Where to buy a 1U server?

February 5, 2007 12:36 AM

I need a cheap / loaded 1U server.. where should I buy it?

I haven't bought a server in years and I need to get one that's sorta loaded (with RAM / processor / drives). I don't mind buying from multiple places to cobble together if I have to.. but it would be nice to get from a single vendor if possible.

That basic specs are:

1U rackmount
4 Gig ram
Dual Core Processor (Athlon or Duo Core 2)
2 X 250GB HDs

Anyone have any recommendations aside from Dell (or Dell if that's the best place.)

posted by cowmix to computers & internet (9 comments total)

supermicro servers from cdw are a good one-stop way to get very nice boxes.
posted by rhizome at 12:49 AM on February 5, 2007

Second Supermicro. If you want to save some money you can buy a Supermicro 1U barebones kit, and buy the rest separately (you can get everything you need from Newegg.com, including the barebones).
posted by helios at 12:55 AM on February 5, 2007

If you don't want to get it yourself, you can try the pre-built units over at Dell Outlet. At that level of technology, you tend to find machines that have come off of leases and returned to Dell.
posted by thanotopsis at 5:10 AM on February 5, 2007

I'm a huge fan of ASA Servers; we've bought about 8 boxes from them at work and they (both the company and the servers) have been fantastic.

Their website kinda blows, however, and doesn't do a good job revealing just how customizable everything is. If you give them a call, however, they'll pretty much tweak anything you like to your satisfaction.
posted by jacobian at 6:16 AM on February 5, 2007

A second for ASA. I never find exactly what I want on their website, but their salespeople almost always outprice other vendors by a little bit with custom configurations which they're able to turn around in a couple of weeks. I'm not sure there's a cheaper reputable place to buy 1Us.
posted by I EAT TAPAS at 8:16 AM on February 5, 2007

My shop has always been very happy with refurbished Dells from SCSIStuff.
posted by nicwolff at 8:32 AM on February 5, 2007

Can't speak for quality as I haven't bought any (yet), but I'm always surprised at the good deals in eBay's "Servers" category (under the broader 'networking' category of computers). Many of the deals do seem to be Dells.
posted by fogster at 9:19 AM on February 5, 2007

I am very fond of HP DL360 servers, especially their new Generation 5 (G5) line. These support two Intel processors (dual or quad core), up to 32 GB RAM and have six SAS hot-swap drive bays. This is one of the best new servers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. Keep in mind the desired configuration will run you >$4,500. These are enterprise-class machines.
posted by jesirose at 9:20 PM on February 5, 2007

Third for a supermicro barebones that you build yourself off newegg.com. It's easy to match up the specs to make sure you get compatible hardware.
posted by mysterious1der at 4:20 PM on February 6, 2007