Best Server??

[Variable]

I was at a computer trade show with a friend who owns his own company. He developed a ASP Content Management System and now he has to test it on some heavy servers so he can tell his clients (he partly licenses the software to other bis companies) that it runs on those systems and on those etc.
But he also wants those servers because he will distribute the software on his own on a smaller scale.
We went to IBM who wanted to sell us servers for about 300.000$ and up. Then to SUN Microsystems who couldn't tell us an exact price and Cobalt who told us their Colbalt Servers would start somewhere around 3000$ (later on he should add just more and more servers).
He wants those servers to be scaleable (so he can upgrade on demand).
He expects something like 2 Terabytes of traffic on them a month!!
There will be at least something like 500-1000 users (and up!!!) online at the same time.
Something between 1000 and 500.000 users will have to be managed.
Those users will have all their multimedia data (and databases) saved on this central system (or a seperate file server).
Of course he wants to start as cheap as possible and upgrade on demand.
I hope someone here can help him (me).

cool°
Variable

[This message has been edited by Variable (edited 11-09-2000).]

[thxmanu]

I don't know of any cheap servers that will handle that kind of load. Can't go wrong with Sun ($$$). HP and Dell make decent servers. We use Net Appliance here where I work. Don't know any prices though. Anyone else??

[Variable]

I don't think even high end intel (and theoretical AMD) Servers will do.

He needs really something powerfull.
(Like 1000 Sysopts at peak time on the same server)

[brandon184]

Hmm... I'd try a higher end Dell or Sun Server.

[cyclone2]

http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1305 Behind AnandTech - The Search for the Perfect Servers http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif good article as to what it took for servers as their website grew.