Dell T550 POC tests local AI stack

Solid direction for a pilot, but the weak point is inference headroom, not the server chassis. The T4s and 16 GB VRAM ceiling will work for lighter local models and a small user base, but they will become restrictive fast once you add RAG, longer context, and concurrency.

• –Good enough for proving workflow, governance, and adoption before spending real budget
• –GPU VRAM is the main constraint; larger models and multiple simultaneous users will hit limits quickly
• –Ollama and Open WebUI are fine for an easy start, but you may outgrow them as soon as you need more throughput or tighter multi-user control
• –RAID 1 for OS is fine; RAID 5 for models/data is serviceable for a POC, but it is not the part to optimize first
• –For the next phase, prioritize model fit, retrieval quality, and user concurrency over adding more CPU or RAM