I agree Blades are overkill for your environment. Virtualization makes since if you want to consolidate servers and have a number of boxes with low resource utilization, however, It sounds like you have a small number of physical servers. I would stick with a small number of 1 or 2 U boxes which should have adequate horsepower.
When you add a virtualization product such as VMware you not only have license cost, server cost, but also must have the network infrastructure to support it. To use many of the features of ESX you are going to need Gigabit switches and setting up Vlans. So if you are not familiar with VMware or virtualization you are going to have to add training cost as well. Mike _____ From: Sharie Breaux [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 6:56 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Need opinion on Blade Servers I have check into virtualization with our software vendor and they don't support it, yet. I understand that it is coming, though I don't know how long it will take. Sharie _____ From: Andy Shook [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 7:54 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Need opinion on Blade Servers My opinion only. Blades are overkill for you situation. If the guy in charge wants expansion options, then look into virtualization. It sounds like you've got more than enough (physical) horsepower. Shook http://www.linkedin.com/in/andyshook _____ From: Sharie Breaux [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 7:45 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Need opinion on Blade Servers Our company is in the process of dividing the business into two. Two principals are staying at the current location and the other two are moving to a new location. It is my job to purchase the server for the two that are moving (of which I am going with them as well). We have four servers now: Primary (which is the one I am replacing now), SQL (of which I will replace in early 2009), Exchange & a Backup server. One of the principals is pushing blade servers. He feels there is a smaller footprint, more room for growth for the future, you only need one UPS and there is less power consumption. There is only going to be 8 people at the new company with room to expand to 4 more. The current Primary server is more than adequate for the 20 people that are at the company now. There is no temperature controlled server room. There is an "IT closet" where the wiring will be (Phone & Data) which is basically only 8' wide x 30" deep with louvered doors in the common supply room. He suggested putting the servers in the closet sideways of which I am against and said no. I will be putting them in my cubicle with me as it makes it easier to manage them. Since I do not know that much about blade servers, I need all of your opinions. Sharie Breaux Systems Administrator [EMAIL PROTECTED] ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~
