Suggestions for a server build - SBS 2008

[htsource]

Hi,

Currently I'm running SBS 2003 Premium on a DualCore D 945 (3.4GHz) CPU with 3GB RAM. Performance is okay as it's my sand box at home so only 3 users. However, I do run Microsoft Virtual Server and I have 3 virtual images running all the time. One is doing BES so my Blackberry is sync'd with Exchange, the other 2 are for running my home automation software. Not too heavy as far as disk I/O and CPU usage, but they could be better.

Now that I'm planning to upgrade to SBS 2008 running Exchange 2007 and 64-bit, thus RAM upgrade possibly to 4GB or beyond. Thinking of the following:

CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo Quad 9550
Motherboard - undecided but thinking a P45 chipset based with dual-gigabit onboard. RAID is a must as I'm thinking of running RAID0+1 for virtual server

Should I get a Xeon based CPU instead of regular Core 2 Duo? Your thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[Blues]

I don't know the cost difference between a Xeon and a C2D if you are talkin about Quad cores. It is worth a look but the catch may be that you need a more expensive MB for the Xeon. I would also suggest do a RAID5 and save some money.

 

[htsource]

Just some quick browsing, a Xeon type motherboard is around $500 or so, a 1.86GHz Xeon is already $400 with only 4MB cache, not sure if I'm better off the Core2Duo? 12MB cache sounds better to me?

Thanks.

 

[tecmjl1981]

When I build servers I only look at Xeon. It has just been the norm for the past few years for me.

One thing you have to ask yourself when it comes to ram for an exchange server are a few things.

1) what roles are you putting on the server
2) how many mailboxes are you going to host
3) in conjunction with mailboxes how many mail stores are you going to have?

Microsoft has a nice white paper that can help you best figure out a configuration for your exchange 2007 server (but add a few to it, because it does not factor you using SBS2008)

 

[tecmjl1981]

Technet Exchange Sites

here are those websites I had told you about with regard to your exchange server

* Planning Processor Configurations - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa998874.aspx
* Planning Memory Configurations - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb738124.aspx
* Planning Server Role Ratios - http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb738159.aspx

 

[Jory]

The way it sounds is even a Core 2 Quad would be overkill. A Xeon would just be a waste of money.

 

[tecmjl1981]

Re: Suggestiosn for a server build - SBS 2008

Granted if exchange was taken out of the mix it is a bit overkill (but server 2008 is a resource hog anyway). But since the OP is explicitly saying that he wants to run exchange 2007 as well, although it is bundled with SBS 2008, you need to look into what the requirements are for Exchange as well and for hardware it is as follows (taken from Technet)

Processor
# x64 architecture-based computer with Intel processor that supports Intel 64 architecture (formerly known as Intel EM64T)
# AMD processor that supports the AMD64 platform
# Intel Itanium IA64 processors not supported

Memory
# Minimum: 2 gigabytes (GB) of RAM
# Recommended: 2 GB of RAM per server plus 5 megabytes (MB) of RAM per mailbox
# Minimum based on number of storage groups (see link in previous post I have for planning memory configuration)

a core 2 duo would fit into this situation but all the C2D that fall into this range all have a FSB of 800MHz. Where as all the Xeon's go from 1066, 1333 and 1600MHz and the Cache ranging from 8 to 16MB.