# Need advice on a decent Sun server for learning purposes
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-a-decent-sun-server-for-learning-purposes/163842
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 24, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-a-decent-sun-server-for-learning-purposes/163842 "2003-03-24T18:53:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JohanDane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohanDane)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-a-decent-sun-server-for-learning-purposes/163842/1 "2003-03-24T18:53:17Z")
I’d like to purchase a Sun server from ebay so that I can set it up at home and become more familiar with the Solaris 8 OS and installing web servers such as Weblogic and Websphere (for learning/development purposes only). I’d also like to install Oracle 8i.
I noticed that there are many Sun Server models out there and they can be quite expensive. Obviously, I don’t need a super fast machine, just something that can handle the apps I just mentioned and be able to have a decent response time. Can anyone recommend to me some reasonably priced “starter” Sun Server models that could handle the job?
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@dylan\_73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dylan_73)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-a-decent-sun-server-for-learning-purposes/163842/2 "2003-03-24T19:07:21Z")
I’ve been thinking of buying one myself to get familiar with Solaris and when I asked advice from others, I was told that an Ultra 5 or 10 can be picked up cheaply and would do the job. I don’t know about running Oracle on it, as I’ve heard Oracle is pretty demanding, but maybe check with them about min spec?