A few years ago, I got a refurbished Dell R720 server with dual 8-core ivy bridge CPUs 32GB of memory and 32TB of storage.
A year ago, I finally decided to install Proxmox and VMs for wireguard, TrueNAS, pihole and game servers (when the need arises).
I’m curious if the Dell R720 is the golden standard of easy to obtain, relatively powerful servers, even considering it’s age? I’ve seen a lot of home servers using this particular server the most.
Let me know what your thoughts are, I’m hoping to eventually upgrade to an EPYC server but those are expensive.
It’s certainly worth the upgrade to the R730, if only to get a RAID controller (e.g. H730) which passes-thru fstrim commands, handles 4kN sector drives, and can be switched into HBA mode as desired. All features lacking on R720s. Storage can quickly exceed the cost of a server, so not a minor consideration.
There are many inexpensive HP Proliant Gen9 units as well, whether dl360 or dl380. It’s a matter of preference.
I figured that if I did an upgrade that I would go for something more recent, like first or second gen AMD EPYC. An R730 from an R720 is incremental, I think.
Agree. Anyone building today, the e5 v4 processors are about as old as I’d go when it comes to bang-for-buck - not to mention efficiency, electricity seemingly isnt getting any cheaper!
I still have a R520 and a R720 in production for “testing” for work as they were just going to toss these old servers. I agree that these servers are far too old, but to be fair, still does a decent job for the age.
I do have Proxmox 8 on the R720 with dual 8 core cpu, 128 gigs of ram, and 24 terabytes of storage.
The Dell R720 is indeed a popular choice in the refurbished server market due to its reliability, performance, and availability at a reasonable price point. Its dual CPU configuration, substantial memory capacity, and storage options make it suitable for various applications, including virtualization, storage servers, and network services.
While the R720 is aging in terms of technology, its robustness and versatility continue to make it a favorite among home server enthusiasts. It provides a cost-effective solution for individuals and small businesses looking to deploy virtualized environments or storage servers without breaking the bank.
However, it’s important to note that technology evolves, and newer models with more efficient processors and enhanced features have entered the market. As you mentioned, upgrading to a server with AMD EPYC processors can provide significant performance improvements, especially if you’re running resource-intensive applications or large-scale virtualization environments.
Ultimately, the choice between sticking with the Dell R720 or upgrading to a newer server like those powered by AMD EPYC depends on your specific requirements, budget, and long-term goals. Evaluating your current and future needs will help you make an informed decision about whether it’s time to transition to a more modern server solution. You can see other options of genuine and certified dell and other servers at here: refurbished server.
I’m literally throwing out (well. Sending off for recycle) r720/r730 at work these days due to age - out of my test lab - because I have 740s coming out of production and going into it in their place.
I’d look for r730 or maybe even some early r740 as they’re all likely coming up due for replacement at most businesses who use them.
I think from memory the 730 are ddr 4 ecc which might be easier to source in large capacity these days too.
Also bear in mind that ivy bridge is pretty darn old now. Unless you need the slots and the large memory capacity a modern quad core will likely outperform an ivy bridge era Xeon at most things without the fan noise. IPC has come a long way since 2012. Xeons arent very highly clocked, so whilst they have 8 cores and large cache… unless you know what you’re getting you may be underwhelmed by the performance.
If you do need the slots, chassis space for drives etc so be it. But home server wise unless you’re getting r series rack servers very cheap or need that form factor you can probably build/buy something more modern that will smoke it in a smaller almost silent enclosure.