I'm looking at a Dell 6450, but I'm curious as I'm also looking at a 2550. I am looking for two servers, 1 for SQL Server 2K and one for web.

What's better, Dual 700Mhz XEON's with 2GB RAM or Dual 1.13Mgz PIII's with 2GB RAM?

I notice the 6450 only does XEON, but that's only 700Mhz, vice I can pump up the Hz in the 2550. And the 2550 is $4K cheaper for the relatively same setup, although I know the 6450 has much more expandability, but it's really a matter of green stamps.

Here is my config for the two, tell me what you think:

Dell 6450:

TOTAL QUOTE AMOUNT: $10,674.73
Product Subtotal: $10,110.00
Tax: $459.73
Shipping & Handling: $105.00
Shipping Method: Ground Total Number of System Groups: 1

GROUP: 1 QUANTITY: 1 SYSTEM PRICE: $10,110.00 GROUP TOTAL: $10,110.00

Base Unit:
Dell PowerEdge 6450, 700MHz/1M Cache,PIIIX, Redundant Power Supplies (220-0662)

Processor:
Dell PowerEdge 64X0,700MHz,1MBSecond Processor,Factory Install (311-0831)

Memory:
2GB RAM,4 X 512MB Registered DIMMs,for Dell PowerEdge 6400/6450,Factory Install (311-4113)

Keyboard:
No Keyboard Option (310-3281)

Monitor:
No Monitor Option (320-0058)

Hard Drive:
36GB,Hard Drive,U160M,10K, PowerEdge 6400,QTM (340-6726)

Hard Drive Controller:
PERC3,DC,128MB,1 Internal & 1 External Channels,With Documentation (340-2488)

Floppy Disk Drive:
1.44MB,3.5",Floppy Drive, for Dell PowerEdge Servers, Factory Install (340-6209)

Operating System:
No Operating System for Dell PowerEdge Servers, OTHER (420-4106)

Operating System:
Dell OpenManage Kit,32-Bit (310-1261)

Mouse:
Mouse Option None (310-0024)

NIC:
Intel Pro 100 Plus,Network Interface Card (430-1970)

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive:
4.7GB DVD,Internal,Black (313-4952)

Documentation Diskette:
Electronic Documentation on CD (310-0438)

Additional Storage Products:
36GB,Hard Drive,U160M,10K, PowerEdge 6400,QTM (340-6726)

Option 1:
Hard Drive Config,AR5/RAID5, (1 X 4 Mode),for Dell PowerEdge 64XX,Factory Install (340-9516)

Option 2:
Rapid Rails for Dell Rack (310-0512)

Service:
Type 3 Contract - Next Business Day Parts & Labor On-Site Response Initial Year (900-8540)

Service:
Type 3 Contract - Next Business Day Parts & Labor On-Site Response 2YR Extended (900-8542)

Installation:
On-Site Installation Declined (900-9997)

Misc:
36GB,Hard Drive,U160M,10K, PowerEdge 6400,QTM (340-6726)


Dell E Com will help you buildinternet ideas/infrastucture see www.dell.com/us/en/gen/ corporate/howeworks.htm (460-9052)


36GB,Hard Drive,U160M,10K, PowerEdge 6400,QTM (340-6726)



TOTAL QUOTE AMOUNT: $10,674.73
Product Subtotal: $10,110.00
Tax: $459.73
Shipping & Handling: $105.00
Shipping Method: Ground Total Number of System Groups: 1



And the 2550:


TOTAL QUOTE AMOUNT: $6,672.36
Product Subtotal: $6,290.00
Tax: $287.36
Shipping & Handling: $95.00
Shipping Method: Ground Total Number of System Groups: 1

GROUP: 1 QUANTITY: 1 SYSTEM PRICE: $6,290.00 GROUP TOTAL: $6,290.00

Base Unit:
PowerEdge 2550,Pentium III, 1.13GHz,512K Cache,Base (220-2327)

Processor:
2nd Processor,Pentium III, 1.13GHz,512K Cache, PowerEdge 2550 (311-1291)

Memory:
2GB SDRAM,133MHz,2X1GB DIMMS (311-1294)

Keyboard:
No Keyboard Option (310-3281)

Monitor:
No Monitor Option (320-0058)

Hard Drive:
36GB U160M SCSI,1 in,10000 RPMHard Drive,PowerEdge 2550 Promo (461-1029)

Hard Drive Controller:
Raid Enabler,PERC3-DI,128MB, With Documentation,for Dell PowerEdge 2550 (340-2437)

Floppy Disk Drive:
1.44MB,3.5",Floppy Drive, for Dell PowerEdge Servers, Factory Install (340-5986)

