Blade Server Reality Check

"Are you seriously considering, or currently deploying, blade servers in 2010? If so, I hope you've done your research and accepted their vendor lock-in and other shortcomings in addition to their marketed promises. Blades have much to offer in the way of lower power consumption and lower cooling requirements, but are they worth the added expense and special requirements they impose? I'm not picking on blade servers, their manufacturers or saving money, but it's time for a blade server reality check.

"Beyond the hype of blade servers and their status as the magic datacenter bullet, you must face the reality that follows their purchase. You'll need to provide training for your hardware staff, additional rack space since blades need their own enclosures, and special power and connectivity requirements.

"For a reality check on this subject, I asked local web hosting executive, Mike Bacher, owner of TulsaConnect, about his blade server use. He provided seven reasons why he will not purchase or deploy blades in his datacenters:"

Complete Story

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