Used servers as a reasonable alternative
Hi, Habr! We have already written about the problem of server selection in the conditions of the economic crisis and the advantages of buying “used” (second-hand) servers. Judging by the responses of readers, she aroused interest, so we decided to return to her and continue the conversation.
For any company, buying a server is not a big deal. The question usually consists only in the choice of specific products. But branded server hardware is quite expensive, and not every company can afford to spend tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially in these difficult times. But there is a reasonable alternative that is chosen by many companies and organizations - the purchase of used server equipment, because the used server will cost significantly less. Potentially, it is possible to reduce the cost of ownership of an IT park 5–7 times.
According to market players, the outgoing year was extremely difficult. Companies operating in the Russian market have to face various difficulties. The country's economy is shrinking, and for most IT equipment suppliers, 2015 was a very difficult year. Considering the tight correlation between the volume of our IT market and the price of oil, there is still no improvement in the situation, despite the statements of politicians about the “peak”.
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According to Rosstat, in 2015, Russia's GDP for the 3rd quarter decreased by 10.9% compared with the same period last year. IT market players are talking about a serious economic crisis. According to IDC, the results of 2015 (in dollars) practically return the country's information and communication technology (ICT) indicators to the 2005 level. That is, the market dropped a decade ago. By the end of 2015, the Russian ICT market continues to “slow down”, and the prospect of stabilization and a return to growth looks as distant as it was in December 2014, noted in IDC.
The server market in Russia is also in poor condition. This is what IDC analysts say about the situation on it in the first quarter of 2015: the decline in sales in unit terms was 44.7%, in terms of money - 28.4%.
The current crisis is protracted, and not everyone will “survive”. Companies capable of mobilizing forces and reducing financial costs will succeed. Therefore, we will set aside the question “who is to blame?” And talk better about “what to do?”. Definitely, postponing the purchase of equipment in the hope of a quick change for the better is not the best solution.
In 2014, almost 80% of the Russian server market belonged to global brands, and 20% belonged to other suppliers, including domestic assemblers. One of the market trends is the growth in the supply of self-assembled servers. When purchasing IT equipment, Russian customers are guided by two main criteria - cost and performance.
Do I go to the "self"? Is it possible to purchase a server of a well-known brand in the context of budget cuts and a growing exchange rate? The answer is obvious: in any case, you should look at the servers used.
Server “second-hand” in Russia is just beginning to take shape, although, for example, hosters and providers have long and successfully used such equipment in their work, and some sell it. 2015 was a year of major changes in supply patterns, and individual players and business models had new development opportunities. The development of the secondary IT equipment market helps to increase its life cycle and optimize the costs of creating an IT infrastructure.
Considering the purchase of used server as an alternative to the purchase of new equipment, in addition to significant savings in the allocated budget, customers are able to effectively solve problems without loss of functionality, performance and usability.
According to Gartner, even on the eve of the world economy of 2008, marked by problems in the world market for used telecommunications equipment was $ 1.6 billion. The economic downturn has become a powerful incentive for the growth of this segment: the foreign market for second-hand servers, already significant, has increased several times.
Today, analysts find it difficult to give accurate estimates of the market for such equipment — server or telecommunications — because of its amorphousness and segmentation. It is also difficult to talk about the "age" of the used / used equipment. Sometimes, this is a rather old technique, and sometimes, a relatively new one - it is only 3─4 years old. It is difficult to estimate the size of companies operating in this market. But the problems in the economy, of course, helped to form a new business industry.
The market for used equipment is one of the few segments that have benefited from economic pressure. Since the time of waste ended, the ability to count money has become important. Although it is difficult to calculate the total benefit from the use of used equipment, but on average buyers save up to 70% on an annual basis.
Undoubtedly, the Russian market of used servers will also receive a powerful impetus for development, new players specializing in this segment will appear on it. Actually, such companies already exist and are working successfully. For example, the company " Squadra Group " sells used servers (Asus, Supermicro, HP, Dell).
What benefits can you expect when buying a used server? Of course, it all depends on his age, configuration and performance. And the advantages of second-hand equipment with respect to box solutions, including warranty, delivery terms, etc., are from a particular supplier. Consider three options for buying a self-assembly server: a used server, a new server from one of the largest online stores, and a server from one of the well-known integrators on the market.
After stocks of stocks run out from suppliers of new servers (1-4 months), I am ready to assume that the price will increase at least by 12%. The numbers speak for themselves. And not just numbers. The price factor is not the only reason that IT companies use second-hand servers. At first glance, this may seem strange, but the second-hand servers from a specialized vendor are characterized by high reliability, confirmed by load tests (the equipment is fully tested before shipment), the warranty is up to 12 months - in case of a malfunction, the supplier performs block repair or replacement. Second-hand servers are the availability of spare parts, flexibility of configurations.
