Bake-Off: Four Quad-Core Servers Deliver Performance

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Solution providers now can offer 1U servers with unprecedented capacity, containing two quad-core Intel Xeon processors, 32 Gbytes of memory, up to six hard drives and redundant power supplies, and up to 42 of these servers will fit in a standard rack.

Here we take a look at four 1U servers: the Gateway E-9425R, the Hewlett-Packard DL360 G5, the IBM System x3550 and the Supermicro SuperServer 6015B-URV.

Each of these servers will accommodate two quad-core Intel Xeon processors, although the CRN Test Center requested that the units have only one processor installed so that engineers could compare powerful entry-level servers that can easily be upgraded down the road to boost computing power, leaving plenty of room for solution providers to add value later on through upgrades by adding a second processor, more memory and special expansion cards.

Vendors submitted a two-way 1U server with a single 1.87GHz Xeon processor, 2 Gbytes of memory, one 73-Gbyte Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) hard drive and Windows 2003 Server as the operating system. Engineers benchmarked the servers using PassMark's PerformanceTest software.

Engineers evaluated the products based on feature set, product quality, price/performance, ease of deployment, ease of use and profit potential for channel partners.

Next: Hewlett-Packard ProLiant DL360 G5 Hewlett-Packard ProLiant DL360 G5
HP's ProLiant DL360 G5 is ideal for use in small and midsize businesses, corporate data centers and ISPs. Like the other units, the HP server is compatible with either dual- or quad-core processors, though all units examined here were equipped with just a single 1.87GHz quadcore Xeon processor.

The HP server was the top performer of the bunch, earning a PassMark score of 949.6. With a price of $3,987, roughly in the middle of the pack, it earned top price/performance scores. On the feature front, the HP server will accommodate either SATA or SAS hot-swappable hard drives. It won kudos for including six front-mount hard-drive bays rather than just two or four, a change necessitated by its support for compact 2.5-inch hard drives. The smaller drives conserve power but aren't available in higher capacities like the 3.5-inch models supported by its peers, so HP added the extra drive bays to compensate. The standard storage controller supports RAID 0, 1 and 5, while an optional controller adds RAID 6 functionality.

The server comes standard with 1 Gbyte of memory but will accommodate up to 32 Gbytes of 667MHz DDR2 fully buffered memory in its eight DIMM slots. The server also features two PCI-Express x8 expansion slots—one full length/full height and one low profile.

Network connectivity is provided by dual integrated Gigabit Ethernet NICs with a TCP/IP offload engine. The TCP/IP offload engine reduces network latency and relieves the CPU from having to process network traffic.

For redundancy, the unit includes nine small hot-swappable fans as a standard feature and two optional hot-plug power supplies. The sample unit came with only one power supply.

HP's server features a lockable hood with a latch release mechanism that works easily. The front panel houses the six 2.5-inch hard-drive bays, a slim DVD-ROM drive, one VGA port, one USB port and a pop-out troubleshooting display, which is another stand-out feature.

The rear panel houses two USB ports, three NICs, two expansion slots, one serial port, one VGA port, PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports and the two power supplies.

HP's integrated Lights Out 2 (iLO 2) Management permits remote management of the server infrastructure, including any SAN storage devices. The iLO 2 technology lets administrators remotely operate ProLiant servers regardless of their functional state. The HP server also features a small slide-out system diagnostics display on the front panel to provide administrators with any important troubleshooting information.

Solution providers are impressed by the amount of power HP has packed into the ProLiant DL360 G5. "The server supports six internal SAS drives. That's a huge difference from previous-generation 1U servers that had only two drives," said Bobby Thomas, vice president and division manager of the Information Technologies Division of Carotek, a solution provider in Matthews, N.C. "It can be configured with two quad-core processors and up to 32 Gbytes of memory. That's quite a lot of power in a very slim form factor."

Hewlett-Packard's channel program is one of the best in the business. Benefits include access to pre- and post-sales tools, demand generation vehicles and rewards. Average margins vary by region, and increased margins can be obtained by selling across HP's entire product, service and solution portfolio. Partners can elect to receive leads from HP. Up to 10 percent of net sales are available for advertising and marketing co-op or reimbursements. Web-based training is free.

Next: Gateway E-9425R Gateway E-9425R
Gateway positions its E-9425R 1U server as a reliable, high-performance system with the flexiblity to take on a variety of tasks, ranging from database, e-mail or VMware virtual server to Web server to print server. It is compatible with both dual- and quad-core Xeon processors.

