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£35K Server budget

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by Halobitt, Dec 6, 2008.

  1. #1
    I considered posting this thread in server administration but it didn't quite seem to fit, just server related.


    What would you spend £35K () on?

    Need to buy for a smallish business:

    6 laptops
    8 Desktops
    Server


    What would you go for? I was thinking of going for some apple machines.

    Penny for your thoughts please. :)
     
    Halobitt, Dec 6, 2008 IP
  2. timsdd

    timsdd Peon

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    #2
    while I can't recommend specific apple machine (as I am not familiar), I like your choice over PC's...I think you'd save considerable $ every year without having to deal with Windows issues!
     
    timsdd, Dec 7, 2008 IP
  3. Halobitt

    Halobitt Well-Known Member

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    #3
    My thinking was that it can run pc and mac software with Parallels, and have the best of both worlds.
     
    Halobitt, Dec 7, 2008 IP
  4. timsdd

    timsdd Peon

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    #4
    that is crazy. So, it says run windows like a shell? ie the entire OS or just windows progs?
     
    timsdd, Dec 7, 2008 IP
  5. Tearabite

    Tearabite Prominent Member

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    #5
    I am a rabbid Mac lover, and up until recently was responsible for ~1,000 PC's where I work.. Usually, as much as i hate to say it, Windows is a better choice for most businesses.. UNLESS you are adept at OS X support & networking..
     
    Tearabite, Dec 7, 2008 IP
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  6. Sohan

    Sohan Peon

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    #6
    £35 Big ones warrant an account manager at Dell (even though they suck).

    I'd personally go with Dell and Vista. I seriously cannot justify Apple for a business - no way. I picked up a max spec laptop for £579 with all the upgrades off my dell account manager. Same spec Mac is like £1,800 for us in the UK.

    It will be a nice tax write-off but seriously, don't go Apple.

    I'd suggest the following:

    6x Studio 15 Laptops with 4Gb Ram and 320Gb hard drives. Whatever processor. I assume this is for working on the move? Not being a desktop replacement. This should set you back around £3k after discounts.

    8x Dell for business precision Desktops with 2-3 22-24" monitors per desktop. This will increase productivity and workflow. Those machines should allow the additional monitors by default. I'd personally get ATLEAST 4Gb of ram per machine and atleast dual core processors. Maybe some ergonomic keyboards and mouses for health and safety reasons. This will set you back £10-15k.

    As for the server, I can recommend the Poweredge line (personally owning a server from it) if you want a tower. I'd probably pick a decent spec Dual Processor, Dual Core machine and add ATLEAST 8Gb ram and have RAID.
     
    Sohan, Dec 7, 2008 IP
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  7. Halobitt

    Halobitt Well-Known Member

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    #7
    Thanks for the replies guys.
    Apple would have you believe that "nontechnical individuals" could setup and run a server. Is that just marketing speak then?
     
    Halobitt, Dec 8, 2008 IP
  8. timsdd

    timsdd Peon

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    #8
    That might be true with the networking and such. All I know is it wasn't until I had fresh installs on my desktop and laptop could one see the other and visa versa!!

    WIN just seems to have a million small to large annoyances like that...do Macs suffer the same fate?
     
    timsdd, Dec 8, 2008 IP
  9. Halobitt

    Halobitt Well-Known Member

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    #9
    Nope, well not that I've noticed. An iMac I had lasted for 6 years, without reinstalling the OS, never had a virus, just could play some realplayer kind of stuff.
     
    Halobitt, Dec 8, 2008 IP
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  10. adishpatel

    adishpatel Banned

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    #10
    Go for XP OS for now as people are still not experienced with Vista. Although some basic explanation might help.
     
    adishpatel, Dec 8, 2008 IP
  11. timsdd

    timsdd Peon

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    #11
    I think the longest I ever went on XP was 2 years :rolleyes:

    right now(for the last week) I am battling a trojan on my LT...yay windows! :rolleyes:
     
    timsdd, Dec 9, 2008 IP
  12. Mia

    Mia R.I.P. STEVE JOBS

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    #12
    It really depends more on what you hope to accomplish. What are you doing exactly? As others have mentioned, you can do everything with a Mac, and only one thing with a PC. The Mac will be the most flexible in terms of offering Windows, either natively or as an emulator. Unix/Linux, and the MacOS.

    Expense? Well, sure, Macs can cost more, but you have to look at the overall cost of ownership.

    As an example. My personal computer at work over nearly 12 years in business.

    I've had 4 Macs. A 7300/180 Beige. The B/W G3 350 (Sawtooth), a G4 dual 1 GHz, (Gray), and now a 24" balls to the wall, fully loaded 2.4GHz Intel based Core 2 Duo with 3GB of ram.

    I spent a lot of money for my Macs, but in 12 years got 4 years out of each one. As an example, everywhere we've had a PC in use as a workstation, we've replaced every 2 years, with upgrades in between. Cost wise, we've spent less per PC, but more in the continual purchase, and subsequent ridiculous licensing costs.

    Overall life, and cost of ownership, the Mac has won.

    Now, I say again, what are you doing with these? If you are in a graphics, video, environment, I still think the Mac is king. It is and can be in other areas, but if you are playing with Excell and Word all day, something as ugly and mundane as a PC is quite suffice.

    In my work environment I need to be able to bounce between unix, Mac and Windows routinely both in a supportive and administrative capacity. That said, my Intel based Mac does that for me quite nicely without having to have more than one puter on my desk.

    Same applies for your server. I'd say depending on what you are doing, more often than not a Linux based solution used with PC parts you build yourself offers the lowest cost of ownership, and most flexibility. Again, depends on what you are doing. If you need Exchange, etc.,... Well, Windows is the way to go. The Mac servers? Well, I'm not a big fan of them for several reasons I don't care to go into. If you want a Mac server, buy a non-x serve mac and run the MacOSX OS and go from there. Everything that Server has is there, you just need to know how to use it. You can install other things that are not, if you need them.

    Cost wise the Mac is not that much more initially. I'd say 20% more possible in worst case, maybe 25% more. But then again, I base this primarily on the build your own solution on the PC end. If you buy things commerically say from HP/Dell, etc., you could potentially spend just as much, especially when purchasing the server. As an example, I've seen people buy server solutions on the PC end and pay $5000.00 for something we could build here for under $2,000.00. These places are ripping people off IMO.

    Ultimately the decision you make will depend on your use. What are you doing with these machines? Couple that with what you feel comfortable working with, what you feel will be most compatible with the people you have using them, the customers you have to interact with and the software packages you will use.

    Finally, consider leasing. Apple and CDW paritcularily have some great lease programs. Leasing also allows you to continue to take certain tax advantages over time. Use that cash for something else and take the lease payments out of cash flow over time.

    Hope this helps.
     
    Mia, Dec 12, 2008 IP