I'm hoping to get some guidance on buying servers for my small company. We currently have no servers, and our new contracting company may help fund a couple I've requested in the past years. Our team has between 25-40 staff members and we operate 85 standalone computers across two buildings. One building has a lab with 42 computers, and the other has one computer in each room for personal use. Right now, employees save their work on their individual computers instead of lab machines. I can access the lab computers from my main office and a centralized computer in my second office, but managing installations and updates is pretty tedious. I was thinking of using two regular computers as servers (one for each building) to handle Active Directory, updates, and Group Policies. However, I'm worried about their reliability. What reasonably priced server options would you recommend for my situation?
6 Answers
Before you make any decisions, it's crucial to define your budget. If you're leaning towards PC hardware, it usually means you're looking for something more affordable. Keep in mind that server-grade hardware costs significantly more but is built for performance and durability. Personally, I've had good experiences with HP, Dell, and Lenovo. If cost is a concern, Dell could be worth looking into since they offer decent support and configuration options.
I think using two regular PCs as servers is not a great idea at all. You should definitely consider hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP) to set things up correctly and securely.
That's a possibility, but I'd need to see if the new contracting company is open to that.
I'd recommend skipping Active Directory for now and consider using Entra or AzureAD. Intune can replace GPO, providing a smoother management experience with remote access capabilities. This way, you eliminate the issues that come with maintaining on-prem servers and associated licenses.
I have to disagree, I find Azure a bit problematic. In my opinion, it's better to set up two dedicated machines with Hyper-V or Proxmox—having one in each building for synchronization. With the right hardware, you can host all necessary services like AD, DNS, and DHCP, along with data management solutions. You might also want to consider a multi WAN router for balancing internet access.
Investing in a real server is definitely the way to go. Look for something with RAID setup, redundant power supplies, and proper RAM. I usually go for Dell, but focus on getting enough RAM and cores for future scalability. You might be looking at around $15k for a mid-range option, though there are cheaper options depending on your needs!
This sounds like a solid opportunity to establish a proper server setup. A pair of affordable servers running Windows Server for Active Directory and Group Policies would greatly simplify management. Consider models like the HPE ProLiant ML350 or Dell PowerEdge T550—they're reliable and expandable. Make sure each has 32-64GB of RAM and use SSDs in RAID 1 for performance.
Using iTune and Entra for computer management could be a practical solution too—might save you from having to invest in a server right away.
That’s a smart suggestion! I just hope the new company won’t be as stingy with budget requests as the last one.
I totally get that budgeting can be a hassle. I often find myself waiting ages for approval from the higher-ups too!