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Cheap "Training" Server

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ErikD

Member
Joined
May 6, 2004
Location
NYC
I got my BS in computer science in May and am in the process of looking for a job. In order to help me get a job, and to be more preppared for the real world I am getting some certifications as well. I will be taking the CCNA on Friday August 19th. After that I am planning on A+ and some Microsoft certifications as well.

Anyway I would like a server to practice on. I only really have a few requirments for it:
1. Be as cheap as possible
2. Run Windows Server 2003 realibly and usably (meaning it doesn't take forever to load or transfer files)

Basically I want to emulate a business server that would be performing domain services, allow roaming user profiles, shared files and applications, etc. Nothing really fancy like hosting websites or gaming. What type of specs would I be able to get away with for something like this? Also some recommendations on things such as motherboards and CPUs would be appreciated.

TIA.

Erik
 
I have XP on a dual Pentium Pro 200mhz with 1gb of ram, and it runs fine. I think the ram is rather unnecessary, it never uses more than about 300mb. I tried the server 2003 trial software for a while, and it ran pretty ok too. I pulled this machine out of the trash, and added a little ram to it. Can't beat $40 total parts cost. :p

With a single core processor, I think any pentium 3 would run pretty smoothly, I'd be more concerned with amount of ram and how fast the hard drive is, than processor speed.
 
I have been looking on eBay and seeing some Dell PowerEdge 2300 systems pretty cheap. From what I see I can get a dual P3 system (500-600 mhz), dual SCSI drives (probably for about 18GB total), and max out the RAM at 1Gb.

How would something like that work? I guess basically I am wondering that for roughly the same money I could get a single processor PC with a faster processor, and larger IDE HD. HD space shouldn't really be an issue as I wouldn't really be serving anything from it, or if anything nothign super huge or important. Which would be the better route?

Thanks again.
 
SCSI has been growing on me over the past few weeks, and my friend recently asked if he could buy my dualy off of me for $100. I know it isn't worth nearly that much, but I think its worth getting one simply for the experience.
 
If you live near your school, I might try getting one from them. At my school, when the staff gets rid of old(er) technology, the IT administration puts it in a bin to try to get rid of it through the students before they send it off to be thrown out in an eco-friendly way. Being "green" is costly, and the more they get the students to take, the easier it is on their wallets. I've gotten some pretty good stuff in the last couple years. I'm now running 3 20" monitors (one of them is flatscreen) CRT's that they didn't want anymore. And they were as cheap as free. So that might be the first place you'd want to look. Otherwise, you might want to take a look at your local salvation army. Oftentimes, they have PIII's they're selling for a couple bucks.
 
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