Choose the perfect tower server
Take control of your security, services and business apps with an affordable tower server. Dave Mitchell reveals what to look for and puts four models to the test
Want to take control of your security, services and apps? We put four tower servers to the test.
Investing in on-premises server hardware might seem a little backward in these cloudy times. But the latest designs are perfect for growing small businesses, delivering 24/7 availability and putting you in total control of your data security, services and apps.
Tower servers are very easy to deploy, too. Unlike rack servers, they don’t demand dedicated cabinets, they’ll slot neatly into an existing PC-based network, and they’re simple to upgrade as needed.
That last point is important. This month, we’re focusing on servers that are affordable for smaller businesses, but which have scope to grow with your needs, representing a solid long–term investment.
To that end, we’ve tested a selection of single- and dual-socket servers from four of the biggest names in the industry – Broadberry Data Systems, Dell EMC, HPE and Lenovo – and put them through their paces to help you pick a server that will answer your needs now and far in the future. Some businesses seek to cut costs by choosing a cheap entry-level tower equipped with a low-cost Xeon E3-1200 v6 chip. This could prove to be a false economy, though, as the E3 family has very limited upgrade potential. Not only does it only support a single processor socket, there’s a hard maxmimum of 64GB of memory – and it doesn’t have much of a roadmap to speak of, as it’s due to be succeeded by the upcoming Xeon Entry family later this year.
The newer Xeon Scalable family is a more sensible choice for almost everyone, comprising no fewer than 51 different processor models grouped into Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum designations.
For a small business tackling light to moderate workloads, the Bronze and Silver ranges are perfect. In fact, there are only two Bronze models to choose from - the six-core 3104 and the eight-core 3106, both of which run at 1.7GHz, with support for up to 768GB of DDR4 memory and single
“Some businesses seek to cut costs by choosing a cheap entry-level tower, but this could be a false economy”
(1P) and dual (2P) socket servers. The five Silver models range from four to 12 cores, with clock speeds ranging from 1.8GHz to 2.6GHz.
If you’re unsure which model is right for you, a good starting point is the Silver 4110 model, which runs at 2.1GHz and features eight physical cores. It’s a great balance of value and power – no wonder all four of the vendors who took part in this month’s reviews chose this CPU for their servers.
2P or not 2P
If you’re looking for a server to handle basic services such as file, print and messaging for a small user base, a mid-range singleprocessor (“1P”) server will do the job nicely. However, if you find you need more power in future, another benefit of Xeon Scalable systems is that – assuming your motherboard has a second slot – they all allow you to drop in an identical second processor when the need arises. This doesn’t just open up increased processing power –
installing a second CPU enables its attendant DIMM slots, doubling your maximum memory potential.
Alternatively, since all Xeon Scalable processors use the same standard LGA 3647 socket, it’s also a cinch to carry out an in-place processor upgrade. So you can start with a Bronze CPU, and then if you find it’s holding you back, replace it with a faster, more core-heavy Silver or Gold model.
To be clear, though, unless you’re planning on running heavy-duty apps such as big databases, the Xeon Gold and Platinum models are overkill – and they’re also expensive. A 16-core Gold 6130 model, for example, could set you back nearly £2,000 - around the same price as you’ll pay for one of the complete server systems we review on the following pages.
If you think you might want to upgrade your CPU in future, just be sure to check whether your server chassis has any thermal restrictions. You’ve nothing to worry about with Bronze and Silver CPU models as they all have a low 85W TDP, but some of the meatier models have TDPs of 125W and above, and not all enclosures are able to meet their cooling needs. In each of this month’s server reviews we’ve listed the maximum TDP rating of each chassis to help you choose.
Expandability isn’t just about your CPU. It’s a fact of life that server storage almost invariably gets eaten up faster than you’ve planned for, so it’s essential you have plenty of scope to add capacity. This is one of those areas where tower servers excel, as they can offer huge banks of readily accessible drive bays: one of the models we test this month supports up to 32 drives.
Remember, though, that physical mountings are only one part of the puzzle. It’s a given that you’ll be using RAID to protect your critical data, so check the number of hard disks your server’s RAID controller can handle. If your needs exceed this, it’s not the end of the world but you will have to shell out for a more upmarket card, and manage the upheaval of installing it.
When it comes to choosing your drives, SATA disks offer the best price-to-capacity ratio, but if performance is a priority, that’s a reason to consider more expensive Nearline SAS (NL-SAS) or SAS drives.
Manage and protect
Once your server is up and running, it will quickly become central to your business – so you need to know it’s in good health. All four servers on review this month include remote monitoring, so you can keep an eye on their vital signs using a web browser.
Remember too that RAID can protect you from hardware failures, but it isn’t a backup solution. We very strongly suggest you get a proper backup product up and running right from the outset. For further guidance, refer back to our backup software buyer’s guide in issue 286, where we look at on-premises, cloud and hybrid solutions.
If this is starting to sound like a big project, don’t be daunted: the tower servers we’ve reviewed this month include everything you need to get started, and we’ve chosen them to suit a wide range of budgets and requirements – so all you need to do to find out which one fits your growing business is read on.