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Need help quoting a server!!

daveybrat

daveybrat

Elite Member
Super Moderator
So i've got a customer that's looking for a new high-end server.

Required specs:

Dual Intel 8-Core Xeon's (dual socket board)

64GB Ram

Supermicro 24 bay hot swap 4u case

Wants to use SAS hard drives

He'll install his own version of the OS.

Thanks! 🙂
 
Are you looking for component recommendations, labor price recommendations, or what? Plus, as a general rule, I'd never do a custom server build for a customer. HP/Dell with a service plan and call it good.
 
I agree with Xavier on this one. In general most folks recommend going with an OEM like HP or Dell. It's just not worth the additional costs that you will likely incur if you support it yourself.
 
I recently ordered a few Dell PowerEdge R730s. 24xcpus and 64 GB DDR4. I went all enterprise SSD on the drives. Cost a lot but the power and speed are amazing. I also recommend going this route instead of custom building one. This way most of the support falls on one company. The SSD drives really make a difference.
 
A 3rd/4th vote for Dell/HP. Pretty much most of what I have heard on Supermicro is not great. They probably make an ok product, but it just isn't worth the effort to bypass Dell/HP. The support is better, and the hardware is truly enterprise class vs the stuff from Supermicro.
 
Well the thing is, my company has custom built servers for this company for years. But they've typically been lower end than what he now wants.

I'm up to date on all of the current hardware but unfortunately most of the motherboard reviews are not very good.

Also i now have to deal with DDR4 memory and compatibility issues. It's kind of a nightmare to quote the system and i'd rather pass it on to Dell/HP.

But the boss wants to make money on it so i'm kind of stuck.
 
daveybrat said:
Well the thing is, my company has custom built servers for this company for years. But they've typically been lower end than what he now wants.

I'm up to date on all of the current hardware but unfortunately most of the motherboard reviews are not very good.

Also i now have to deal with DDR4 memory and compatibility issues. It's kind of a nightmare to quote the system and i'd rather pass it on to Dell/HP.

But the boss wants to make money on it so i'm kind of stuck.
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Then make sure you bid it so you don't lose money... 😉 If the customer knows what he's asking for, they will understand... or they will call Dell.
 
mvbighead said:
A 3rd/4th vote for Dell/HP. Pretty much most of what I have heard on Supermicro is not great. They probably make an ok product, but it just isn't worth the effort to bypass Dell/HP. The support is better, and the hardware is truly enterprise class vs the stuff from Supermicro.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that SuperMicro sells most of its hardware to smaller system integrators and resellers (older Compellent SANs were SuperMicro hardware, for instance. Also, iXSystems NAS products) who then support it.

You _can_ buy "truly enterprise class" stuff from Supermicro, but most individual consumers are getting the lower-end gear and prosumer/workstation stuff. Or the non-ECC, consumer-CPU server motherboards that are intended for micro-servers.
 
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daveybrat said:
Well the thing is, my company has custom built servers for this company for years. But they've typically been lower end than what he now wants.

I'm up to date on all of the current hardware but unfortunately most of the motherboard reviews are not very good.

Also i now have to deal with DDR4 memory and compatibility issues. It's kind of a nightmare to quote the system and i'd rather pass it on to Dell/HP.

But the boss wants to make money on it so i'm kind of stuck.
Click to expand...

I mean, if your boss wants you to do something you don't have experience in and aren't comfortable integrating for the customer, then that's really unfortunate for you, your customer, and your boss (even though he doesn't know it yet). IMHO your boss is setting his company up to lose a customer.
 
mfenn said:
I mean, if your boss wants you to do something you don't have experience in and aren't comfortable integrating for the customer, then that's really unfortunate for you, your customer, and your boss (even though he doesn't know it yet). IMHO your boss is setting his company up to lose a customer.
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THIS.

I went through a similar thing in the past. We quoted a system we weren't familiar. After several phases of replacing incompatible parts, the customer returned the whole lot and went with a different vendor. Sales then blames the tech people for the bad config despite the tech people recommending not to do the config in the first place. You don't want to have that conversation.
 
XavierMace said:
THIS.

I went through a similar thing in the past. We quoted a system we weren't familiar. After several phases of replacing incompatible parts, the customer returned the whole lot and went with a different vendor. Sales then blames the tech people for the bad config despite the tech people recommending not to do the config in the first place. You don't want to have that conversation.
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Yep. If it isn't in your daily wheel house, you probably shouldn't even attempt it.

I have no issues with guys building a desktop even if a Dell/Hp/whatever is a better buy. But servers are just not something to 'dabble' into.

However, if you do, this would be an ok start:

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xxHct6
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/xxHct6/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2630 V3 2.4GHz 8-Core OEM/Tray Processor ($619.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2630 V3 2.4GHz 8-Core OEM/Tray Processor ($619.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper T4 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper T4 70.0 CFM Rifle Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: Asus Z10PA-D8 ATX Dual-CPU LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($371.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (1 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($150.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (1 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($150.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (1 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($150.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (1 x 16GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory ($150.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $2255.91
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-06-25 04:07 EDT-0400

EDIT: No idea if that cooler will work, but the site says it does.
 
I wouldn't use ASUS Motherboards for a serious Dual Socket Workstation, specially since they had rather bad parts in the past (Look for the Z7S-WS and their dying VRMs). For the do-it-yourself crowd that doesn't want to go OEM yet wants to stay as serious as possible, Supermicro fits the bill. I don't know how they compare to OEMs if you purchase a full Server instead of just a barebone or separated parts.
 
If you don't do it very often, just spec out a dell server, they're pretty solid.

If you do have experience, build up a supermicro, my guess is you could possibly bank 10-15% more then purchasing a dell.

But other questions come up, will you warranty it? Will they be expecting 4 hour return on part failures?
 
There should be a way to get parts on very short notice, especially motherboards and HDDs. I keep quite a few HDDs around, but mobos are a different story. Keeping a spare on hand for a dual socket server is a rather expensive insurance policy, but possibly a life saver. Depends on how much of that cost can be baked into the job.
 
crashtech said:
There should be a way to get parts on very short notice, especially motherboards and HDDs. I keep quite a few HDDs around, but mobos are a different story. Keeping a spare on hand for a dual socket server is a rather expensive insurance policy, but possibly a life saver. Depends on how much of that cost can be baked into the job.
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Of course there is, but it depends on what the expectations are, something he needs to figure out.
 
Thanks for all of the replies guys, it's greatly appreciated. I may have to just turn this job down as i don't really feel comfortable enough with it at this time.

The Supermicro and Asus boards i was looking at all seem to have some quirks that i don't want to deal with. 🙂
 
daveybrat said:
Thanks for all of the replies guys, it's greatly appreciated. I may have to just turn this job down as i don't really feel comfortable enough with it at this time.

The Supermicro and Asus boards i was looking at all seem to have some quirks that i don't want to deal with. 🙂
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:
 
mfenn said:
Counter-counter-point: don't play with other people's money, do that on your own dime. The customer is paying for a working product, not to train their integrator's employees.
Click to expand...
I never meant to imply that full disclosure shouldn't apply; some business partners place value on the personal relationships developed by working with local talent.
 
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