[geeks] Rackmount server recommendations

[Lionel Peterson]

> From: Bill Bradford <mrbill at mrbill.net>
> Date: 2004/05/20 Thu PM 01:55:15 GMT
> To: geeks at sunhelp.org
> Subject: [geeks] Rackmount server recommendations
> 
> I need recommendations for rackmount servers.
> 
> I'm in need (well, helping a friend look actually) of a couple of rackmount
> machines, 1/2/3U, preferrably around 1Ghz (but not essential), 512M RAM,
> 10/100 ethernet, IDE disks, CD-ROM.  Need to be able to run RedHat.
> 
> His projected budget is around $500 each.  Unfortunately, eBay is *not* an
> option - I need to be able to point him at a web page and say "buy this and
> that".
> 
> I've looked at Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM, and Penguin Computing.  Any other
> vendors I should be aware of?

Do you get "Processor" - that weekly/bi-weekly used equipment mailer? There are vendors selling new rack mount systems for close to $500, but the configs are very minimal... (I think $650 for 128 Meg, 2 GHz Celeron boxes) there are also many sellers of older rack mount servers, but to be honest, you really need to know your system/model numbers, as all they list is minimal specifications (proc/ram/hd - nothing about size, capacity for drives, etc.)...

The rackmount case alone seems to add about $150 to the price of the system... If you can get by with a desktop case, the world opens up nicely, as desktop systems are not "popular" (people like tower cases)... Of course, if a tower case installed sideways is an option, brand new Dell 400sc poweredge servers are very nice (about $300-350/pop)...