I need to buy a new server to host SAGE Act over multiple sites for the business. Frankly every time I talk to someone about it I glaze over as they talk jargon to me.

I know (think) I need something with 8gb ram and a quad core processor of at least 2Ghz. It needs Windows server 2008 sp2 and sql server.

I have had quotes between £600 and £3100, and even a cloud solution at £79 per month.

Can someone point me in the right direction, someone who speaks english and not tech who might not rip me off.

thanks
Nick

Well SQL is £1700 for a Standard License so if you are factoring in the cost of software it will be nearer the top figure

Do you want a server, or do you want a big PC? You won’t get a server for £600.

Viadex is my go-to for server stuff. I’ll ping you details.

How many users, and which version of Act! SQL Express(Free) is an option for some installs.

I knew £600 was too cheap, which is why I didn’t snap his hand off. I have never been clear on the difference between a server and a big PC.

In the short term the system will have around 10 users in three sites, but over time this could grow to as many as 50.

Act premium for web.

Until your DB size reaches 10GB SQL Express should be fine, IIRC as part of the Act! install it will ask if you want to install SQL Express.

Well SQL is £1700 for a Standard License

The standard db licenses is around £600 but then you need to factor in user CAL’s (a license for each user accessing the database) and they are around £170 each IIRC. If you have a large number of users it may be more cost effective to purchase a processor license which doesnt require CAL’s but is more expensive.

Who is going to manage the service, and the infrastructure?

I’d be looking to see if SAGE provide a SaaS (software as a service), or looking at Cloud based offerings from Amazon or Azure through a 3rd party vendor providing the support for IaaS (infrastructure as a service), and managing the service for you.

It’d be best to look at all the options before splurging the cash, and then realising that either:

– your performance is poor
– you have no support
– you dont have the right licence
– your scalability for the now 300 users isn’t achievable without spending a whole load of cash (I know you said 50, but is that the realistic maximum over 3-5 years?)

My big question would be…. Why have you been tasked with providing an IT solution when you clearly don’t have much IT solution experience?

Has a business bod asked you to buy a server to run his application for his workers? If that’s the case, then you need someone to provide a managed service really.

You could just look at the minimum specs, licence model, and then buy a piece of kit to fit – but that’s only part of the solution.

If you like, I can point you in the direction of a consultancy company I’ve worked with recently to provide a Cloud solution for a distributed IaaS cloud offering, which was a managed service. Let me know your email address and I’ll put you in touch, they speak plain English, and are very reasonably priced and flexible.

Short answer – I own the businesses and fortunately it is growing, but it’s not big enough to have an IT guy so the task falls to me. Email is in the profile if you can suggest someone.