AI server hardware
- Understand done
- Explore done
- Convergenow
- Commit
SuggestedClaude's suggestion, not discussed yet.
Next stepReid sets up the rented cloud test; Joe picks the two setups and the rent-or-own point
StatusRent cloud machines first; buy once the test gives real numbers
Waiting onWaiting on Reid
Last movedOct 26
ProjectNone yet
To-dos 6
Pick two hardware options: one for day-to-day work, one for peak loads like the big county data sets. Include the point where renting costs as much as owning, and that renting means no upkeep
Joe · from Oct 26 · Joe, Reid
Set up the rented cloud test and bring back the numbers
Reid · from Oct 26 · Joe, Reid
Make the hardware decision
Joe · from Oct 26 · Joe, Reid
Settle the county data plan and get a sample from a county archive Suggested
Joe, Reid, Keegan (unconfirmed) · from Oct 15
Ask the Dell contact for quotes: a Pro Precision 9 T6 with 2 cards (room for 4-5), and a 4-card XE7740 Suggested
Joe (unconfirmed) · from Oct 15
Update the Design Lab's numbers once the county data plan is decided Suggested
Claude (unconfirmed) · from Oct 15
Decisions 3
D16 Test on rented cloud machines first, and use the real numbers from that test to decide what hardware to buy, because Any purchase has a long wait (a DGX could take months), and real numbers make a better baseline for buying
Agreed by Joe, Reid · confirmed by joe on the page · from Oct 26 · Joe, Reid
D15 The Martin and Ector County records are a test of how far we can get; they do not change the hardware choice for now, because Reid does not want to build for a problem we may not have, and the first run may be the most expensive one
Agreed by Joe, Reid · confirmed by joe on the page · from Oct 26 · Joe, Reid
D1 Focus on one region at a time, not many counties at once, because Less compute and storage, and quicker results
Agreed by Joe, Reid, Keegan · accepted · from Oct 16 · Joe, Reid, Keegan
No questions, requirements, drafts or files yet.
History · 5
- Added to the board: Leaning: buy a 2-card Dell workstation first (about $35-40k). Anything bigger waits for the county data plan and a real sample.
Fri, Oct 16, 2026 · Joe, Reid, Keegan
- Compute and storage needs depend on the county data. Sized for one region first.
- Joe already has a reader that tries plain text reading first and sends only hard pages to Gemini and Claude. A local server would do that step without paying per use.
- Oct 26: test on rented cloud machines first; the hardware purchase waits for those numbers.
- Oct 26: plan two setups, one sized for day-to-day work and one for peak loads (the big county data sets). Compare renting and owning: when does rent spend match the purchase, keeping in mind rented machines need no upkeep.