Need a cheap server for MCSA/MCSE training?

Dell has a ridiculously sick price on an entry level server.

Celeron 2.53ghz, 512mb ram and 40gb sata hd delivered for $224.

Double the hard drive size for $10 more. It's called the Dell PowerEdge SC420: http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=04&kc=6W300&l=en&oc=sc420sapp&s=bsd

At this price you'll have to add your own OS, but you can pick up an evaluation version of 2003 straight from MS for free (download) or on CD for a few bucks.

Reading books is great, but I feel there is no substitute for hands-on experience. If I didnt already have a server running I'd grab one of these. Set it up and you wont need keyboard, mouse or monitor as you can remote to it whenever you need to access it. Sweeeeeet deal.

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HackNack

Hey, this is not bad! Now if only I had the 200 bucks, or better $600 (for 2 servers and a couple of lap dances), I'd be one happy guy!

Ricka182

Hmmm, so it says the machine does not support the use of a graphics card, and can not be used as desktop.....how bad can the graphics actually be, because other than that, it looks like a good deal. I may have to take advantage of that one.

lazyart

Apparently it comes with a PCIe-x8 slot that can be modded with a drill or X-acto knife to accept an x300. Add your own sound card and you could run it as a desktop. It upgrades to a P4 2.8 for $99....

A couple threads you might be interested in...

http://www.aaltonen.us/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2058
http://www.aaltonen.us/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1999

Ricka182

I hope the offer stays for a while. I think I may pick up a couple of these. It's not easy to get a prepacked system like this for such a cheap price. For $110 extra, you upgrade to a P4 and an 80g storage.

/usr

I need another cheap server, but I may just buy another hd and use my existing pc.

Transatlantic

Personally I've always been a fan of retrobox, they sell refurbished servers, pc's etc. Not always a great selection, but you can pick up a good deal there on an old file server, ideal if you want something cheap to play around with.

Drakonblayde

Ok, I'm confused... if it doesn't support a graphics card, are they saying you can't use one with it, ie, there's no video adapater at all? If so, how the bloody hell are you going to install an OS on it or configure it?

It's gotta have at least some sort of VGA hookup, and if so, that'd be fine... for my current home servers, I don't have a monitor hooked up to them anyway, i just ssh or RDP (depending on which box it is) in and do anything I have to do that way.

This is why I hate Dell

Things like this make it impossible for me to sell hardware (except for replacement parts) to people anymore. $330 for a server that beats the crap out of my current Athlon 750.... (the CPU upgrade is something I consider mandatory... run a server off a Celeron? LOL) that's pretty damn nice. If it stays up for a few weeks I might pick one up when I get some liquidity back (Christmas hurts the checkbook =()

Ricka182

Drakonblayde wrote:

Ok, I'm confused... if it doesn't support a graphics card, are they saying you can't use one with it, ie, there's no video adapater at all?

There is an on-board 8mb chip. Nothing special, but enough for a server.

Webmaster

Yeah, looks like an ideal machine for a lab server. I just checked out dell.nl and they offer the same machine for 480 euros including tax. That's 648 USD...

Ricka182

Webmaster wrote:

Yeah, looks like an ideal machine for a lab server. I just checked out dell.nl and they offer the same machine for 480 euros including tax. That's 648 USD...

Huh??? Is Dell screwing thEU? Twice the price....I would just buy from the US site if they let you.

/usr

Webmaster

Can you order the server from dell.com and pay the price they offer there, or will shipping cost you a fortune?

That's kind of strange that there is that much of a price difference. Are they just slow to update the .nl site?

Webmaster

Amazing isn't it...

No, dell.com does not ship to international, and indeed if they would it would still at least double the price.

That's kind of strange that there is that much of a price difference. Are they just slow to update the .nl site?

Well, it's the same machine, probably not the same deal. There's a worse way of putting it though: about 2 years ago, that 224 USD would be about 234 euros, now (with the current dollar/euro exchange rates) it should be 168 euros (instead of 480 euros they ask for it...). Regardless of any tax difference, that is a ridiculous difference. And it is even worse for me because I earn my money in USD but have to change it to euros before I can spend it... I need to migrate fast...

I don't know where dell makes their machines, but if it is in the US, the answer to "Is Dell screwing the EU?" is definitely yes.

Drakonblayde

Yeah, as much as I'd like to move to Europe someday, the VAT hurts.

Webmaster

Indeed, take for example a Cisco Press CCNP book: 49 USD(=37 euros) in the US, here 74 euros (99,90 USD). Again twice as much. Salaries and cost of living is very much the same here. Another cause is the introduction of the euro itself. When it was introduced and everyone got confused about the value of their new currency, 99% of the prices were raised, a lot.

