Review: HP Server Handles The Heavy Load

Servers come in all shapes and sizes, and thanks to multi-core processors, even small 1U servers can pack quite a punch. Even so, many applications require as much horsepower as you can throw at them. Demanding applications require something along the lines of Hewlett-Packard's new flagship ProLiant ML370 G5, a two-way server designed to handle heavy workloads.

The server can provide high performance and availability with continuous uptime to support corporate work groups and critical remote sites. It's also ideal for virtualization and has plenty of storage space for Web applications and databases. The server is available in multiple configurations, any of which are highly expandable to support business growth.

The HP ProLiant ML370 Generation 5 (G5) is available with dual- and quad-core Intel Xeon 5000 series processors, up to 64 Gbytes of memory and 16 hard drives. The top-of-the-line quad-core processors feature two 4-Mbyte Level 2 caches with a 1,066MHz front side bus, and the ML370 can accommodate two of these monsters. VARs can specify a single-processor server to start with and nearly double its power by adding a second processor once the workload warrants such power.

The fact that the HP ProLiant ML370 is available in either rackmount or tower form gives solution providers the freedom to choose the layout that best suits a customer's needs. Obviously, if a particular customer already has computer racks in place, then the rackmount unit is the way to go. If a customer does not yet have racks installed but likely will have them in the future, the rackmount unit can simply be placed on a table to begin with and moved to a rack once they are installed. For customers that likely will never need computer racks or for customers that simply don't have the room for them, the tower configuration is a better choice, and it's also one that will look better and offer greater security with its locking front panel.

The HP ML370 server is available in various configurations with a tower chassis or a 5U rack-mount chassis. The tower chassis easily converts to rack-mount configuration if it becomes necessary. A locking front door on the tower model, which is heavier than it looks, prevents unauthorized removal of the hard drives.

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