Small Business Server

[Knightsman]

So, why is it bad to build your own server? Just thinking of cost savings for the customer. Building it with beefy parts, Server Processors and motherboard, inc memory.

Is it really that bad to build one? If all the hardware has at least a 3 yr warranty, is there really a risk? Def if you have the customer contract and can get the parts replaced quickly if need be.

[ComputerStop]

Ive come to notice that I can get pre-built servers and upgrade them for much cheaper than I can build from scratch.

1 Example: just purchased a Dell T100 on sale for 379, adding some RAM to put it to 4GB, and a 1TB hdd for storage. Overall investment on hardware is about $600, where a similarly speced server would have cost about 850 for a custom build.

[Martyn]

And with Dell's site it is very easy to customise it online.

[MobileTechie]

I don't think it is bad to build your own server as long as you know what you're doing and have factored in the risk/cost of offering support/warranty on what you've built.

However most people seem to decide that it's cheaper to buy a Dell or whatever and let them shoulder the h/w risk

[Knightsman]

Originally Posted by ComputerStop

Ive come to notice that I can get pre-built servers and upgrade them for much cheaper than I can build from scratch.

1 Example: just purchased a Dell T100 on sale for 379, adding some RAM to put it to 4GB, and a 1TB hdd for storage. Overall investment on hardware is about $600, where a similarly speced server would have cost about 850 for a custom build.

Wow, ok this is where I had my hardware for the custom server priced at. Where did you get that sale price at?

[ComputerStop]

Originally Posted by Knightsman

Wow, ok this is where I had my hardware for the custom server priced at. Where did you get that sale price at?

Here is one at $399 http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/po...poweredge-t110

Im a gold partner with dell so I recieve at least 3% off all purchases, and free shipping on most orders.

[Knightsman]

Wow, I had no idea they were that cheap. I'm just now getting into this, I have read so much on how to do it, now I just want to practice, this might just make that easy!

I dont like how you have to buy a hard drive with that one. I would want more than 1 to setup raid, and they overprice them.

[dipper]

Originally Posted by Knightsman

So, why is it bad to build your own server? Just thinking of cost savings for the customer. Building it with beefy parts, Server Processors and motherboard, inc memory.

Is it really that bad to build one? If all the hardware has at least a 3 yr warranty, is there really a risk? Def if you have the customer contract and can get the parts replaced quickly if need be.

It really depends upon the specs and the "risks" you want to take.

I recently specced up a mid sized whitebox and an equivalent HP server. In the whitebox I included a spare motherboard and was still a few thousand cheaper than the HP.

[Tony_Scarpelli]

Originally Posted by Knightsman

So, why is it bad to build your own server? Just thinking of cost savings for the customer. Building it with beefy parts, Server Processors and motherboard, inc memory.

Is it really that bad to build one? If all the hardware has at least a 3 yr warranty, is there really a risk? Def if you have the customer contract and can get the parts replaced quickly if need be.

I have custom built every server I have ever sold. I have never had a problem with any of them. Often I have built them cheaper than I could order from HP with nearly identical hardware.

I don't think it is bad. Also it could be easier for you to source parts to repair it down the line a few years as all the parts are standard parts.