Looking For Linux Vendors To Order A Centos/Ubuntu Based Webserver To Host Bioinformatics Apps

Question

[Khader Shameer]

I am looking for an experienced Linux vendors to order a pre-installed CentOS/Ubuntu based webserver to host bioinformatics apps. Any suggestions or recommendations?

[Khader Shameer]

@ALL : We have checked with various vendors and finally ordered the server from PSSCLABS. Got good pricing, they are good at technologies and seems to have good experience in providing solutions for bioinformatics/genomics related research. I will update this with my feedback after the server is ready.

[User 59]

Why preinstalled? If you can maintain a Linux server to host bioinformatics apps, you can surely install CentOS as well. Or are you after a mangaged solution? Have you thought about just having a VM hosted somewhere?

[Geoffjentry]

Sometimes the powers that be like things such as service contracts, which tend to be hard to get if the OS isn't preinstalled.

[Khader Shameer]

Daniel, True. Back in India, in my lab we used to get Systems engineers to help us with O/S or any critical systems issues. I can install and CentOS and get it up and running, but it need considerable amount to tweak things. I am looking for something like a pre-installed OS with a service contract. I already got some quotes. But, don't have any experience with the vendors in US.

[Khader Shameer]

Thanks for your point geoff

Answer 1

[Jeroen Van Goey]

System 76 is a vendor that only sells "laptops, desktops, and servers with Ubuntu pre-installed, and is committed to the ideals of open source software." You can compare the servers they sell. They are also a Ubuntu solution provider so I am sure they can make you a system that fits your needs to a tee.

[Brad Chapman]

I second the System76 recommendation. Bought a laptop from them and have been very happy.

[Khader Shameer]

Thanks BioGeek & Brad : I have contacted System76, but they dont provide linux servers with 4GB DDR3 RAM at the moment.

Answer 2

[Egon Willighagen]

Have you looked into the Ubuntu Amazon EC2 server thing?

[Khader Shameer]

Egon thanks for the suggestion. I am afraid we are on a tight budget as of now. May be later we will try Ubuntu Amazon EC2.

Answer 3

[Geoffjentry]

We've been buying our servers from HP via pcconnection.com (don't be fooled by the name), with good success. All of our desktops have been coming from Penguin Computing.

[Khader Shameer]

Thanks Geoff. I will look the URL.

Answer 4

[Rob]

I used to be a sysadmin at a wholesale telco that ran CentOS exclusively on IBM and Dell equipment. They were just ordered without an OS. Neither company had any problems whatsoever with honouring service contracts (and we used to call them fairly frequently for warranty part replacements and so forth). Keep in mind though, that we didn't want software support.

So long as you're ordering them without an OS, and you're ordering actual servers (so you don't need to ring the desktop support line) you shouldn't have a problem with any of the big vendors.

[Khader Shameer]

Thanks for your points Rob.

Answer 5

[Weronika]

I know this is an old question, but for the benefit of people who find it years later like I did - ZaReason is a small company that sells Linux desktops/laptops/servers, and I've had good experiences with them (I got a desktop to be used as a small data analysis server at work, and a high-end laptop to work on). They offer a choice of many different Linux distributions. You can get an extended warranty and support, too.