The E-9425R came in second place for performance with a PassMark score of 873.1 and carries a price of $3,886, making it the least-expensive unit reviewed here when the price of the OS is factored in for an apples-to-apples comparison. Solution providers can choose either SAS or SATA hard drives for the Gateway server, and they can even mix and match the two types of drives if necessary. The server features four front-access 3.5-inch hard-drive bays but came loaded with just a single 73-Gbyte, 15,000rpm SAS drive. One feature bonus, an external SAS port on the rear of the chassis, allows connection to additional storage devices. Gateway's integrated RAID controller supports RAID 5 and 10. The server features four USB ports, two in front and two in the rear.

Like the three other servers reviewed here, the Gateway unit has eight DIMM slots that support 32 Gbytes of memory. It also features dual integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports, a full-height PCI-X riser and one low-profile x8 PCIe slot.

The E-9425R server came equipped with dual power supplies and six fans. The power supplies and fans are hot-swappable. Color-coded tabs, levers and handles inside the server indicate which parts are hot-swappable and which ones aren't, helping to simplify maintenance. The tool-free chassis allows the server to be stripped down without even needing a screwdriver. Even the motherboard is held in place with thumb screws.

The Gateway server has a one-piece hood that slides off easily by pressing a release button. The front panel houses the four 3.5-inch hard drive bays, a slim DVD-RW drive and two USB ports. The rear panel houses the three NIC ports, PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, one VGA port, one serial port, an external SAS port, the two expansion slots and two power supplies.

Gateway gives solution providers plenty of options for managing its servers. The Gateway Lights Out (GLO) feature allows servers to be shut down remotely and restarted regardless of the power condition. The integrated lights-out controller is accessed via a stand-alone 10/100 Ethernet port which can be accessed from a command line or Web browser interface. GLO also permits viewing of the System Event Log. The Gateway Systems Manager (GSM) provides a Web-based dashboard view from which to control servers from a remote location. A GSM client installed on Gateway servers provides remote access to manage servers and diagnose and solve problems.

Gateway's channel program offers two levels. Benefits include the Market Alliance Program where partners can qualify for up to 2.5 percent of quarterly net shipped sales, monthly product and road map training, sales and marketing tools, MDF, a dedicated channel team and field support. Pricing is consistent for all partners. There are no fees to join the channel program, and training is free. Partners can receive 40 percent discounts on two demo units per quarter.

"Gateway has always been an excellent partner for us," said Chris Prince, business manager at Netsys+, a solution provider in Sioux City, Iowa, adding that the financial benefits of working with the vendor are also strong. "Troubleshooting is easy and replacement parts come overnight," he said.

Next: IBM System x3550 IBM System x3550
The IBM System x3550 server offers high performance in a dense package, making it ideal for cramped data centers. It is compatible with both dual- and quad-core processors and will take up to two of either type.

The server lagged its peers on performance, earning a fourth-place finish with a PassMark score of 803.1. It also carries the highest price tag—$4,305—a combination that spurred Test Center engineers to give it the lowest mark for price/performance of the four servers reviewed here.

The System x3550 features hardware RAID with the choice of either 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hard drives, depending on the drive cage that's used. The drives can be either SATA or SAS, and the server supports hot-swappable SAS drives and simple-swappable SATA drives. The server features integrated SAS RAID 0, 1 and 10 without having to use a PCI slot. Zero-channel SAS RAID 5 or 6 is optional with IBM's ServeRAID 8k adapter. RAID 5 can be configured with a live hot spare when four 2.5-inch hot-swappable SAS drives are used.

The server also will accept up to 32 Gbytes of high-performance 667MHz memory in its eight DIMM slots. Memory can

be configured with an online spare and mirroring, which allows it to continue proper operation even if a memory DIMM should fail.

A PCI-Express riser card furnishes the System x3550 with two x8 half-length full-height PCI-Express slots. An optional PCI-X riser card can be substituted for the standard PCI-Express riser card. The riser PCI-Express provides one 64-bit, 133MHz PCI-X slot and lets solution providers continue to use PCI-X adapters while transitioning to PCI-Express technology.

Redundancy features include dual hot-swappable power supplies and six hot-swappable fans. Integrated dual Gigabit Ethernet ports are provided without sacrificing an expansion slot, and a TCP-IP offload engine alleviates the CPU from having to process network traffic, thus freeing it up to perform other tasks. Like the HP unit, IBM also features a pop-out diagnostics display that provides information on component failures at a glance.

