.jpg

[pixel]

heh, that made me giggle

carp, let us know what your customers decide on ^_^

[Carpeia]

will do :)

[Carpeia]

This is what it would most likely be:

1x IBM System x3400 7976 - Tower - toveis - 1 x Quad-Core Xeon E5405 / 2 GHz - RAM 2 GB - SAS - hot-swap 3.5" - ingen HDD - CD-RW- / DVD-ROM-kombinasjon - ATI ES1000 - Gigabit Ethernet - Skjerm : ingen - 5U

2x IBM - Harddisk - 750 GB - hot-swap - SATA-300 - 7200 opm (til speiling)

1x Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition - Lisens - 5 CAL, 1 server (1-4 CPU) - OEM - ROK - Engelsk


3x Lenovo - ThinkPad X200 inkludert X200 Ultrabase og DVDRW - C2D P8400 / 2.26 GHz,2GB,250 GB, DVD-skriver,GMA 4500MHD,Mobilt bredbånd,installert Telenor SIM 3mnd FriBruk - WLAN 802.11abgn,BT,fingeravl.-Vista Bus/XP Pro-nedgr- 12.1"1280x800,kamera,TopSeller

3x Lenovo ThinkVision L2440p - Flatskjerm - TFT - 24" - widescreen - 1920 x 1200 / 60 Hz - DVI-D, VGA -

[hinch]

Could have sworn they'd stopped the CAL licensing versions unless of sever.

CAL's are useless you never need more than 1 unless your using it as a terminal server but for what your using it for you only need the single license just for the local admin user

[Carpeia]

I thought it was how many "users" that was to be able to log on to the server... :) Its like that on windows home server at least ;)

[hinch]

yeah users log on though define log on as actually be logged into the system via console at any one point.

file share logons and pdc domain logons do NOT count towards CAL's

only terminal service logons or per console logons at any time you'll never use more than one of them :)

[Carpeia]

Ill try to get a single user then, but, they have talked about terminal services for later use. Doubt that will ever happen tho, concerning their work.

Much apriciated for all comments and help.

[hinch]

there's no real need for terminal services unless they just stick dumb terminals on users desks in which case you'd need a alot more powerfull server for their needs as you think all the work load and processing of loading apps etc is then done on server instead of client pc and all the desktop does is display the picture

[pixel]

you can always purchase more cals at a later date

[hinch]

tbh i'd have gone for the per processor licensing and just stuck a single quad xeon in there. that way under ms's new licensing rules its only a single processor box :)

[Carpeia]

A quick one, the "Standard" edt is far good enough for filesharing i assume? :)

[hinch]

unless you intend on clustering or putting in a full blown dc you never need more than standard edition tbh

[pixel]

standard edition is sufficent for most entry level server tasks

[pixel]

Carp: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb404900.aspx

[Carpeia]

I regret i built me an expensive windows home server.. but it works for its use. :)

I see that a win2k3 server or, win 2008 server wouldve been far more cool to have..

[pixel]

windows home server is just a beefed up home operating system with a few funky toys...

[vampire]

windows home server is just a beefed up home operating system with a few funky toys...

Utterly correct,

Use the always reliable and time proven *cough* W2k3 standard edition servar.

[pixel]

tbh from what ive seen, 2008 server is a decent step forward in stability and memory management, in fact i quite like microsoft's 2008 range of products... 2008 sql server and management studio in particular has a lot of those often unnoticed features that just makes using them that little bit easier, like table and column hinting, etc...

[hinch]

i've always loved sql server since version 7 when they branched from sybase :)

[pixel]

meh... i never really liked enterprise manager though :/

[hinch]

enterprise manager is god tbh when i started using mysql i was like WTF HOW DO I USE THIS THING.

then i found phpmyadmin :) but still writing stored procs on mysql is a swine compared to doing them on mssql also db based web services forget it in mysql in sqlserver 2005 onwards they're a standard feature ! xml direct from the db with fuck all over head cost ! no need to write web services or anything its just there love it. i actually rate sqlserver above oracle especially since they put in per cycle timing for query optimisation in sql server :)

[pixel]

oh yeah definitly, i do like my open source but in this particular instance microsoft do it better... im so so sorry richard stallman...

in other news, im downloading windows 2008 server and sql 2008 developer for my sandbox, going to see all the differences in 2008 ad/etc... not really played with it yet

legitimately too! 60 day evaluations should be long enough, esp when they download at 9M/s...

43% [===============> ] 819,846,646 8.78M/s ETA 4:42

<3 wget

[hinch]

yay for being an MVP with free MSDN subs :)

[Carpeia]

MVP?

[pixel]

microsoft "most valuable professional"

[Carpeia]

hehe ;)

gotta check u know ;)

[pixel]

microsoft love their acronyms :)

[vampire]

43% [===============> ] 819,846,646 8.78M/s ETA 4:42

<3 wget

Clearly not used to Gigabit servers...

[pixel]

oh sure vamps, but thats my home connection... heh

[vampire]

*cries in corner because of like 1/8th of that speed*

[pixel]

so tonight im gonna install windows 2008 enterprise in a virtual pc, set up ad, and then install 2008 sql server developer

[Carpeia]

This stuff arrived today. Went for a IBM setup. Went for 2x 750 disks, damn they are expensive :(

win2k3 system.

Hope they get happy.

[Carpeia]

Just a sidenote on this thread.... this sale actually led to a server setup for £25k ;) saved my day yesterday :)

IBM BladeServer config, with 5 servers in it.

[pixel]

nice work