Building a compooter

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Cucurbita wrote on 2012-02-27 23:48

You are to design a computer workstation system from dell's website. In particular you should design a system based off the Dell Precision T3500 Workstation. The direct link to the custom configuration is: T3500

This site contains many items on which you need to make a selection, including CPU, Memory, and Harddrive. When you are done making your selections, select the Print Summary link and simply print out a copy of your selections.

Then in addition to the dell printout, you should attach another sheet where you defend your choices. Let me know why you picked the ones you did. Note that I am not giving you a set amount of money to spend, but that simply picking the best of everything and driving up the price may not be the best option either. You want to make your case that you are getting the most for your dollar. You may assume that this workstation will be used as a webserver in your organization.

So, I don't know jack shit about building a webserver. Anyone interested in helping me out with this assignment? Pretty much need the spec choices and why its appropriate for the job its intended.
Akemii wrote on 2012-02-28 00:43

And now we play the waiting game... The waiting for Yoorah to get here.
Cucurbita wrote on 2012-02-28 00:50

Quote from Akemii;788884:
And now we play the waiting game... The waiting for Yoorah to get here.

Or Osayidan, or someone. Isn't this like, his field or something.

I have about 2 hours. I guess I'll google around a bit for information but thanks to all the self proclaimed hardware specialists who happen to be just really loud and obnoxious fanboys, I'll probably be unable to find any good info.

I could just pick all the most expensive options I guess, and justify their needs one way or another.
Yoorah wrote on 2012-02-28 01:41

Let's see...

85% efficient PSU = Added cost is justified by power savings, since the thing will be on 24/7.

Windows 7 Pro = good enough, don't really need Ultimate's features, and XP mode is available on 7 pro/ult regardless of what's listed on the Dell site.

Energy Efficiency Option = idk, depends on how good Dell's implementation is. You could argue that you want it, since it'll conserve power and that will help reduce the cost of operating the server.

Six Core IntelÂ® XeonÂ® Processor W3670 = more expensive than the default, but 6 cores > 4 cores, and core count is important for servers (unlike in gaming), since servers software like webservers are multithreaded, serves multiple users at the same time, etc. The most expensive option is useless because it's still 6 cores, but with a slightly higher clock freq.. not much benefit from that.

Software = don't need.

Hardware support = either argue that you don't need the expensive plan if you have skilled IT people in the company, or argue that you don't have your own IT folks in the company who'd be able to fix it, so get a more pricey plan then.

Memory = more stuff to think about:
1) You want the 3DIMM options. That means only 3/6 RAM slots are used, and so you could have space for an upgrade later, if need be.
2) You can argue that 6GB is enough for a web server. Especially if it's just a local server for the corporate network, and not a public access server.
...or you can claim that the server might get public access and/or you might want to host stuff in addition to websites on it, so you'd want more RAM, so the 12GB 3DIMM option might be worth it.

Graphics = leave at minimum, don't need it.

Display port thing = useless

Antivirus = whatever, you decide

Hard drive config: C9, All SATA, RAID 5 for 3 Hard Drives [Included in Price]
You want RAID 5 support for reliability and performance, basically.
This means you'll need to order 3 drives. (or 1 boot drive + 3 drives for RAID?)
My RAID knowledge for servers is pretty meh, so I dunno if my setup is 100% correct.. but whatever.
Akemii wrote on 2012-02-28 01:44

You have my Rep, sir.
Cucurbita wrote on 2012-02-28 02:11

Quote from Yoorah;788990:
Let's see...

85% efficient PSU = Added cost is justified by power savings, since the thing will be on 24/7.

Windows 7 Pro = good enough, don't really need Ultimate's features, and XP mode is available on 7 pro/ult regardless of what's listed on the Dell site.

Energy Efficiency Option = idk, depends on how good Dell's implementation is. You could argue that you want it, since it'll conserve power and that will help reduce the cost of operating the server.

Six Core IntelÂ® XeonÂ® Processor W3670 = more expensive than the default, but 6 cores > 4 cores, and core count is important for servers (unlike in gaming), since servers software like webservers are multithreaded, serves multiple users at the same time, etc. The most expensive option is useless because it's still 6 cores, but with a slightly higher clock freq.. not much benefit from that.

Software = don't need.

Hardware support = either argue that you don't need the expensive plan if you have skilled IT people in the company, or argue that you don't have your own IT folks in the company who'd be able to fix it, so get a more pricey plan then.

