file server

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tomasz Grobelny
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Tomasz Grobelny

I need to buy a file server for a small company. The requirements are as
follows:
-processor power is propably of negligible importance,
-rack chassis 4U,
-useable disk capacity: min. 500GB (redundant).
Do companies like Dell, HP, Siemens manufacture such devices? All I found
was either in Tower chassis or rack 1U and usually ~100GB of storage.
I also tried to find components to build something like this myself and I
would cost about 2000 euro. Does it make sense to spend more money on
product from a big company to have support (especially when it comes to
hardware)?
 
Tomasz Grobelny said:
I need to buy a file server for a small company. The requirements are as
follows:
-processor power is propably of negligible importance,
-rack chassis 4U,
-useable disk capacity: min. 500GB (redundant).
Do companies like Dell, HP, Siemens manufacture such devices? All I found
was either in Tower chassis or rack 1U and usually ~100GB of storage.
I also tried to find components to build something like this myself and I
would cost about 2000 euro. Does it make sense to spend more money on
product from a big company to have support (especially when it comes to
hardware)?
Click to expand...

"Does it make sense to spend more money on product from a big
company to have support ?"

That depends on how good the local support is. Do they arrive
on time ? Do they swap hardware without thinking about the
source of the problem ? In a sense, contracting out services
is like hiring another employee, without interviewing him/her.

If you have a service company you trust, and who has done good
work for you, there can be real advantages. For one, they may
have more warm bodies to throw at a problem, than the small
company can afford to hire for themselves. If they keep a local
inventory of spare parts, the small business doesn't have to
stock the spares themselves.

Also, consider what happens if two pieces of hardware are
broken on the same day. If you build a server yourself, you
could be swamped with work. If you architect enough
redundancy into your server room, that can take the pain
out of having to service the equipment yourself, but at a much
higher capital cost.

No solution is idea. Each of the options have downsides.
I expect your hardware and computing operating budget will
dictate what the solution can be, and you won't have much
choice in the matter. $$$ comes before common sense :-(
If the budget is tiny, building your own may be the only
choice.

Paul
 
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