I'm planning to upgrade our 2-node Server 2019 cluster to a new hardware setup running Server 2025. The quote I received from my usual vendor is quite high for what I need, so I'm looking for alternatives. Here's what I'm aiming for in each node:
- 1U servers (2U is acceptable)
- Dual Intel Xeon 6507P processors
- 128GB RAM
- 2 NVMe drives in RAID 1 for the boot OS
- 4 drives of 1.92 TB NVMe for mirroring, targeting about 5.18TB usable storage
- Dual NIC for client traffic
- Separate NIC for cluster failover
- BMC NIC for management.
The quote came in over $40k, and I'm questioning if that's really the going rate right now. I've considered Supermicro, but I don't love the idea of a faceless support system since I'm a one-man operation. I do have a Dell rep but prefer to avoid them. Can anyone recommend vendors you've had a great experience with in similar situations? Also, is over $40k unreasonable given the current market? For reference, I did configure a comparable Supermicro server for about $20k for two nodes.
6 Answers
Have you checked out Starwind? They're worth considering, although I felt their site looks a bit too enterprise-focused.
I've always gone with Dell because they're easy to work with, and I usually get competitive pricing. I've noticed that Nutanix hardware is just rebranded Supermicro, if that helps. If you’re not keen on Dell, consider finding a VAR that can get you a better deal than going direct.
DataOn has been reliable for my setups. I've been using them for over 5 years, and their support is solid. Though, pricing has definitely increased recently!
Same here! I still like them, but the price hikes are rough.
You could also find lightly used Dell servers on eBay for way less than that—way under a quarter of the price. I've used many and had no issues at all!
For more specific needs, I'd recommend Dell with their ProSupportPlusMaxAdrenaline version for top-notch support. If you're looking for flexibility, Supermicro might work for cluster setups. Just ensure you get the right RAID cards and BOSS for the OS drive. By the way, the hardware market is a mess right now with daily price increases!
Yeah, I feel like I'm battling the hyperscalers for good RAM right now! It's brutal.
Good advice. Might explore refurb options like Server Monkey for support.
No quotes yet, but noted! Their enterprise vibe might be off-putting.