2-bits...or looking back...mb 256-mbits...
I would go with a name brand as well...But especially if you want their support. I have around 140 stand alones and 4 servers at my location and i'm the ONLY tech. Dell service has been great. I have (i think) 4 hr support on the 2/4 servers (2 are out of warrenty), and when i have a problem...they're here. If you're within 2 hours of a major city, you won't ever have to worry about waiting a month for a dell rep to show up. I've also been through their joke of a certification program, and that gets you through a lot of the red tape on ordering parts. You just tell them what you've done and what you need. Dependant on your warrenty, you get that part in that amount of time (2hr, 4hr, 8hr, 2 day, 5 day... or whatever is available now). It may seem like a lot to get something like 4hr response time...but when your buisness lives by it's ability to send and receive information via that server...that is definately the way to go. And for you, that warrenty does not take away from your ability to get that tech job...You still do the troubleshooting (unless you don't want to), you can even set up the work so that when you have issues (on a 4hr response time), you can do the actual work...
Also...Having a dual cpu for exchange is much better in terms of response time if you're getting heavy usage, which it sounds like you will. If your people are anything like most people, they'll have outlook open and they'll be logged in to it, while doing everything else. Which means everyone who is logged in to Exchange will receive whatever updates you have set to run every x minutes/seconds, in addition to the other programs being served.
I would disagree with using 2x36gb...Email is the largest waste of hd space known to me in a corporate situation(with the exception of major players in the cad industry...and i'm sure there are other exceptions...). I would be worried about running out of space in the first year...I personally would go with a raid 5 solution with hotswapping equipment. Start with 3 36gb, then upgrade from there when you run out of room inside the first year and a half. Four years ago with 50 people using our Exchange server we were always in trouble on space...the fact is...some people are not allowed to delete their email (which may be similar to your case...). (we had 5x18 7200s raid 5).
Anyway...So this "quick reply" thing...sorry...i'm still getting it down.
edit: Oh yea...and get a tape backup with a one month daily backup. You'll almost have to go with the 40/80gb dlt's... Those aren't cheap either... $50-80 per tape (certified only...), multiply that times 30 days (rotating 2-3 weeks of that off site)... a dlt tape drive runs between 800-1500 last i checked... (which has been a while...). Also, make sure you get a software package with it...i've had troubles in the past and currently trying to "make do"...
