hardware: new server choice

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hardware: new server choice

JB-117464

Ten Centuries

Points: 1279
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November 29, 2005 at 10:05 am

#88584

I have been asked to spec a new server to be used for SQL server 2000/2005 standard edition, one custom built app (which requires ~1GB ram when it is running for a few hours per day) and PAF (postal recongition) software. I have helped suggest hardware specs at previous companies but the budget has been substantially larger (i.e. fibre channel SANs). I dont have a fixed budget as such but anything obviously excessive would be blocked. I guess a guide figure would be £5000 inc software licenses. I would really appreciate a guide on manufacturers (dell is used elsewhere in the company but have used HP before) and some minimum levels for cpu cache, memory no. cpu, disks etc. sql usage will be limited to 2/3 DB initially increasing over time. the biggest DB will be about 25 million records with weekly transactions to several 100k at once. As a sub-query i was considering using a single CPU for sql to reduce licensing costs and free cpu cycles for other apps. is this a good idea?

thanks in advance

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Brian Munier SSCrazy Points: 2875 More actions · Answer 1

My one suggestion as far as CPU goes, dual would probably be better.

My reasoning is that since the machine will be hosting other apps, you will probably want to be able to split the load so SQL server can play nicer with the other apps. SQL Server wants a CPU available when it wants one and it would have a better shot with two cpu running.

Here is a question to ask the powers that be, how critical to your business is this server? Can it stop working for a day, week, month, year? What is the impact if the app takes 6, 12, 18, or 24 hours to run? If it is business critical, then you better think about how to protect it with hardware, off-line backups, etc. The business needs should dictate the available money.

Good luck

Rudyx - the Doctor SSC-Forever Points: 43695 More actions · Answer 2

It sounds like a case of champagne tastes on a beer budget to me. £5000 is less than 10k US. But anyhow, it sounds like you mught be able to get an HP DL-370/380 (tower/rack) with DUAL 3+Gh Xeon CPUs with 4 Gb of RAM and 4-6 15k rpm 36 Gb disks for that price. But, then there's the licensing costs of Windows, SQL and your other applications. Depending on the SQL licensing mode it could be rather expensive. Good Luck !!!

RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

lholman SSCrazy Points: 2810 More actions · Answer 3

jb,

i must agree with Brian, the business needs should always dictate the available money.

to give you an idea of the budget you will need and to give you a strong arguement to management I would suggest the following:

- Speak to your software licensing suppliers and give them a number of scenarios (e.g. single processor with processor licensing, dual processor with user CAL's etc) so you can predict licensing costs, these often drive what budget you then have available for hardware. (A word of warning, I am assuming you're from the UK like myself? Today Microsoft launched their new SQL Server licensing to all suppliers, most probably with a dramatic increase in cost, like they did back in Oct, this new licensing obviously now covers SQL 2005, be sure to be certain what you need i.e. Per processor licensing, or Server + User | Device Cals? Also be sure to get prices for SQL 2000 with Software Assurance which would give you free upgrade to SQL 2005, as well as costs for SQL 2005 which would allow you to run SQL 2000 for a realistic amount of time, you may find there are savings to be made there).

- Once you have worked out your different software licensing costs spec your hardware up around the available remaining budget, I usually try and do 3 quotes, concentrating on the middle one as the required solution, therefore management can make an informed decision! 9 times out of 10 the manager will always go for option 2, i.e. good balance of cost/performance/scalability etc, i love mind games. i have used DELL in the past and found the "Customise and buy" area of their website very useful for getting those initial hardware costs, http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/compare.aspx/rack_optimized?c=uk&l=en&s=pad select the type of server product (i.e. rack, blade tower etc) select a server and start adding and removing bits.

once you've had a chance to define some kind of budget, if you need a hand with licensing guidelines (SQL and OS) or hardware specs then there are plently of discussions on here or we should be able to help a bit more.

ll