In addition, many companies work with old equipment, spare parts for which are no longer available. And here it helps out the used equipment that helps to repair or expand the IT park at the expense of the devices already used.
It is also important to choose a company that sells used equipment. Warranty - the main sign of the legitimacy of the reseller. Find out information about the company. Can you provide recommendations from clients with whom you have already made deals?
As for the tasks for which used servers are used, then the tasks for them, in principle, can be solved the same as on the new servers. Only performance will be lower than the servers of the latest generations. Reliability usually depends on the age and condition of technology. For example, the Squadra Group of 1000 used second-hand Supermicro and Asus servers only had two power supply failures, and the other two servers had several memory slots. We have not yet encountered a lower rate of complaints in the Russian market of used servers.
Why buy used servers? Sometimes - for renting or resale. Hosting is a typical application. Some organizations use them as corporate mail servers, 1C servers that support up to 50 users (it depends on the memory and disk subsystem configuration), Web servers, file servers, Active Directory servers or DNS servers. The range of application of such equipment is extremely extensive. As for the so-called business critical applications, then they are usually bought by new systems. On the other hand, you can build a fault-tolerant configuration. Modern software tools will do it quite inexpensively and without any special problems.
The choice depends on the size of the IT park: one thing when it comes to the “scale” of one server rack, and another when there are more than 100 servers and they are scattered across different platforms. Here the solution is not unique. In large-scale projects, for example, it is possible to combine old and new equipment.
It is believed that the server used by the previous generation, the service life will be 3─4 years less than the new, due to obsolescence. But this, again, depends on the purpose of its application. And, of course, the price. Quad Server 2007–08 will cost from 9,000 to 20,000 rubles. and may become obsolete in 2─3 years, the price of servers for 2009─11. start at about 23,000 rubles, and they will last about 5 years. Well, the new server is from 210,000 rubles. and higher. He can serve for ten years and, according to the performance index, does not overtake much the "old man" of 2010. Think for yourself, decide for yourself whether you have it or not.
For any company, buying a server is not a big deal. The question usually consists only in the choice of specific products. But branded server hardware is quite expensive, and not every company can afford to spend tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially in these difficult times. But there is a reasonable alternative that is chosen by many companies and organizations - the purchase of used server equipment, because the used server will cost significantly less. Potentially, it is possible to reduce the cost of ownership of an IT park 5–7 times.
Crisis: seriously and for long
According to market players, the outgoing year was extremely difficult. Companies operating in the Russian market have to face various difficulties. The country's economy is shrinking, and for most IT equipment suppliers, 2015 was a very difficult year. Considering the tight correlation between the volume of our IT market and the price of oil, there is still no improvement in the situation, despite the statements of politicians about the “peak”.
')
According to Rosstat, in 2015, Russia's GDP for the 3rd quarter decreased by 10.9% compared with the same period last year. IT market players are talking about a serious economic crisis. According to IDC, the results of 2015 (in dollars) practically return the country's information and communication technology (ICT) indicators to the 2005 level. That is, the market dropped a decade ago. By the end of 2015, the Russian ICT market continues to “slow down”, and the prospect of stabilization and a return to growth looks as distant as it was in December 2014, noted in IDC.
The server market in Russia is also in poor condition. This is what IDC analysts say about the situation on it in the first quarter of 2015: the decline in sales in unit terms was 44.7%, in terms of money - 28.4%.
The current crisis is protracted, and not everyone will “survive”. Companies capable of mobilizing forces and reducing financial costs will succeed. Therefore, we will set aside the question “who is to blame?” And talk better about “what to do?”. Definitely, postponing the purchase of equipment in the hope of a quick change for the better is not the best solution.
In 2014, almost 80% of the Russian server market belonged to global brands, and 20% belonged to other suppliers, including domestic assemblers. One of the market trends is the growth in the supply of self-assembled servers. When purchasing IT equipment, Russian customers are guided by two main criteria - cost and performance.
Do I go to the "self"? Is it possible to purchase a server of a well-known brand in the context of budget cuts and a growing exchange rate? The answer is obvious: in any case, you should look at the servers used.
Perspective "second hand"
Server “second-hand” in Russia is just beginning to take shape, although, for example, hosters and providers have long and successfully used such equipment in their work, and some sell it. 2015 was a year of major changes in supply patterns, and individual players and business models had new development opportunities. The development of the secondary IT equipment market helps to increase its life cycle and optimize the costs of creating an IT infrastructure.
Considering the purchase of used server as an alternative to the purchase of new equipment, in addition to significant savings in the allocated budget, customers are able to effectively solve problems without loss of functionality, performance and usability.
According to Gartner, even on the eve of the world economy of 2008, marked by problems in the world market for used telecommunications equipment was $ 1.6 billion. The economic downturn has become a powerful incentive for the growth of this segment: the foreign market for second-hand servers, already significant, has increased several times.
