In this article, we will consider how much it will cost to buy a server in Ukraine. We'll look at the different types of servers, components, and other things to consider when buying a server. Servers support your business's IT operations; they store files, run applications, and form the backbone of your IT network. The purpose of this article is to explain how much a server will cost for small and medium businesses. (We've focused on servers you'll buy and install in your office, not a cloud server or a server hosted in a data center). Dell is the most popular provider of servers on the Ukrainian market.
Types of servers / form factors There are three main types of servers:
Tower server. They look a bit like a traditional PC - a box standing vertically. Tower servers are sometimes called pedestal servers. They stand alone and can be installed in a cabinet or on the floor. For example Dell Poweredge T360 server as one of the best options to buy.
Rack server. These are flat servers that are installed in a server rack or cabinet. They are widely used in data centers. For example Dell Poweredge R360 server as one of the best options to buy.
Blade server. They look like large tower servers, but are actually multiple servers in one enclosure. They provide significantly more storage and performance. The cost of a blade server typically has an initial upfront cost, but is saved with each additional node you add.
It is also important to note the concept of HCI (Hyper-Converged Infrastructure). HCI typically combines multiple rack servers into a high-availability cluster using virtualized computing, storage, and networking.
Selection of server model and configuration
There are several factors to consider when choosing the optimal type of server suitable for your business.
Where will the server be installed?
Do you have a server cabinet or rack? If you already have a server cabinet, then it makes sense to buy a rack server. If you don't have a server cabinet, a tower server is probably best for you (unless you plan to buy multiple servers, in which case it makes sense to buy a server cabinet). Do you have a server room and air conditioning? When servers are running, they use fans to cool their components. It is best for servers to operate at temperatures below 25-30 degrees Celsius (each server has specific operating ranges) and at acceptable levels of dust and humidity. Do you have multiple servers? If you have multiple servers, you should probably consider a server cabinet. If you are going to place your server indoors or in a small room, you should consider installing an air conditioner to prevent the server from overheating. Larger rooms and open offices, in which there is sufficient air flow and a constant temperature of the environment, do not need to install an air conditioner. Will the server be secure? Since the server will store important business and application data, it is necessary to determine a secure location for the server. You should consider a lockable room or secure server cabinet (but be aware of temperature, airflow and cooling requirements).
How many employees does the server need to support?
How many people will join your network? The number of users affects the size of your server and the type and number of software licenses you will need. Do you know how much CPU or RAM you will need? If your business needs to run a database or other server applications, the software vendor may have specific CPU and RAM requirements. Does your business have critical application requirements? Some software vendors (eg accounting, business applications) have specific "system requirements" that you must meet. How much memory/RAM? For the most common small business use cases, we typically recommend the following (not including software like VMWare, or SQL databases, or Exchange mail servers): 16GB 1 - 25 users and 32GB 25+.
What model and how many processors/CPU? Most small businesses with one server will only need one processor. If your software doesn't make special demands, an entry-level to mid-range processor will suffice. Do I need virtualization? Virtualization technology allows you to divide your server into several virtual servers. Using programs like VMWare and Hyper-V for virtualization can make server management and backup easier, but it can come at a cost. Virtualization is also useful when you need multiple virtual servers in the software without having to purchase different physical servers.
Tip: We recommend using virtualization, even in small deployments, because it simplifies backup management and operations.
Which server operating system to choose?
The most common server operating systems are Windows Server 2022 Standart and Windows Server 2022 Essentials. Windows Server 2019 is the latest version of Microsoft's full-featured server operating system (OC). Windows Server is our recommended OC for servers. Windows Server 2022 Essentials is a stripped-down version of Windows Server aimed at small businesses. Windows Server Essentials is fully functional for the average small business, but it has many limitations. If you're going to run server-side applications like accounting or CRM, it's critical to check that your software vendor supports Windows Server Essentials.
How to choose a server processor?
With so many variables, it's hard to give a simple answer, but we can give you some rough numbers and guidelines. The main factors that affect the price of a server include:
Form factor. Rack servers are usually more expensive than tower servers.
Processor model. Like an engine in a car, more powerful engines cost a lot more - and processors are no different. For most medium-sized small businesses, an entry-level processor will do just fine, unless you have special requirements for something higher.
Processors have different clock speeds, cache memory and number of cores. Intel XEON is the most popular server processor vendor, followed by AMD co with its EPYC chips.
The amount of RAM. RAM is usually purchased in multiples of 32 GB. For an average small business, 64 or 128 GB is quite enough. If you want to use virtualization or database software, you might want to look at 256GB of RAM.
Tip: The cost of a processor can vary greatly. Pay special attention to the "generation" of the processor. Intel and other manufacturers regularly update their processor families. When purchasing a server, it is generally recommended to choose the latest generation processor to get the performance and energy efficiency benefits. Although, if your requirements are modest, you can get a discount on previous generation processors.
What is the number and type of discs?
Disks have different levels of performance and capacity:
SATA drives are the cheapest and provide high levels of data storage at the expense of performance and reliability.
SATA drives are mechanical drives with moving parts.
NL-SAS drives are similar to SATA drives, but slightly improved for enterprise use, but have the same performance and capacity.
SAS drives have higher performance and reliability than SATA/NL-SAS, but are more expensive. Like SATA, SAS drives are mechanical drives with two rotational speeds: 10,000 rpm and 15,000 rpm. SAS drives are more expensive than SATA drives.