Memory = more stuff to think about:
1) You want the 3DIMM options. That means only 3/6 RAM slots are used, and so you could have space for an upgrade later, if need be.
2) You can argue that 6GB is enough for a web server. Especially if it's just a local server for the corporate network, and not a public access server.
...or you can claim that the server might get public access and/or you might want to host stuff in addition to websites on it, so you'd want more RAM, so the 12GB 3DIMM option might be worth it.

Graphics = leave at minimum, don't need it.

Display port thing = useless

Antivirus = whatever, you decide

Hard drive config: C9, All SATA, RAID 5 for 3 Hard Drives [Included in Price]
You want RAID 5 support for reliability and performance, basically.
This means you'll need to order 3 drives. (or 1 boot drive + 3 drives for RAID?)
My RAID knowledge for servers is pretty meh, so I dunno if my setup is 100% correct.. but whatever.

Thanks. I already wrote up the thing and its pretty close to what I had. My googling showed CPU wasn't really that important though... Well a little too late but it seems I got most of it right.
BobYoMeowMeow wrote on 2012-02-28 04:42

Quote from The Hero Luka;788896:
Or Osayidan, or someone. Isn't this like, his field or something.

I have about 2 hours. I guess I'll google around a bit for information but thanks to all the self proclaimed hardware specialists who happen to be just really loud and obnoxious fanboys, I'll probably be unable to find any good info.

I could just pick all the most expensive options I guess, and justify their needs one way or another.

It's like Osayidan's job
elumini wrote on 2012-02-28 04:44

Servers always need CPU power to handle the massive amount of data. CPU and RAM. Graphics card isnt needed since it doesnt need visuals.
Cucurbita wrote on 2012-02-28 04:54

Quote from Yoorah;788990:
Graphics = leave at minimum, don't need it.

Quote from elumini;789275:
Graphics card isnt needed since it doesnt need visuals.

Actually, if the organization doesn't know what they're doing, you can always get a killer graphic card and mine some bit coins out of them :D
elumini wrote on 2012-02-28 04:58

Who still mines for Bitcoins with the economy as it is today? ;P

I havent done it for so long, and my desktop's HDD is grinding so its as good as dead. The HD6870 I have on it will have to bite the dust till I get a new SATA HDD.
Cucurbita wrote on 2012-02-28 05:25

Quote from elumini;789319:
Who still mines for Bitcoins with the economy as it is today? ;P

Someone who doesn't pay for the killer graphic card and all the electricity its going to use up.
Osayidan wrote on 2012-02-28 10:33

Well the first thing to do if you need to defend your choices for getting the most for your money is to tell the guy that you wouldn't go with one of these for a web server to begin with. You're wasting money on the mandatory graphics card, not to mention power usage if it'll be on 24/7. The default card in there MSRPs at around 150$ and there's no option to remove it, because it's a workstation, not a server.

In that price range with Dell you'd go for a poweredge R210 II, and since he doesn't specify what kind of load it'll have you can give it moderate specs, and save even more money using a Linux OS for your web server.

Put in the cheapest quad core xeon, 4 gigs (or 8 gigs, 2x4), and you can get 3x 500 GB laptop drives in raid 5 for your data and a single drive for OS. Those drives aren't on the configurator but if you call dell they'll do it. The RAID options also aren't there, but you don't ever use the raid config they do for you anyways. You do it yourself once you get the server. If you wanna be extra safe you'll add in vmware ESXi (not available from dell, but it's free from vmware) as a virtualization layer to make it very easy to backup, clone, test stuff and restore. If you do go with ESXi then you buy a USB stick to install it on, Dell motherboards have a slot directly on them (inside the chasis) specifically for this purpose.

Then you order it from me because I get it for about 600$ cheaper than what that web page is showing you.

Hopefully he's one of those open minded teachers who expects you to not follow everything he says to the letter (especially if this is an IT class), though it's too late anyways since I was at work when you posted that.
Sapphireoath wrote on 2012-02-29 13:50

Quote from The Hero Luka;789306:
Actually, if the organization doesn't know what they're doing, you can always get a killer graphic card and mine some bit coins out of them :D

Whats Bitcoin mining exactly? (I know what Bitcoins are...sort of)
elumini wrote on 2012-02-29 21:05

Think of it like virtual currency....that has to be made from software using your own resources to create and code bitcoins. Once one is finished, it can be sold off to the Bitcoin market. The goal I think was around 2.1 million Bitcoins? I havent been around the scene too long to remember. Once the goal is met, there will be no more mining and everything in the Bitcoin market will mostly be trades/purchases using that particular virtual currency with sites that authorize it.