We are a small manufacturing business and currently have an old Dell T100 running SBS2008 that basically does it all for us. Right now the poor thing is running pretty slow which shows up mostly in our MRP software that has its visual fox database sitting on the server(it moves a decent clip of data at all times). The SBS 2008 machine in all honesty is underpowered in the first place with an E3110@3ghz and 8gb memory(maxed) which I am sure attributes alot to the issue. I am under severe budget constraints right now in the sense that technically I have no budget for the moment but what I hope is to gather some information here, choose the option that offers the best value, and then beg/steal/borrow til I get the budget needed. My boss is just apprehensive on spending the money right now thinking things may turn south again however I am going to change his mind. Everything as it stands:
33 Workstations (17 on production floor with minimal connection to the server)
16 office computers that work in the MRP Software
5 of the office systems are Engineering and their CAD software has a small SQL database that was installed on the server. Last I checked it was about 100mb in size.
File database for blueprints and quotes that is about 140k files at 15gig.
Vipre Management System
Would possibly migrating to new hardware be the best answer? It would save a boatload of money with the CALs that have already been purchased for SBS 2008. If I have to buy everything then I have thought about the Server 2012 Essentials as a stop gap. I am actually under the 25 user limit because the shop computers use the same login and under the 50 device limit too. Then later when the budget frees up I can buy the Standard license and CALs. I have also thought about FREENAS or the like to remove the MRP database and files from the SBS server which I think would help some. However, I see people who love it and people that say never use something like it for production environment. I also have no way of knowing how big of a difference that would make beforehand.
Sorry for the longevity of the post but hopefully that is everything. I thank anyone who takes the time out of their day to offer some advice.