Operating System:
No Operating System for Dell PowerEdge Servers, OTHER (420-4106)

Operating System:
Dell OpenManage Kit,32-Bit (310-1261)

Mouse:
Mouse Option None (310-0024)

NIC:
Dual On-Board NICS ONLY (430-8991)

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM Drive:
4.7GB DVD,Internal,Black (313-4952)

Speakers:
4 Bay Hard Drive Backplane, (1.0 in only),PowerEdge 2550 (311-1296)

Documentation Diskette:
Electronic Documentation on CD (310-0438)

Additional Storage Products:
36GB U160M SCSI,1 in,10000 RPMHard Drive,PowerEdge 2550 Promo (461-1029)

Option 1:
C4,MR5,ROMB 5,for Dell PowerEdge 2550 (340-2494)

Option 2:
PowerEdge 2U,3RDPTYRAIL (310-3939)

Service:
Type 1 Contract - Same Day 4-Hour 5x10 Parts & Labor On-Site Response Initial Year (900-2940)

Service:
Type 1 Contract - Same Day 4-Hour 5x10 Parts & Labor On-Site Response 2YR Extended (900-2942)

Service:
Non GOLD Service Offering (950-4649)

Installation:
On-Site Installation Declined (900-9997)


36GB U160M SCSI,1 in,10000 RPMHard Drive,PowerEdge 2550 Promo (461-1029)


36GB U160M SCSI,1 in,10000 RPMHard Drive,PowerEdge 2550 Promo (461-1029)


INTEL PR0100+,Network Card, Dell PowerEdge (430-4937)


Power Supply,330W,2 Units,DOM,Redundant,for Dell Servers, Tied (310-0604)


BSD $300 Special Offer Coupon,for PowerEdge Servers (461-0382)

Depending on your loads, the 2550 is a better choice but you could probably get by with 2 1550s which is even better :) How much of a load are you looking to put on them? We have single 1550 web servers that pump out 30-50 Mbps of traffic serving millions of visitors, 6450s may be overkill.

How can I best give you information on load? I have stats running. I get probably 2 mil page views per month, probably 7,000 user sessions per day.

I only want to buy my two servers ONCE. I could go with 2 x 2550's, I just don't know. Here is my plan though. I'm planning on using .NET for web applications and SQL storage of the databased apps. I just want to make sure what I buy once will be able to handle the loads of a growing business for three years approx.

I'll check out the 1550's now. Thanks!

3-years is a long time. Considering the vast roadmap for .NET.

If you need the big cache for your apps the Xeon's are the way to go. At least on the SQL side.

Hmm the dell 1550 give pretty good deals on harddrives. I would try them out if I wasn't so tight on money.

PowerEdge 1550
$2,696.00
$2,496.00
[Save $200.00]

PowerEdge 1550 with Pentium III Processor

PowerEdge 1550 Pentium III 1.13GHz w/512K Cache

Additional Processors

2nd Processor Pentium III 1.13GHz w/512K Cache

Memory

128MB SDRAM, 2 DIMMS (Order 4 Gigs From Crucial.com)

1st Hard Drive

Special Offer: 36GB for the price of 18GB (10K RPM)

2nd Hard Drive

Special Offer: 36GB for the price of 18GB (10K RPM)

If you were winning to burn 10K on a server why now buy 3-4 of these?

you're willing to spend that much you might want to go with Interpro microsystems.

http://www.interpromicro.com/commerce/product.jsp?product_id=90000015&czuid=1010295840765

Check that server out, if you're willing to spend $10,000 per server that's probably something you want.

For $12,307.20:

4U Server
Quad Xeon 700 MHZ 1MB Cache <--- Sounds Good? :)
2 Gigs SDRAM, upgradable to 16 Gigs
Adaptec AD-3400S, Quad U-160 Raid Controller
3 * 36GB/15K RPM, 80-Pin SCSI Drive
1 More 36GB/15K RPM, 80-Pin SCSI Drive
(Notice how it's 5K RPM Extra)
ATIxpert 98 8MB PCI
Sony 52x Speed IDE CD-Rom
Sony 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive

This beast could probably take 30-50 MBPS of transfer, and is high quality equipment.


Interpro could also do the other one for about the same price, but I'm to lazy to go through their quote system.

Wow! Just have to look into them, Dell has a reputation that's worth paying for, so will investigate!

Thanks!

If you go with Xeon or Pentium Processors, they will last about the same. I would stick with Dell, Compaq or IBM if you want them to last. My suggestion would be to save your money, get 2 Dell 1550s and replace them in 2 years if needed.

I think the servers you are looking at are a little over kill, but that is just me. :)