Cheap server recommendations!!

[Ovi]

Hi everyone!!
A company whose CEO I know is upgrading its database from FoxPro to one based on Microsoft SQL Server 2000. The server would be running the following:
O.S.: Windows 2000 Advanced Server
IIS server
Microsoft SQL Server 2000
I don’t know the exact details, but the project proposal states that the database will be accessed over the LAN through a web based interface (IE 5). So I guess ASP will be used here. The company is pretty small, with only 40 or so computers over the LAN, all of which will be accessing this database. So based on this, what configuration would you recommend for the server? Will the following Dell Poweredge 600SC Server be enough?
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 – 2.4 GHz (533 MHz FSB)
RAM: 512 MB DDR with ECC
HDD: 40 GB ATA-100 (7200 RPM)
Embedded Intel Gigabit NIC
CDROM: 48x
One major limiting factor here is cost……..the company wants to spend the least amount possible on the server.

Another thing: The firm that’s creating the new database for this company says that it’s not possible to transfer the old data from FoxPro into the new database, and so all the old data will have to remain on a separate computer. Now this seems ridiculous!! I mean, there has to be some way to get all that data from the FoxPro database with all the relationships between the tables intact, or in the form of free tables at the very least!! Or is it possible that the data is “locked” inside?? I guess they just don’t want to do the tedious work of putting all that old data into the right tables in the new database!! What do you think??

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Cheers
Ovi

[Pace|Work]

Will those 40 computers be accessing it continually or just periodically?

Depending on the complexity of the database I would say 2GHz of power will be plenty. How much are Dell asking for that box?

Also, what size is the DB?

[Ovi]

Hi Pace!!
Well, although all the work will revolve around this database, accesses will not be continuous, and additionally, huge amounts of data won't be transferred. But all users will generally be accessing it simultaneously, for small things like current orders, vendor list etc.
About the size of the database: I'm sorry but I've no idea!! Actually, I'm not directly involved in this project, but since the CEO of this company (it's a garments buying house) is my aunt, she asked me for my suggestions. But I'll ask her to find that out!
But I do know that their day to day data entry is pretty "light"!

The price of that Dell server here (India) is around US$1000 (excluding monitor)

Thanks for your reply!
Cheers
Ovi

[agallag]

We've had all kinds of bad experiences with Dell servers here. I'd highly recommend looking at an equivalent hp/Compaq. Either the tc2120 or the ProLiant ML310 look pretty close in specs and price. I would personally go for the ProLiant. The person responsible for supporting it will thank you.

[ZokesPro]

Originally posted by agallag
The person responsible for supporting it will thank you.

I 100% agree! I've seen a lot of down time on Dell servers, and I've heard only good things about Compaq servers.

[Jupp]

If that application/database is "mission critical" for your aunts' company,
the 1st thing i'd look for would be redundancy (Raid n) for the hdds, and for backup purposes, an additional external storage device (ie. tape).

And ... Compaq Servers are a wise decision.


R.

[thop]

I've only had bad experience with Compaq Servers ... on top of the premium price you pay for absolutely nothing.
Why don't you just build one yourself?

[GNEP]

And from what I'm hearing (my company exclusively uses Compaq), they have some fairly long lead times at Compaq. Or that could just be my company

[Taz]

Originally posted by thop
I've only had bad experience with Compaq Servers ... on top of the premium price you pay for absolutely nothing.
Why don't you just build one yourself?

Uhm, a large was with a dual mobo and scsi card does not a server make

I've replaced loads of clone servers with Compaq's due to the problems they were having, funnily enough the problems left with the old servers

[thop]

Originally posted by Taz
Uhm, a large was with a dual mobo and scsi card does not a server make

Anyway he doesn't need a dual processor nor SCSI so the cheapest solution is to build one himself.

Also if you build one properly you won't run into more problems than with a Compaq server (probably even less), it's not like Compaq puts hardware from the moon or the future into their systems

Their design can be fancy though, i will give them that.

[GNEP]

And from what I'm hearing (my company exclusively uses Compaq), they have some fairly long lead times at Compaq. Or that could just be my company

[RedRed]

Build it yourself.....

Get a board with a Raid 1+0 configuration (and a couple of decent ATA disks), Get a decent Motherboard (tyan Tiger or simmilar), get 1GB of Ram (SQL & IIS with thank you!) and an old G400/G550 Video card..... Unless you have a GIGABIT hub - then dont get one (a 100 Megabit one should be fine).... Get a Tape streamer...I used to sell & Spec & implent a Fashion Stock Control & Epos system (figuresoft.co.uk) in a previous job... You wont need huge grunt AND your aunt wont pay for it! (If my experience is anything to go by).

The stuff about Foxpro is blow all right. I have worked on many migrations (again in my old job) and we could take Jet, FoxPro, Dbase, Btrieve.... Its really just down to doing a bit of work..... They are shurely bluffing....

Foxpro will run on the server anyway, if they dont transfer the data... (might need more RAM though.....) I am fairly sure that SQL server can use the DBF's from Foxpro natively... (not positive about this though). If it cant then it surely will through ODBC....
Foxpro was great, in its day (Whupped DBase4, and Jet I & II) (before M$ bought it!) I remember doing some projects on it when I first left University (1989.....)

[Dilitante1]

scsi is the only way to go for a database as the multiple requests thru ASP pages are gonna thrash that drive to death in no time. An office i temped in a year ago had only 10 max accessing the DB (usually only 6 tho) and we constantly had errors with accessing (info not found) when we knew it WAS there....come to find out it was on a ide hard drive

i suggested the upgrade to scsi on the next PC he ordered to speed up the office. He agreed and was ordering it as I left for another project

the guys i worked with said the new scsi rig was awesome no issues and fast to boot when i followed up with them

[agallag]

Originally posted by GNEP
And from what I'm hearing (my company exclusively uses Compaq), they have some fairly long lead times at Compaq. Or that could just be my company

Depends who your reseller is. Ours is quite large, so they keep stock of pretty much every compaq product. We get our servers within a week most times, even with non-standard configs. Quicker than our dell desktops even.

[agallag]

Originally posted by thop
I've only had bad experience with Compaq Servers ... on top of the premium price you pay for absolutely nothing.
Why don't you just build one yourself?

You can't build anything yourself that would be equivalent to a compaq proliant. Can you find an oem or retail motherboard with a serverworks chipset in your local PC shop? How about a rackmount case with redundant hot-plug fans and power supplies. Hot plug redundant RAM, and PCI cards? Something to replace Insight Manager? Driver packages equivalent to Compaq support packs? I didn't think so...