3 x Computers for a small office...

...looking to upgrade our computers. The current ones still on Windows XP!

We only use them for wordprocessing, email, we have an accounts package, and we have a certificate that is linked to the Revenue. We can't download the most recent version of Java to enable us access Revenue after early December.

The computers would be networked. We may also consider digital dictation.

So, what should we budget and where should we look? Is a new system always better or would we be able to pick something up from an office clearance?

Thanks for any pointers.

Edit - should have specified that that would possibly include monitors, although they are new enough, the networking etc.

seamus

Get three optiplex machines from Dell, shouldn't cost you more than €400-€500 beans each, add an extra €100 each if they need MS Office. Get Windows 7 or 8.1, don't upgrade to Windows 10 yet.

Networking is a doddle really, get yourself an 8-port Gigabit switch, a network cable for each machine and a network cable to connect the switch to the internet router. That will give all machines internet access.

I'd also get yourself a decent SOHO 2-bay NAS and stick in two disks in Raid 1 configuration.

Shouldn't set you back more than €2k at most.

seamus

seamus wrote: »

Get three optiplex machines from Dell, shouldn't cost you more than €400-€500 beans each, add an extra €100 each if they need MS Office. Get Windows 7 or 8.1, don't upgrade to Windows 10 yet.

Networking is a doddle really, get yourself an 8-port Gigabit switch, a network cable for each machine and a network cable to connect the switch to the internet router. That will give all machines internet access.

I'd also get yourself a decent SOHO 2-bay NAS and stick in two disks in Raid 1 configuration.

Shouldn't set you back more than €2k at most.

Great, thanks for that, will drop Dell an email and see what they propose, 2k would be just about the budget.

Thanks again.

Alanstrainor

Deleted User wrote: »

Great, thanks for that, will drop Dell an email and see what they propose, 2k would be just about the budget.

Thanks again.

Seamus's plan is a good one. I'd go that route too. Consider the Dell warranty too, it's quite reasonable and has been good for customers I've worked for in the past. It all depends on cost however, but worth considering.

RTighe

Plus for all of the above,

In relation to the Certificate i presume thats ROS?

its very simple to transfer the cert,

drop me a pm if you want and ill send you the steps to do it

(copy and paste!!)

Got quote - tbh gave them the specs suggested by Seamus.

3 x OptiPlex 3020SF @ €551 each
3 x Microsoft Office Home and Business 2016 @ €227 each
CHSVT110IIf @ €944
PowerConnect 2898 Web-Managed Switch, 8 GbE Ports @ €147

So a total of €3,425 plus freight and VAT taking it to €4,237. Possibly a bit more than budgeted, ye think it sounds par for the course? Or should we be thinking about the sales this Friday and heading for a PC World type place?

RTighe - it's ROS alright, so might get back to you if there's a problem transferring

seamus

OK, I was a bit off on the Office pricing

I wouldn't go to PC world for your machines, really. The benefit of going with Dell is support. I.e. Dell will support them so you don't have to.

One thing you could look at is Office 365: https://products.office.com/en-ie/business/compare-office-365-for-business-plans

For just over €100 per person per year they get office on each desktop, online storage and a pile of stuff. Plus they get the most up-to-date office software on an ongoing basis - and support from someone who's not you.

So they're paying on ongoing subscription cost, but they do get a lot more than the one-off €230 purchase of MS office.

I've done the mini-tower server with Windows SBS thing. I do not recommend it for a small business. It's a maintenance headache that you don't need. It requires ongoing maintenance and patching. If you have a business that has some requirements - let's say they're a software house and need a deployment server - then, an in-house Windows or Linux server can make a lot of sense.

But if all they need are network file shares, backups and maybe a small internal web server, then a NAS offers a far more robust solution that requires less maintenance.

You most certainly do not need a fully-featured web-managed switch @ €150. This will do just fine. If the day comes that you need to configure multiple VLANs and port speed negotiation, then you can look at a full-featured switch. Right now a basic switch has everything they need.

zefer

The Ros certs just need to be copied from C:\ROS to USB key and then paste it into same location on new PC. Easy peasy