[OPLINTECH] How much server: 1 or 2 CPUs?

[Phil Shirley]

I'm trying to figure out "how much server" I need, and I would be 
grateful for any comments. Below is information about what it will be 
used for, and the basics of the two quotes I've gotten. Basically, I'm 
trying to decide if I need two CPUs or if one will do. Based on the 
quotes I've gotten, going with 2 CPUs means getting a different model of 
server which means the cost goes up by 2/3; I'm not sure it's worth 
that, though I can see the wisdom of providing for future needs.

This will be our main Windows server; I plan on getting Server 2012 on 
it. It will serve as a domain controller and file server for our 34 
staff computers. (Our public computers are on a separate segment of the 
network, and not in the domain.)

It will also run these the management end of these things:

-- Librarica's Cassie to manage printouts and logins to 40 public 
Internet computers and 12 public catalog computers (not in the domain)

-- Kaspersky for antivirus, etc., on all computers

-- Deep Freeze for public computers

I have a quote from Dell for this:

PowerEdge R320
Intel Xeon E5-2407 2.20GHz, 10M Cache, 6.4GT/s (quad core)
8 GB RAM (2 of these: 4GB RDIMM, 1333 MT/s )
4 TB HDD space in RAID 5 (4 of these: 1TB 7.2K RPM SATA 3Gbps 3.5in 
Hot-plug Hard Drive)
PERC H310 Integrated RAID Controller

Somebody told me that this single CPU wouldn't be enough in the long run 
and encouraged me to get two, so I got a second quote from Dell:

PowerEdge R520
Intel Xeon E5-2407 2.20GHz, 10M Cache, 6.4GT/s QPI (2 of these)
8 GB RAM (2 of these: 4GB RDIMM, 1333 MT/s)
4 TB HDD space in RAID 5 (4 of these: 1TB 7.2K RPM Near-Line SAS 6Gbps 
3.5in Hot-plug Hard Drive)
PERC H310 Integrated RAID Controller

The price for the second one is considerably more (1.67 times the first 
one), and I'm not convinced I need that.

I don't expect to be putting a lot more load on this server in the next 
few years by adding lots of workstations and software; I think the main 
need for increased resources in the future will come from loading new 
versions of Windows Server.

Any thoughts?

Phil
-- 

Phil Shirley
Technology Services Coordinator
Cuyahoga Falls Library
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
330-928-2117, ext. 109
pshirley at CuyahogaFallsLibrary dot org

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