SSDs are flash memory-based drives with no moving parts. Solid state drives are the fastest drives on the market, typically hundreds of times faster than SATA drives. Solid state drives are smaller in size, but they are much faster and in some cases more reliable than similar mechanical drives.
If there is enough budget, we always recommend SSD over mechanical drives as the performance increase is significant.
Operating system, remote control and warranty.
Operating system. Windows Server + CALs vs. Windows Server Essentials. The difference can be seen here. Remote control. Servers may come with remote management cards, which are required if you want the server to be monitored or managed remotely. These maps also allow you to check the health, status and operating environment of the server. Dell servers use their iDRAC cards. If you need virtualization, you may need to purchase VMWare or use Hyper-V. The server warranty covers component and drive failures. Bce server manufacturers offer same day or next business day hardware support and warranty. We always recommend purchasing the warranty with the server. In case of hardware or disk failure, a quick call to the supplier will allow you to get spare parts, and often an on-site engineer to replace/repair the component. This is invaluable given the importance of the server to your business.
Tip: While many may view the warranty as an "extra service", given our experience managing several hundred server environments, we strongly recommend using the vendor's support, and it's really worth it. If a hardware failure occurs, you get support and spare parts. Sometimes you may encounter a strange software error (eg VSphere, Microsoft) due to driver or firmware issues, in which case the vendor may be able to help.
How much does a Dell server cost?
These prices are indicative only as there are many variables and other factors that must be taken into account. When buying a server, you should seek advice from professionals. You should consider a new server as an investment for your business that can improve productivity and support your business growth. The service life of a modern server is 3-5 years, and if you choose a reliable supplier, the reliability will be excellent, much better than a regular PC.
Entry level. An entry-level tower server with a low-end Intel Xeon processor, 32 GB of RAM, 4 x 1.92 TB SSD drives and Windows Server Essentials will cost $2,000-$3,000 without the additional hardware warranty. These types of servers are designed for the simplest use cases and should always be accompanied by a backup solution. Average level. Mid-range tower servers with a mid-range Xeon processor, 64 GB, 4 x 1.92 TB SSD , remote management and Windows Server c 10 x CALs will cost $3700 - $5000, also excluding warranty. High-End. High-end tower servers with SSDs, multiple CPUs, Windows Server, lots of RAM, and virtualization software will cost $5,000+. High-End rack servers with similar specifications can cost from $6,200.
Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)
You may have heard of HCI or hyperconvergence. HCI is a concept in which hardware, data storage, virtualization and network interaction are provided using a single platform. HCI is a great solution for when you need computing power, redundancy and performance - without the complexity of a traditional environment. At its heart, HCI solutions use servers, but management and configuration can be completely different.
The cost of building a server
The development server is used by software development teams for custom software development, UAT (user acceptance testing), and development environment creation. If a dedicated server is required for software development, the specification and cost will depend on the requirements (eg SQL Server, etc.). Since the server is intended for development and testing, there is often no need to choose an ultra-high-performance or high-resilience server.
The cost of the database server
Database servers typically require high-performance processors, large amounts of RAM/memory, and very fast storage such as SSDs are recommended. Although the hardware associated with a database server is more expensive or the resources allocated to it are quite large, you also need to consider the cost of the software. Some database platforms (such as Microsoft SQL Server) have additional licensing costs for their software. Other platforms such as MariaDB, MongoDB, PGSQL are open source.
The cost of a server for a small business
A small business server is usually a versatile device that performs many functions and provides real value to a small business. We usually see small business servers being used in conjunction with cloud services such as Microsoft Q65. Combining local network services (ie Active Director, file resources, applications) with cloud services such as Microsoft Z65 (E-mail, Sharepoint, Azure) provides the best combination of cost, performance and security. Most small business servers are Tower systems and a common operating system choice is Windows 2022 Standart
Other server cost factors
Do you need a UPS to provide clean and backup power? You should consider purchasing a small tower or rack UPS so that your servers are not damaged or affected by power surges. The price of a UPS will depend on the size and number of servers (for example, $300 - $3500). Will you need air conditioning? Remember our point about the appropriate work environment. Do you have anti-virus or other software to protect your servers? Antivirus and endpoint protection from companies such as Sophos, Caspersky, Trend, and BitDefender will help. Endpoint protection and other security software are essential if you want to keep your server safe from cyber threats and data loss. The approximate price can be $5-20 per server per month - depending on how advanced the protection needs to be. How much does server maintenance cost? Your server must be running 24x7x365 - which means it will consume electricity. A conservative guess is 5-8 kWh per day for an average small server..
Server hardware from a business perspective
Buying a server is only one part of the puzzle; you also need to think about its current operation, maintenance and health. What are you going to do with the data backup? Do you have a backup service? You need to ensure reliable backup of data and applications on the server, ideally - off-site. Many cloud services provide such a service at a reasonable price. Who will install, configure and manage your server? Do you have an IT support contract or an IT company to take on this work? Who will patch, update, and manage your server? Do you have a managed service agreement? An MSP (managed service provider) will oversee your server, monitor its health, install patches, and ensure backups are performed. And what about the cost of installing a server? This is a difficult question to answer. A lot depends on how much data needs to be migrated, how many virtual servers you need, and the complexity of the environment (ie high availability, security, database, etc.). How will you protect your server? Endpoint protection, firewalls, updates and permissions. Consider how you will harden your server and protect your data.
How can we help?
The Server Solutions company sells Dell PowerEdge R760 and Dell PowerEdge R760xs servers throughout Ukraine, among our customers are small, medium and large businesses. If you or your company needs advice and the purchase of high-quality server equipment, then you should contact us.