Dell advertises on the Dutch tele quite frequently and compared to other suppliers they are still very cheap. But the offer at the top of this thread is truely amazing.

Ricka182

I'm very happy I visited Europe when I did, before everyone used the Euro. I got great exchange rate. But now, the dollar is so damn weak(3% down from the Euro in 2 weeks), it makes some deals not real.

TeKniques

My Dad wanted to buy a Dell for a friend in Russia and have it shipped there and they would not do it because of what they sited "Security reasons".

I had to buy the Dell and have it shipped to my house and then it had to go through a rigorous customs question and answer debacle with Dell and I. For example, I had to tell them who was receiving the computer in Russia and where they lived ... street, city, etc. and for what it was going to be used for. After all that the box was then pre-approved for customs to be traveled with Internationally or in this case Russia where my Dad took it.

For the love of God, I only bought a $700 laptop.

Webmaster

Ricka182 wrote:

I'm very happy I visited Europe when I did, before everyone used the Euro. I got great exchange rate. But now, the dollar is so damn weak(3% down from the Euro in 2 weeks), it makes some deals not real.

Indeed, and it litteraly means my income dropped with 3%, and it is 35% (!) since the intro of the euro 3 years ago. I don't blame anyone besides the Dutch government for changing to euros and joining (starting) the EU in the first place, but let's not get myself started on that one.

But it would be nice if the weak dollar would actually mean Dell computers (and other things, like Xbox games

) would become cheaper here. There are some advantages though, a trip to the states is also about half the price it used to be so you can expect me to set foot on US soil soon... first thing I'll do is buy me two of those Dells

On a similar note, I joined the Dell.com affiliate program a long time ago, which basically means I receive coupon codes a couple of times per month, which I can send in a newsletter, banners, or perhaps even post. I never seriously considered advertising those because I get only a very low percentage if someone does buy it, but the latest coupons give 20-30% discount (usually on $1000+ machines though). I'll have to check if I'm allowed to do so, but perhaps I can post them in the forums once in a while (so they don't take up real ad space). I've contacted them a couple of months ago to see if they would be interested in a becoming a primary sponsor of techexams.net by donating some equipment (the new server for the site is actually a Dell) which I can use for labs (i.e. for the CBTs). They never responded, which now that I know about this $224 offer suprises me even more.

Jason from mcmcse.com might be coming to The Netherlands in a couple of months, maybe I should ask him to carry some extra 'hand luggage' (nah... that'll mean less beer

RussS

hehehe - depends where he is coming from Johan. Most Dutch beer I have tried is much better than 90% of American lolly water

Of course none of them stacks up to the excellent product produced down here in New Zealand

Webmaster

So many beers to drink so many places to go... but I love sitting on the beach on the other side of the world with a beer from 'home'. Nice to try new stuff though, as long as it contains the primary ingredient

'Some' beers are listed at Jason's beersite: www.beertutor.com

Ricka182

Webmaster wrote:

So many beers to drink so many places to go... but I love sitting on the beach on the other side of the world with a beer from 'home'. Nice to try new stuff though, as long as it contains the primary ingredient

'Some' beers are listed at Jason's beersite: www.beertutor.com

I told him my favorite brewery was at Hoegaarden. Man, that beer was cold, and so good!

/usr

Mmmm....beer.

Guiness can't be beat. To hell with the American brands.

HackNack

RussS wrote:

hehehe - depends where he is coming from Johan. Most Dutch beer I have tried is much better than 90% of American lolly water

Of course none of them stacks up to the excellent product produced down here in New Zealand

You have offended the President of American beer! I challenge you to a duel!

But seriously, I've never had any American beer and I've lived here for five years.

Let's talk about American pizza -- which SUCKS.

/usr

American lolly water

Ricka182

HackNack wrote:

Let's talk about American pizza -- which SUCKS.

You need to have an original pie from Pizzeria Regina in The North End. You won't say it sucks.

Now Pizzeria Unos, that sucks!! Nasty sloppy soupy deep dish junk!

/usr

Guess I was too late.

They've bumped this up to $300. Looks like I'll be shopping for parts...

garv221

An American Strip Club.

Ricka182

It's still a good deal though.......

/usr

Not bad, but I mean, I can build one for close to that...

Maybe I'll still order it...

lazyart

It's funny the evolution of things.

A year and a half ago, as I was pursuing A+, I would give anything to be locked away for a day and put PCs together.

Now that I'm working on MS certs and I have stuff here to build three or four machines, I could care less about doing that. I'm even reluctant to build them for profit, because I'd have to support the user and I just don't have the time for that.

I even gave one away a month ago. No strings attached--- on either end.

/usr

512mb RAM and an 80gig SATA drive for $10 more...

I want it, but I don't want the Celeron, even though I know it would do just fine for what I would use it for.

Talk me into this.