Server Configuration - Heaven Save Us From Well-Meaning Amateurs!

How do I tell the client what their old tech did to them?  They've got to spend a bunch of money to correct the mess he made and I'm the one that's got to break the news to them. He made some very bad decisions when building out their servers and now they've got to spend a bunch of money to fix the mess.

We just inherited 2 servers at a new client we recently acquired.  The servers are reasonably new and from the outside they looked fine . . . and then we looked inside.  Each server was running 2 virtual servers using Windows Server 2008 STD R2.  On one VM the tech had a Micr0soft SQL data base running.  On the other, he set up an Exchange e-mail server.  Both of those programs require a significant amount of RAM memory to run correctly.  Was it there?  Not by a long shot!  To fix the RAM problem is going to require the client to buy at least 3 times the amount of RAM currently installed just to meet the minimum requirements of the operating system and the loaded programs.

Uh, did I mention the old tech forgot to license the SQL and one of the Windows servers?  OOPS!  Just a small detail the old tech forgot to mention.

To complicate the matter, the old tech had the client buy two CPU's for each server.  Not a bad idea, UNLESS you skimped on the amount of RAM installed in the first place.  Because each CPU in the server requires it's own allocation of RAM memory, he had to split the already insufficient RAM into two RAM pools cutting the usable RAM in half making things even worse.

It got worse when we looked at his hard drive configuration.  He bought SAS 15,000 rpm hard drives which was good but he bought the smallest sizes available.  That's a BAD idea in today's world of exploding storage requirements.  Those drives are filling up fast and will inevitably need to be replaced soon.  For a few hundred dollars more he could have doubled the storage capacity of the servers by buying higher capacity drives or if he slowed the rpm speed of the drives down to SAS 10,000 rpm he could have saved a few hundred dollars and more than doubled the storage capacity of the server.  As it is, probably within a year, the client will be forced to replace all of those drives in each server with hirer capacity drives when they fill up.  It's very predictable that servers supporting data bases or e-mail servers will grow exponentially each year unless regulated very closely.  By nature companies seldom control or even monitor their stored data very well if at all.

Want one more example of amateur hour in the server room?  The old tech configured each server with redundant power supplies.  That's normally a great idea . . . unless you only plug one of them in and leave the other one off.  It doesn't do anybody any good that way!

Think if buying a new server?  Here's some advice from someone who's been installing servers for a long time.

1. Make sure you verify that  your application software will actually run on Windows Server 2012.  Some applications won't run on it because application software frequently lags behind the O/S and isn't compatible. Then you'll be forced into running an older version of Windows Server as a VM (virtual machine) to keep that software running.
2. Make sure you purchase enough RAM for your server.  Failure to provide enough RAM will result in lousy performance.  What's enough?  We seldom advise using less than 16GB of RAM in a new server.  More than 1 CPU in your server?  You should probably be thinking of16 GB of RAM for each CPU.  Rule of thumb should be 16GB minimum for each instance of Windows Server running on your physical server if you want decent performance, add 8GB for your hypervisor if you're running VMs and then add whatever RAM your application software requires.  Running SQL or Exchange?  Add at least 16GB for each of those and we don't recommend running them both on the same server unless you really ramp up your CPU and RAM capacity.
3. When buying Windows Server 2012 STD remember that you can run 2 instances of Windows Server but only if they are run on the same physical server.  You can't run them on different boxes so if you're running a VM environment you will save some money  vs. the way that Windows 2008 and earlier versions were licensed.  User or Device CALS (client access licenses) are NOT transferrable from older O/S versions.  Remember to re-buy your CALS when upgrading your O/S.
4. Only retain Windows Server 2003 environments IF your old application server requires it.  It's no longer supported and will be a headache if you insist on keeping it alive. 
5. Buy as much hard drive capacity as you can afford.  Don't cheap out!  Also remember that RAID hard drive redundancy (which is a must!) cuts you native capacity by up to half (1/3 for RAID 5).  Depending on the size of your organization, your needs may vary but even a small organization shouldn't consider less than 1 terabyte of available storage capacity AFTER your RAID is installed.  It's better to buy big once than have to replace your hard drives in just a couple of years.
6. Device redundancy is a wonderful thing.  Whenever possible use it - hard drives, network interfaces, power supplies, everything possible.  Just remember to use them if you buy them.  That un-connected redundant power supply we discovered was virtually worthless unless it was plugged in.

Bottom Line?  Don't trust your servers to someone who's only qualification is that he knows how to spell PC.

For help with your next server or assistance fixing the one you already own, call ACT Network Solutions at (847) 639-7000 or e-mail support@act4networks.com.
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