Today, analysts find it difficult to give accurate estimates of the market for such equipment — server or telecommunications — because of its amorphousness and segmentation. It is also difficult to talk about the "age" of the used / used equipment. Sometimes, this is a rather old technique, and sometimes, a relatively new one - it is only 3─4 years old. It is difficult to estimate the size of companies operating in this market. But the problems in the economy, of course, helped to form a new business industry.
The market for used equipment is one of the few segments that have benefited from economic pressure. Since the time of waste ended, the ability to count money has become important. Although it is difficult to calculate the total benefit from the use of used equipment, but on average buyers save up to 70% on an annual basis.
Undoubtedly, the Russian market of used servers will also receive a powerful impetus for development, new players specializing in this segment will appear on it. Actually, such companies already exist and are working successfully. For example, the company " Squadra Group " sells used servers (Asus, Supermicro, HP, Dell).
Calculate?
What benefits can you expect when buying a used server? Of course, it all depends on his age, configuration and performance. And the advantages of second-hand equipment with respect to box solutions, including warranty, delivery terms, etc., are from a particular supplier. Consider three options for buying a self-assembly server: a used server, a new server from one of the largest online stores, and a server from one of the well-known integrators on the market.
| Type of product | Boo | New | New |
| Provider | Squadra Group | Computer supermarket X | Integrator X |
| Server | Platform: Supermicro 6016T-U CPU: 2 * Intel Xeon X5650 RAM: 48GB | Platform: Supermicro 6017R-NTF CPU: 2 * Intel Xeon E-5 2620 v2 RAM: 48GB | Enclosure: SC815TQ-R700CB Motherboard: Supermicro X9DRD-EF CPU: 2 * Intel Xeon E-5 2620 v2 RAM: 48GB |
| Appearance | Scuffs on the body | Clean case | Clean case |
| Performance | 7602 | 8704 | 8704 |
| These figures are given from the site CPU Benchmarks | |||
| Warranty months | 12 | 24 | 36 |
| Reliability | + | + | + |
| BP power | 560W | 600W | 700W |
| Term of elimination of marriage | Up to 10 days (block replacement) | From 7 days | From 7 days |
| Delivery across the Russian Federation | Is free | Charge | Charge |
| Depends on the city and order amount | |||
| Price 01/15/2016 | 62 500 ₽ | 210 000 ₽ | 263 000 ₽ |
After stocks of stocks run out from suppliers of new servers (1-4 months), I am ready to assume that the price will increase at least by 12%. The numbers speak for themselves. And not just numbers. The price factor is not the only reason that IT companies use second-hand servers. At first glance, this may seem strange, but the second-hand servers from a specialized vendor are characterized by high reliability, confirmed by load tests (the equipment is fully tested before shipment), the warranty is up to 12 months - in case of a malfunction, the supplier performs block repair or replacement. Second-hand servers are the availability of spare parts, flexibility of configurations.
In addition, many companies work with old equipment, spare parts for which are no longer available. And here it helps out the used equipment that helps to repair or expand the IT park at the expense of the devices already used.
Where to buy and what to use?
It is also important to choose a company that sells used equipment. Warranty - the main sign of the legitimacy of the reseller. Find out information about the company. Can you provide recommendations from clients with whom you have already made deals?
As for the tasks for which used servers are used, then the tasks for them, in principle, can be solved the same as on the new servers. Only performance will be lower than the servers of the latest generations. Reliability usually depends on the age and condition of technology. For example, the Squadra Group of 1000 used second-hand Supermicro and Asus servers only had two power supply failures, and the other two servers had several memory slots. We have not yet encountered a lower rate of complaints in the Russian market of used servers.
Why buy used servers? Sometimes - for renting or resale. Hosting is a typical application. Some organizations use them as corporate mail servers, 1C servers that support up to 50 users (it depends on the memory and disk subsystem configuration), Web servers, file servers, Active Directory servers or DNS servers. The range of application of such equipment is extremely extensive. As for the so-called business critical applications, then they are usually bought by new systems. On the other hand, you can build a fault-tolerant configuration. Modern software tools will do it quite inexpensively and without any special problems.
The choice depends on the size of the IT park: one thing when it comes to the “scale” of one server rack, and another when there are more than 100 servers and they are scattered across different platforms. Here the solution is not unique. In large-scale projects, for example, it is possible to combine old and new equipment.
It is believed that the server used by the previous generation, the service life will be 3─4 years less than the new, due to obsolescence. But this, again, depends on the purpose of its application. And, of course, the price. Quad Server 2007–08 will cost from 9,000 to 20,000 rubles. and may become obsolete in 2─3 years, the price of servers for 2009─11. start at about 23,000 rubles, and they will last about 5 years. Well, the new server is from 210,000 rubles. and higher. He can serve for ten years and, according to the performance index, does not overtake much the "old man" of 2010. Think for yourself, decide for yourself whether you have it or not.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/275509/
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