Sata or SCSI? Worth the extra $$$ for scsi?

[akshatp]

I am building an Exchange server for a small business client/friend of mine and they have 4 employees. The server will be running all the time.

My question is it really worth the extra dollars for a SCSI RAID controlled and SCSI drives?

Right now, his current exchange server is running on a Dell Precision Workstation with a single SCSI Seagate drive, and has been running for 4 years now with no problems.

I dont want to make him spend an extra 1000 dollars or so if it isnt really necessary. i was thinking a two SATA drive configuration running RAID 1 should be okay? I doubt both drives would ever fail at the same time.

Thoughts?

 

[SecretShadow]

One of my servers at work has an Apple Xserve connected to it. SATA drives and its pretty fast. Probably overkill for your needs.

I'd rather take the cost of a 2 drive SCSI mirror and make it a 3 or 4 drive SATA stripe set with parity.....maybe those WD Raptors? Your amount of users doesn't warrant the SCSI.

 

[Mikey]

this is the wrong forum. you'll get better tech advice by posting in the general hardware section. how much are you looking to spend? sata drives can come really cheap, and scsi drives can come REALLY expensive.

 

[akshatp]

Thanks shadow.. I think i will go with the setup you mentioned... Hopefully Dell offers those drives.

 

[SecretShadow]

Originally posted by: akshatp
Thanks shadow.. I think i will go with the setup you mentioned... Hopefully Dell offers those drives.

If they don't, order a baseline server and add the drives yourself? I'm not incredibly familiar with Dell's server offerings.

 

[akshatp]

Dell doesnt tell you what kind of drives they are putting in, but with the hot swap option I am comfortable going with there drives. If one fails, system is still up and I can get another drive and switch it out before others fail