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Hardware brand is really a preference thing. &nbsp;I have had success with Dell (rack and blade) and HP blade servers in enterprise environments.<br />
<br />
Aside from what &quot;roles&quot; the servers are going to play you need to look at loads expected, how much expansion capability you need, will virtualization play a role, what type of support packages you want to buy for the servers themselves, and so on. &nbsp;<br />
<br />
With what you've described above, without knowing anticipated loads and file sizes, as well as not knowing if you mean &quot;physical sites' or &quot;internet sites, and if internet what application you will use (apache, sharepoint, IIS), I would go off he cuff and say that two good servers could run the whole thing if you use virtualization.<br />
<br />
All the above being said, my personal preference is Dell ;)
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I agree - &quot;best&quot; is subjective... I like Dell and hate HP (think their support - as compared to Dell STINKS - but if you're familiar with how each company works (because you've been working with them for a long time) you start to know what to expect and when another company doesn't meet those expectations, you're disappointed.<br />
<br />
Bottom line when it comes to servers is you really should buy servers from a major name brand - IBM, HP, Dell (for example). &nbsp;The servers are going to be critical to your business (at least in a well designed network) so you want appropriate warranties and redundancies depending on the functions of the servers.
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could you please specify # of servers you are looking, this could help anyone for expert suggestion.<br />
lets say if you want total 5- serevrs @ each site than you should go with Blade envoirment, instead of buying rackmountable server, fixing power cables, network cables you should think of buying blade with storage.<br />
<br />
i think before finalizing your brand you should preape your mind on technology (Blade or Rackmoutable) 
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<div>
thnak you experts for a valueable suggestions.<br />
<br />
client will not use Virtulization, each site server will be<br />
<br />
DC,<br />
Exh<br />
File<br />
Office Application<br />
Third Part Application<br />
Web<br />
<br />
a aprt from above Antivirus &amp;&nbsp;Backup server only on primary site.<br />

