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IT director proposes $3,500–$4,000 in-house server rebuild to avoid larger vendor cost
Summary
Saul, Lincoln County’s IT director, told commissioners that rising Microsoft licensing and ISP costs constrained savings but proposed building a new data server in-house for about $3,500–$4,000—far less than vendor quotes of $14,000–$18,000—and aims to complete the work by November–December.
Saul, who identified himself as Lincoln County’s IT director, presented the IT department budget and a plan to replace the county’s aging data server. He said licensing costs (including Microsoft) and ISP contracts rose this year, leaving little room to trim operating lines, but that a one-time capital replacement could be acquired far more cheaply by building the system in-house.
Saul told commissioners he is seeking quotes from suppliers such as CDWG and Dell but expects to assemble a new server from parts and transfer reusable components from the county’s existing machine. He said a vendor-built replacement was quoted at roughly $14,000 to $18,000, while his in-house estimate is about $3,500 to $4,000. "Instead of a new server being between 14 and $18,000, I think I can price one about 3500 to four grand," he said.
He described the new system as a NAS (network-attached storage) option that would not require a Microsoft license, which would reduce recurring license costs and avoid some update-related problems. Saul estimated the county’s current server had about three years of useful life remaining and planned to complete the replacement during the coming winter, with a likely November–December finish.
Commissioners and staff acknowledged technology pressures in public safety and dispatch systems and thanked Saul for pursuing a cost-conscious approach. The plan still requires final budget approval and any adjustments once countywide wage and benefit figures are set.
