Question Advises for new server build under 1000EUR

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luckyace9999

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Sep 11, 2019
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Hello guys,

A friend just asked me my input in a server he is building for his office.

The parts he sent me are in here:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qsCXbh

Add 150EUR to the total for the operating system.

What do you think of the motherboard and the CPU?
Regarding RAM, 3200Mhz is good for a server? And by experience, do you think 16GB is enough?
And for storage, maybe an SSD with more read/write speeds can be an advantage in a server?

Thank you,
Lucky
 
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luckyace9999 said:
Hello guys,

A friend just asked me my input in a server he is building for his office.

The parts he sent me are in here:
https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qsCXbh

What do you think of the motherboard and the CPU?
Regarding RAM, 3200Mhz is good for a server? And by experience, do you think 16GB is enough?
And for storage, maybe an SSD with more read/write speeds can be an advantage in a server?

Thank you,
Lucky
Click to expand...
The first question to ask is "What is this server supposed to do? "
Next "What is the backup plan?"
Third "Where is the cost of the OS?"

Without some basic questions like this answered there is no valid way to pick hardware.
 
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kanewolf said:
The first question to ask is "What is this server supposed to do? "
Next "What is the backup plan?"
Third "Where is the cost of the OS?"

Without some basic questions like this answered there is no valid way to pick hardware.
Click to expand...

The server is a storage for all other computers (7 computers max) where documents are opened, copied and backuped.
My friend was thinking in RAID with both 500GB SSD's - i'm not sure if i'm answering correctly here.

Thank you for reminding me of the OS! The OS is 150EUR (i'll edit my first post too)
 
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luckyace9999 said:
The server is a storage for all other computers (7 computers max) where documents are opened, copied and backuped.
My friend was thinking in RAID with both 500GB SSD's - i'm not sure if i'm answering correctly here.

Thank you for reminding me of the OS! The OS is 150EUR (i'll edit my first post too)
Click to expand...
I would recommend a commercial NAS unit from Synology or QNAP. They have made them plug and play. Put some disks in, power them up, do some basic setup. DONE. You are up and running in hours. Build your own is never as simple. For a business go with the turn-key approach IMO.

If this is just for network storage, SSDs won't benefit your friend. The performance is limited by the network.
 
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Hi guys,

I am very sorry for taking so long replying to this. I didn't know NAS (and its HDD's), so i searched the two brands you told me, and told my friend about it. My initial sentences are not correct - the server is for file sharing yes, but it must have two windows applications installed and running, being accessed not so frequently via remote desktop inside the network.

I am having dificulties chosing a CPU and motherboard - can you help me here?
The price range for those 2 parts are 200-300EUR.

Thank you.
And again, sorry for the late response,

Lucky
 
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USAFRet said:
And that is why questions from out here are so critical.

A commercial NAS is still probably the answer.
You can run a Windows instance in a VirtualMachine, that sits on the NAS box.
They have that functionality built in.
Click to expand...

That's interesting!
Do you think the virtual Windows 10 will run "Primavera" software with SQL Server?
 
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luckyace9999 said:
That's interesting!
Do you think the virtual Windows 10 will run "Primavera" software with SQL Server?
Click to expand...
Almost certainly, yes.
It is a full fledged Windows instance, just running in a VM.

I've had Windows Server2012 and 2016, hosting Sharepoint farms, connecting to them from Windows 7 and 10 clients. All running in simultaneous individual VM's, hosted on the same single physical system sitting on my desk.
Could just as easily have been hosted in my QNAP NAS box.

You'll have to know the hardware requirements for the Primavera and its SQLServer, to know what resources to grant to the VM.
 
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One of the built in appliances on my QNAP:
FG69Lty.png
 
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Thank you for sharing your experience. I searched for software requirements of "Primavera SBSS" and found nothing of use. I suppose the minimum requirements for Windows 10 are enough for Primavera but i don't know for sure...

In light of this i think you're right and the NAS with windows VM is the way to go. I will talk to my friend about this but i am afraid he will chose the conventional solution of a complete build for the server. He is afraid of the unkown, and i understand him :)

I will update this thread with new information from him.
Thanks again!
 
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Good morning everyone,

I talked to him and he is chosing a complete build instead of a NAS.
My opinion, and what i told him is that a NAS could serve him better; but he has a person that gives him support for the other computers in his office, and that person doesn't work with NAS.

As i never had a NAS, i couldn't assure him with certainty that the software he wants to run would run on the NAS without loss of perfomance and/or other issues.

With this in mind, i need to pick him a CPU and a motherboard to complete his build - can you help me here guys?

Many thanks for all the help!

Lucky
 
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If you need alot of power i would suggest a dual socket 2011-3 xeon e5 2678 v3 configuration, it supports ddr3 and dd4, they can be turbo unlocked so that you can maximize performance 24 cores 48 threads, ecc ram, and supports around 512-768gb ram per cpu, if you dont need that kind of power and just want something energy efficient then get something like the xeon e5 12xx v2 which have 4 cores and 8 threads (avoid the e5 1220 or 1225 cpus since they dont have hyperthreading) and when you do undervolt them (via bios or throttlestop) then they will consume aprox around the tdp +-20w
 
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USAFRet said:
Did you even read the rest of the thread?

The most intensive thing it does is to run an instance of Primavera ERP, for 2 users.
Click to expand...
Oh and i thought the program might be heavy, optimally you can use an e5 1230/35 v2 because it has 4 cores and 8 threads and has a pretty low power consumption, but honestly you can get away with a core 2 quad just that the core 2 quad will consume alot more power.
 
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USAFRet said:
Seeing as it will run in 32bit Win 8.1 or 10...."heavy" is not a word I'd use with this.
Click to expand...
If its that light then might as well get a dual core instead, i reccomend a pentium e57/5800 if you want to build something as cheap as possible since those cpus can usually oc past 4ghz pretty easily because srsly 1000 euros just to run a 32 bit os???? Are you out of your mind!?!?!? Or is it a virtualized os?
 
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idkwhattonamethisacc said:
If its that light then might as well get a dual core instead, i reccomend a pentium e57/5800 if you want to build something as cheap as possible since those cpus can usually oc past 4ghz pretty easily because srsly 1000 euros just to run a 32 bit os???? Are you out of your mind!?!?!? Or is it a virtualized os?
Click to expand...
It CAN run in a 32bit OS.
That does not mean he IS going to do that.
 
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USAFRet said:
And that's why professionals start with requirements analysis.
Instead of glomming on to the word 'server', and assuming it needs to be a monster.
Click to expand...
Im not a proffesional, just some kid with an lga 775 test/overclock bench. But if this server isnt gonna run anything heavy then why not a pentium e5800? Or ryzen threadripper 3990x (or was it wx)
 
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