$600 server build

[suchamoneypit]

Im trying to come up with a build but im having a difficult time without knowledge of the motherboards and cases for those motherboards.

 

Interested in seeing some $600 PCs (Im ok with some slight fluctuation if it means much better hardware) meant to run as a server for hosting things like a teamspeak server, arma 3 server, dedicated servers, possibly rendering. Heavily prefer it to be Xeon based, and would love for it to be a duel socket motherboard to allow easy addition of a second processor.

[TheKDub]

Is it going to be rack mounted? or will it be standalone like a regular desktop?

[lopj245]

I think what you're asking for is out of your price range unless you go the used route, since you'll be hosting a server its better to save and get it later then buy it cheap now.

[Vitalius]

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
 
Storage: Western Digital Red 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($89.88 @ OutletPC) 
Case: Cooler Master Elite 120 Advanced (Black) Mini ITX Tower Case  ($49.99 @ NCIX US) 
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider Plus 500W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($69.36 @ SuperBiiz) 
Other: ASRock C2550D4I Mini ITX Server Motherboard ($280.00)
Other: Crucial 2x4GB ECC Unbuffered RAM ($99.99)
Total: $589.22
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-09 22:33 EST-0500
 
OS: FreeNAS or Amahi (Amahi is easier). 
You could put the OS on a USB drive. In fact, that's highly recommended for FreeNAS.

FreeNAS runs on Unix & Amahi runs on Linux.

I have gotten a dual socket Xeon server off of Ebay for less than $200, including RAM. However, I can't be certain such kinds of deals are available still. 

It was also a fairly old system. If you are going used, the you are also gonna need to go old to be able to afford what you want. DDR2 kind of old. 

If you go DDR2-old, then you should get AMD. Without doubt. Back in the day, AMD was ahead of Intel, particularly with servers, because they weren't limited by the Front Side Bus' bandwidth like Intel was. I experienced this first hand. 

It's pointless, imo, to get an old server motherboard with dual socket if it's Intel, if it's in that generation (DDR2).
 
Edit:

Here is a DDR3 server build using Ebay links. Some may have already passed, but the prices are there so you know what to look for. Buy It Now onlys.
 
RAM - 32GB (8x4GB) - DDR3 - ECC Unbuffered - $210
Motherboard - Dual Socket - AMD - Opteron 6100 - Socket G34 - $105 (DDR3)
CPU 1 - AMD Opteron 6172 - Socket G34 - 12 core - $12.99
CPU 2 - AMD Opteron 6172 - Socket G34 - 12 core - $35.00
Heatsinks - AMD Socket G34 - $40
 
What you get: 

• 32 GB of ECC Unbuffered DDR3 RAM
• Motherboard with IPMI (UBER useful)
• 24 cores

For $403 not counting shipping.
 
For a case, I recommend a large piece of wood for either build. Then hook up a fan to blow over the CPUs because: Passively cooled.

Here is a DDR2 server build using Ebay links. The main price difference is essentially the RAM. ECC unbuffered is preferred for a server.

RAM - 32GB - DDR2 - 4x8GB - $52
Motherboard - Dual Socket - 16 DIMM Slots - AMD Socket F - $75
CPU 1 & 2 - AMD Opteron 2435 - 6 core - Socket F - $30 (for two)
Heatsinks - AMD Socket F - $20
 
What you get:

• 32GB of ECC Unbuffered RAM (DDR2 tho)
• Motherboard with an IPMI expansion card (an expansion card which may or may not work because: old)
• 12 cores

For $177, not counting shipping.
 
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
 
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2603 V3 1.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($222.98 @ Newegg) 
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2603 V3 1.6GHz 6-Core Processor  ($222.98 @ Newegg) 
CPU Cooler: Dynatron R9 10.1 CFM Ball Bearing CPU Cooler  ($27.98 @ Newegg) 
CPU Cooler: Dynatron R9 10.1 CFM Ball Bearing CPU Cooler  ($27.98 @ Newegg) 
Motherboard: Supermicro MBD-X10DAL-I-O ATX Dual-CPU LGA2011-3 Motherboard  ($302.98 @ Newegg) 
Memory: Kingston 32GB (4 x 8GB) Registered DDR4-2133 Memory  ($249.99 @ Newegg) 
Total: $1054.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-09 23:07 EST-0500

 

What you get:

• 32GB of RAM (ECC Unbuffered and DDR4.
• 12 cores (more efficient/powerful ones tho)
• Motherboard with IPMI

For $1054.89, not counting Sales Tax or Shipping.

[Streetguru]

Im trying to come up with a build but im having a difficult time without knowledge of the motherboards and cases for those motherboards.

Well not sure if you'll be able to do Xeon, but you can get an 8320e + motherboard for around 200

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Pk4D99

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Pk4D99/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1246 V3 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($279.99 @ SuperBiiz)

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-B85M-DS3H-A Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($60.88 @ OutletPC)

Total: $340.87

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-10 01:15 EST-0500

[suchamoneypit]

I think what you're asking for is out of your price range unless you go the used route, since you'll be hosting a server its better to save and get it later then buy it cheap now.

im fine with used hardware as long as its from trustworthy places.

 

Im actually looking at the e5-2670 V1's that i saw a reddit post on being really cheap.

[suchamoneypit]

Is it going to be rack mounted? or will it be standalone like a regular desktop?

I dont have a rack system, so desktop unless a rack case is cheaper than a desktop one.