New Office space

[Arcktosh]

Budget (including currency): USD 1 million

Country: South Africa

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: App/System Development and Video rendering, might include Game Development later

Other details:

I’m looking for guidance to ensure I make cost-effective decisions and avoid unnecessary expenses, particularly if there are better options available for my needs.

Here’s the scenario: I’m setting up a Not for Profit Office in Bloemfontein, South Africa, to support computer science students in gaining knowledge and practical experience by working on a range of open-source applications. The space will accommodate 20–40 students at a time, with potential expansion if needed.

The budget is flexible as long as the costs are well justified. My initial plan includes:

• Using a NAS for backups, with adequate capacity and redundancy, as local storage will serve as a critical resource to reduce internet usage and provide access during outages (which occasionally occur in South Africa due to Seacom’s cables).
• Providing each student with a computer capable of handling coding tasks (GitHub, SQL Server, and VS Code), with the possibility of scaling to more demanding tasks like machine learning, AI integration, and 3D modeling if we take on gaming development projects.
• A VPS setup will host our production servers at a remote location.

Additionally, going for an off-grid power setup would be ideal to ensure uninterrupted work.

The building itself is a converted guesthouse with 15 rooms split over two stories, so space allocation will allow for dedicated workstations. Some of the tasks we’ll accommodate include video rendering and content creation if graphic design students join the program. I’d welcome any recommendations you may have for video rendering software.

Additional details:

• Projects may range from web apps to resource-heavy tasks (e.g., data processing, AI/ML, or 3D modeling for potential game development as mentioned before).
• Network infrastructure recommendations to support 20–40 simultaneous users would be greatly appreciated.
• Energy-efficient and scalable solutions are a priority for long-term use.
• Ergonomic workstations, monitors, and peripherals would be helpful to ensure an optimal workspace for the students.

I hope this provides enough context for you to offer your expert advice and recommendations.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best regards,

[jaslion]

You should ask this to a office installer and then a computer supplier not a random forum. This is something you contract out to people and dont do yourself. You hire in proffesionals that work with this all the time.

[Arcktosh]

7 minutes ago, jaslion said:

You should ask this to a office installer and then a computer supplier not a random forum. This is something you contract out to people and dont do yourself. You hire in proffesionals that work with this all the time.

Thank you Jaslion,
Atleast this points me into a direction. Much appreaciated.