IBM's server features two small flip-up doors on top that expose the fans, and a one-piece main hood that slides off easily. The front panel was set up to house two 3.5-inch hard drives, one VGA port, two USB ports, the pop-out troubleshooting display and a slim DVD-CDRW drive. The rear panel houses the three NIC ports, two USB ports, 1 serial port, one VGA port and the two power supplies.

IBM includes an integrated system management processor that lets administrators monitor them remotely. It also broadcasts important messages regarding system health. A dedicated system management Ethernet port provides management functions regardless of the server's operational status.

"The x3550 is a really powerful but compact rack-mounted server that supports both Windows and Linux operating systems," said Stan Staszak, director of System x and System i products at Sirius Computer Solutions, a solution provider based in San Antonio. "In the event that a specific part fails, it can be easily isolated and replaced using IBM's proprietary light path diagnostics" he added.

IBM's channel program packs its 9,500 U.S. partners into three levels, Member, Advance and Premiere. The program has no certification requirements or joining costs and provides free training. Partners get an 8 percent discount and are eligible for rebates. The Web-based Campaign Designer helps partners create customized marketing materials.

Next: Supermicro SuperServer 6015B-URV Supermicro SuperServer 6015B-URV
The 6015B-URV is Supermicro's most powerful 1U model. It placed third for performance with a PassMark score of 857.0. Pricing is $3,998 when the cost of the Windows Server 2003 operating system is included, or $3,199 without the OS.

Supermicro's strategy of making all of its systems available either as bare-bones units or fully populated with hardware gives the vendor an edge when it comes to working with the channel. Solution providers can add value and profit potential by customizing systems with whatever hardware and software best suits their clients needs.

The vendor has added a Universal I/O, which provides compatibility with customized storage and networking solutions. Different riser card options allow the use of standard PCI-Express cards. Expansion slots include one for the Universal I/O card and one x8 PCI-e slot. It also has a universal slot that can be used for one 64-bit 133MHz PCI-X card or a second x8 PCI-e slot.

Plenty of storage space is furnished by the server's four 3.5-inch hot-swappable drive bays that support SAS and SATA RAID. Like the other servers covered here, the SuperServer 6015B-URV was fitted with a single 73-Gbyte SAS drive. Supermicro also equipped the server with an IPMI 2.0 remote management card. The management card allows for remote management, power cycling and patch management. Network connectivity is provided by way of dual integrated Gigabit Ethernet NICs, but the management card uses its own dedicated 10/100 port. The Supermicro server also features redundant power supplies and fans.

All internal components are accessed by removing a one-piece slide-off hood that's released by pressing down on two thumb buttons. Engineers found that the hood can be fussy at times to remove. Inside the server is room for up to six speed-controlled fans. Only four were installed in the sample unit.

The front panel of the server features the four hard-drive bays and a slim DVD-ROM drive. The front panel also houses the power button and some indicator lights, but Test Center engineers were disappointed to discover that there are no USB ports in front. Two power supplies slide into the rear panel, which also houses PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, two USB ports, one VGA port, one serial port, the three NICs and an external SAS port.

"Supermicro's hardware is very well-engineered, and they make the entire platform: they use their own motherboards, chassis [and] components," said Shane Huntress, sales representative at Silicon Mechanics, a partner in Bothell, Wash. "Support is easy to get, and their prices are very competitive."

Supermicro's channel program has three levels—Authorized, Value-Added and Gold—which each carry different sales requirements. There are no costs to join, and a variety of training options are also free. Tech support is free for partners and end users. Other benefits include demo units, rebates, spifs and MDF.

Next: The Bottom Line The Bottom Line
HP's 1U server outscored its peers due to a combination of price, performance and feature set. It was the fastest performer of the group and included key features such six drive bays and a troubleshooting display.

Supermicro's SuperServer 6015B-URV and Gateway's E-9425R were neck-and-neck across several categories. Gateway narrowly beat out its rival on performance. It also grabbed the edge on features with four USB ports and an external SAS port, while Supermicro, despite its external SAS port, lost ground for forgoing a front-side USB port. Still, it was profit potential that won a second-place finish for Supermicro. By giving partners the option of buying bare-bones systems, Supermicro offers the opportunity for boosted profits, as VARs can build completely customized systems.

IBM's full feature set, including a troubleshooting display, earned top marks, but the ground lost on price/performance could not be overcome, landing it fourth place.

All in all, this group of 1U servers packed a lot of performance into diminuitive form factors and leave plenty of room for partners to add value down the line through performance upgrades.