The department, including ChemIT and other Admin offices, has needs for servers. These can be provisioned at CIT. Some may be more cost-effectively done by ChemIT, if trade-offs are acceptable.

Outcome

We invested in a Dell server to serve as CCB's Admin computing system. It serves as a Virtual Machine host.
Data storage via a lower-end Synology NAS.

Success measures

Per conversation between Oliver and Michael Hint, 5/14/13 (following power outage blip).

1) Every ChemIT server has an explicit purpose and a replacement budget proportional to need and import.

2) Every ChemIT server is on real hardware. Not, for example, 755's or 760's.

3) Every ChemIT server has procedures. And enough ChemIT staff having knowledge and authority to manage emergencies while primary ChemIT person is out.

Blade server idea

Blade servers will increase ChemIT's efficiency and effectiveness in running servers, including compute clusters. Each blade is not more or less expensive than a 1U server, but it is "wrapped" in a more robust envelope.

Power needs: 220V, 30amp

For a blade server, we'll need 1-2 of them. Estimate is for $1K to get this, at the worst (DavidN, per MH, 5/13).

Cost points

Dell quote ~$200 cheaper than via eShop.

HDD (1TB) are ~$330 each via eShop.

We don't know how much they are, if removed from direct quote, but apparently that is possible. (eShop configurator won't allow not selecting and HDD.)

Idea: Buy them seperately. Get 5 year warranty, not the 1 year Dell is offering.