Trying to spec Server Hardware

Pompous

Hey folks,

I'm trying to design/build a server as part of a project but I have no idea where to begin.

I know I want two servers for backup purposes.


One will be the Domain Controller, DHCP, DNS and Email server.

The other will be the backup Domain Controller, File server, and Print server.


I need to design the network from scratch, which I have done. I know what each server needs but I don't know where to get the hardware or what the best hardware available should be etc.

If anyone could point me in the right direction that would be swell.

Thanks.

tech

do you want to go VMware or Citrix Xen or Hyper V?

Ctrl Alt Del

Hi Pompous,

I think,with no intention to offend you,that you are beginning your design on a wrong foot !
Leave the hardware and suppliers aside for the moment please.


Let me ask you few questions:

Is this design a real life / business project or a project for school;

Is the network operational (in place upgrade) or is a brand new network;

Do you have an approved or estimated budget for the project;

What type of Operating Systems you're looking at;

What type of business / industry are the servers / network to serves;

How many users,what type of network access for each resource per user;

What type of internet email presence the organization have/will have;

What are the business' LoB (Line of Business) applications going to be;

How much data is to be transferred / imported from a previous setup or some where else ?

What is your position in the project,are you internal or external ?


Then,hardware,today a standard server has a Quad core CPU,minim 16/24 GB RAM,SAS/SATA/SSD types hard drives ,1GB dual-port network,video.
As suppliers I'm using DELL,HP.
You could go Microsoft or other OSes.
If Microsoft,there is Server 2012 and SBS2011.Each with plus and / or minus.

Kind of hard to say more,i prefer to deal with business requirements first and then talk about the hardware !
I mean,how long is a piece of string ...

Have fun...

Neon_Lights

build one using lego like larry page and sergei brin

Pompous

Ctrl Alt Del wrote: »

Hi Pompous,

I think,with no intention to offend you,that you are beginning your design on a wrong foot !
Leave the hardware and suppliers aside for the moment please.


Let me ask you few questions:

Is this design a real life / business project or a project for school;

Is the network operational (in place upgrade) or is a brand new network;

Do you have an approved or estimated budget for the project;

What type of Operating Systems you're looking at;

What type of business / industry are the servers / network to serves;

How many users,what type of network access for each resource per user;

What type of internet email presence the organization have/will have;

What are the business' LoB (Line of Business) applications going to be;

How much data is to be transferred / imported from a previous setup or some where else ?

What is your position in the project,are you internal or external ?


Then,hardware,today a standard server has a Quad core CPU,minim 16/24 GB RAM,SAS/SATA/SSD types hard drives ,1GB dual-port network,video.
As suppliers I'm using DELL,HP.
You could go Microsoft or other OSes.
If Microsoft,there is Server 2012 and SBS2011.Each with plus and / or minus.

Kind of hard to say more,i prefer to deal with business requirements first and then talk about the hardware !
I mean,how long is a piece of string ...

Have fun...

Thanks for the reply man. Here are the answers to your questions:

Is this design a real life / business project or a project for school;
It's a project for college.

Is the network operational (in place upgrade) or is a brand new network;
Brand new network.

Do you have an approved or estimated budget for the project;
No but the cheaper the better I guess, nothing too expensive.

What type of Operating Systems you're looking at;
I have no idea. I know I want the client computers to run Windows 7.

What type of business / industry are the servers / network to serves;
A web design company for 12 workers, with room for future expansion.

How many users,what type of network access for each resource per user;
12 users. I just want each user to be able to share files and use the office printer etc. Basic stuff.

What type of internet email presence the organization have/will have;
I'm not sure what you mean. Everyone should be connected to the internet.

What are the business' LoB (Line of Business) applications going to be;
Adobe DreamWeaver, Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Access.

How much data is to be transferred / imported from a previous setup or some where else ?
Less than a terabyte.

What is your position in the project,are you internal or external ?
External (I think)


I don't necessarily want you to do the whole project for me, I just need a little help with the software/hardware end of things. Google has failed me, or I don't know what to Google to find the info I need.

Thanks again.

Kinet1c

In relation to the email, he means will you have your email hosted on site using a server or online (cloud) using Office 365/Google Apps/Zoho etc.

Given it's a web design company, the hipster type that typically work in such places will want MacBooks. (MS Access not available on them afaik).


If Google is failing you, you're asking the wrong questions. Break it down in to smaller chunks:

Email hosting/server
Data Storage/Backup
Design software
Collaboration tools (Confluence/Basecamp/Sharepoint...)
Support tools (ticketing system, look at Freshdesk.com)