Ok,
since I live overseas, I'd like to compare which is the best: buy and build a complete server here in my country and then send it to NOC using courier or buy from them directly.

Here in my country: PII 450mhz, 256MB ECC RAM, Intel Motherboard T440BX, 9 gigs IBM SCSI 7200 Rpm plus 2U rackmount casing cost about US$ 1350,00
Plus DHL courier fee about US$ 250,00
so the total cost is about US$ 1600,00

Generally, I was wondering if with US$ 1600,00 I could get better box if I buy directly from the NOC.

Thx.
Soda

Soda,

I think you almost definitely could. I ran some quick numbers, and there's only about a $1000 parts+shipping cost there. You'd need to pay someone to put it together, but that won't cost $600.

I'd say have your provider build one for you, as long as they're reputable and know what they're doing.

You can certainly get it for less.

Some companies will also offer you a better deal on the server if you have a contract with them to co-locate the server with them. If they know that they will have you as a customer for sya a year, you may be able to get ther server at close to their cost. Once you decide where you want to locate the server, contact them and ask about this. It never hurts to ask.

That's a good point, James. We routinely sell servers to our clients at very close to cost, and I can't imagine we're the only ones. Most web hosts are not in the hardware business, after all, and would rather profit from a long-term server hosting relationship than a one-off server sale.