Buying an AI system is the visible part of setting up private AI in a small business. Whether it turns into something staff can depend on comes down to four less exciting parts around it: storage that holds and protects the data, a network fast enough to move it, power protection so a flicker does not corrupt anything, and a second copy somewhere else. Together they typically add a quarter to a half to the cost of the AI system at the small end, and they are what separate a demonstration from infrastructure. This guide sets out what each part does and gives two example configurations with listed prices. They are illustrations to adapt, not packaged products.
What are the five parts?
| Part | Job | If it is missing |
|---|---|---|
| AI system | Runs the models | No AI |
| NAS | Holds documents, datasets, the model library and backups, with redundancy and snapshots | Everything lives on one internal drive |
| Network | Moves large files between them, and serves users | Minutes of waiting on every model or dataset copy |
| UPS | Rides through flickers; shuts equipment down cleanly in an outage | Corrupted files or volumes after a power cut |
| Second copy | Off-site or protected backup | Fire, theft or ransomware takes everything at once |
A firewall that puts the AI equipment on its own network segment is a sixth part worth adding once staff beyond the IT person are using it.
Example 1: one AI system for a small team
For up to about 10 to 15 people using a private assistant on company documents.
| Part | Example | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| AI system | NVIDIA DGX Spark 4TB, 128GB unified memory | S$9,450.00 |
| NAS | Synology DS925+ 4-bay | S$1,260.00 |
| Drives | 4 x Seagate IronWolf Pro, at the lowest listed price of S$390 each | S$1,560.00 |
| UPS | APC Back-UPS Pro BR 900VA | S$452.50 |
| Network | Existing multi-gigabit switch | - |
| Total | S$12,722.50 |
CALC. 9,450 + 1,260 + (4 x 390) + 452.50 = S$12,722.50. The parts around the AI system come to 12,722.50 - 9,450 = S$3,272.50, which is 3,272.50 / 9,450 = 35 percent on top. The drive price is the lowest listed for that range, which is the smallest capacity; larger drives cost more. This example has no off-site copy yet, which should be the next addition.
Example 2: two AI systems for a growing team
For a team that wants one system serving users and one for development and testing, shared storage on 10GbE and a protected second copy.
| Part | Example | Listed price |
|---|---|---|
| AI systems | 2 x NVIDIA DGX Spark 4TB | S$18,900.00 |
| NAS | Synology DS1825+ 8-bay | S$2,148.00 |
| Drives | 8 x Seagate IronWolf Pro, at the lowest listed price of S$390 each | S$3,120.00 |
| Switch | HPE Networking Instant On 1960 12-port 10GBASE-T | S$2,444.40 |
| UPS | APC Smart-UPS 1500VA tower | S$1,335.00 |
| Second copy | Synology ActiveProtect DP320 | S$2,611.20 |
| Total | S$30,558.60 |
CALC. 18,900 + 2,148 + 3,120 + 2,444.40 + 1,335 + 2,611.20 = S$30,558.60. The supporting parts come to 30,558.60 - 18,900 = S$11,658.60, which is 62 percent on top of the AI systems. A 10GbE card for the NAS, on models with a compatible slot, and a firewall would be added to this.
Prices in both examples: listed 12 Nov 2026; prices change; ask for a current quotation. Card compatibility, drive capacity and UPS sizing should be confirmed for the final configuration.
How do you choose each part?
- AI system: by memory, since it decides which models fit. See why 128GB of unified memory matters and 20 employees on one GB10.
- NAS: by capacity needed in two years, bays and network port. See Synology NAS for AI developers.
- Network: 2.5GbE for one system, 10GbE when several share the NAS. See 10GbE vs 2.5GbE.
- UPS: by the watts of what must stay up, with a data link for automatic shutdown. See why your NAS needs a UPS.
- Second copy: off site or immutable. See the 3-2-1 backup rule.
The AI system is what gets approved. The NAS, the switch, the UPS and the backup are what decide whether anyone is still using it in a year.
In what order should you buy?
- AI system and NAS together. Starting without storage means migrating later.
- UPS at the same time. It is the cheapest item and prevents the most avoidable failure.
- Second copy within the first quarter, once real work is accumulating.
- 10GbE when the waiting becomes noticeable, or with the second AI system.
- Firewall segmentation when use spreads beyond a small trusted group.
What do people leave out?
- Drives. A NAS is priced without them.
- The off-site copy.
- Set-up time. Someone has to install the software stack, connect the document store and test restores.
- Space, cooling and noise. Compact AI systems are quiet; a NAS with eight drives and a rack switch are not silent. Plan where they sit.
- Power sockets and load. See would you trust a S$200 UPS to protect a S$10,000 workstation.
- An owner.
For how this compares with paying for cloud AI by usage, see local AI vs cloud API costs, and for the step-by-step connection of the first two parts, Synology NAS with NVIDIA DGX Spark.
Buying in Singapore
Every item in the two examples is linked in the tables above. Alternatives on the same AI platform: the ASUS Ascent GX10 1TB (S$10,350) and HP ZGX Nano G1n 4TB (S$11,499) (listed 12 Nov 2026; prices change; ask for a current quotation). Tell us your team size, how much data you hold and where the equipment will sit, and we will put together a configuration and quotation. To start, use Request for Quotation on the product page, call (65) 6978 3502, email Sales@sourceit.com.sg or use our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
What does a small business need besides an AI workstation? Storage with redundancy and snapshots, usually a NAS; a wired network fast enough for large files; a UPS for clean shutdown in power cuts; and a second backup copy off site.
How much extra do the NAS, UPS and network cost? In small setups, typically a quarter to a half of the AI system's price, more when 10GbE networking and a dedicated backup appliance are included.
Does an AI workstation need a UPS? It is strongly advisable for the NAS and network equipment, and for the AI system if work in progress matters. Size it by the watts of the equipment connected.
Can I add the NAS and backup later? You can, but starting without them means the only copy of early work sits on one drive, and moving data later is extra effort. Buying the AI system and NAS together is simpler.
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