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Poor leew, you really don't get on with HP support do you? I can understand why; Dell support is geared up for small businesses, HP's is geared more for enterprise. In the SMB end of the market you deal with customers who's kit isn't on support (if it was they'd call the manufacturer) and you end up talking to someone who just wants to send you the part (if it's under warranty) and close the call. The two are very different on the sales side as well, Dell sell direct to SMBs, with HP you go through the reseller channel. Sure they spread into each other's markets but I would say Dell win in the SMB end and HP win in the enterprise level.<br />
<br />
As to whether use blade or conventional servers it's really down to the current infrastructure, blades are generally more expensive if there are already switches etc on site and if you can't at least half fill the enclosure you've bought a big box and left it half empty. Your SAN and LAN switches would have half the ports unused in a half empty blade chassis and that's money down the drain. You're also tied in to a single vendor; you can put HP servers in a Dell rack but you can't put HP blades in a Dell enclosure. There's also the server room environment to think about, don't try to have a conversation next to a blade enclosure - especially not an IBM one, they can't be used in an open office.
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an HP c3000 bladesystem can house 8 half-height blade server. it can house up 16 servers if you are to apply the double densed blades. you may mix it too. <br />
<br />
HP c7000 can house more. <br />
<br />
for your storage option, HP Blade storage is as well available in which you can as well mount on any HP bladesystem or a dedicated storage array is considerable like the HP MSAs.<br />
<br />
Bladesystem can present you a bunch of advantages.<br />
<br />
1. Less cabling.<br />
2. Centralised management.<br />
3. Saves space.<br />
4. ROI is an advantage<br />
5. Cooling system is an advantage<br />
6. more.<br />
<br />
you may consider also looking on some other Blade Technology brands (DELL, Fujitsu, IBM, etc). mostly presents the same advantages.<br />
<br />
but for a broad choices, you take a look at HP then.<br />
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andyalder,<br />
<br />
I cannot agree with your interpretation.<br />
<br />
I don't call Dell often because I don't have problems with Dells. &nbsp;I probably call their support 3-5x per year and yes, MOST of the time its to get a part - I know when I have a failed component and don't need to waste my time troubleshooting it with Dell. &nbsp;I also get right through to support MOST of the time to US-based support. &nbsp;on the rare occasions I've called HP support, I frequently end up in India (or at least non-US based support) and in my most recent example of HP idiocy, I had a client who wanted &quot;definitive&quot; proof that a particular G3 (if memory serves) didn't support x64 - so after I tried repeatedly to find the info online at HPs site, I called them. &nbsp;Their support person explained that because the server was out of warranty, they couldn't answer that question without a paid support incident? &nbsp;ARE YOU SERIOUS? &nbsp;THIS IS A SIMPLE F***ING QUESTION THAT THE SALES ENGINEER 3 YEARS AGO SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ANSWER! &nbsp;AND YOU WANT ME TO PAY HUNDREDS FOR A SUPPORT INCIDENT TO FIND OUT!?!?!??! &nbsp;<br />
<br />
I ended up determining it with a CPU Identification tool, but HP as a customer friendly company is a joke... who else makes printers that take 45-60 minutes to install drivers for? &nbsp;And if I had asked that server question of Dell, I'd have gotten an answer almost instantly at no charge. &nbsp;(Oh, and that company I called on behalf of was a major company with dozens to hundreds of servers company wide... you'd THINK HP would like to make nice... Is this the idea of &quot;HP's is geared more for enterprise&quot;?<br />
<br />
When I want to configure a laptop, you go to Dell's site and can do so pretty easily... when I wanted to configure an HP laptop (business class) the only configuration tool I could find had 7 different warranty drop-downs without clear explanation of WHY they would need 7 different dropdowns (NOT options, 7 different places to choose from multiple options - all slightly different).<br />
<br />
Despite all that, I'd still buy an HP server before building one... but their idiocy prevents me from recommending them to ANYONE over Dell, IBM or any other major brand.
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You are funny calling a warranty number for something that isn't in warranty. Dell might give free out-of-warranty support, I think we've established already HP don't. Still, bang your head against a wall if you want, they weren't dealing with an enterprise in that example of yours, they were dealing with you.<br />
<br />
I've also said many times that you don't buy through HP's web, you should go through the reseller channel.
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Not a warranty number, a SUPPORT number. &nbsp;(Do you work for HP?) &nbsp;And frankly, it shouldn't matter. &nbsp;It's a simple question. &nbsp;Their refusal to help is indicative of their lack of customer service to me. &nbsp;Anyway - if you WANT to continue this debate on how bad customer support is at HP or Dell, please open a new question.
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No, I'm not an HP employee, but I do work for a reseller which can have its benefits. You could have asked at EE whether the CPU in question supported 64bit or not, I'm sure we could have helped although there's no way of telling whether the CPU's been replaced with a different one after the server is sold.
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I did - but the client wanted some CLEAR documentation - not my expert opinion (I knew it from the beginning....). &nbsp;In my efforts to resolve, I asked a couple of guys from EE who I knew personally and though they agreed with me, they couldn't point to any documentation either. &nbsp;Which is why the CPU ID program was what I was finally able to use to convince the client.
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Thank you expert, i am planning to buy Sun 6000 series chassis + ST2540 storage for primary site<br />
and HP DL 380G6 &amp;&nbsp;HPDL385G6 server for H/A site. prposals are still with client for final approval.<br />
<br />

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Hey Lee, they've gone for Sun, that puts our little discussion into perspective; you can't even get a diagnostics CD from Oracle's download site without a support contract!
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Dear Experts,<br />
<br />
i would like to thank you again for helping me. by the way complete BOQ is <br />
<br />
@ Primary Site <br />
Sun 6000<br />
X 6270,<br />
X 6250,<br />
ST 2540 Storage<br />
<br />
<br />
@H/A<br />
HP DL 380G6<br />
HP DL 385G6 (AMD )<br />
300GB SAS<br />
no storage<br />
<br />
thanks allot for your help.<br />
<br />

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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
i am planning to build one network for my clinet, what is the best brand for hardware. customer will use windows, linux and may be solaris.<br />
<br />
two sites, DC, Exhange, File server, Application server.<br />
<br />
please advice.<br />
<br />

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i am planning to build one network for my clinet, what is the best brand for hardware. customer will use windows, linux and may be solaris.

two sites, DC, Exhange, File server, Application server.

please advice.



server hardware

Servers are computing devices that are similar to desktop computers in that they have the same basic components, but are significantly different in size, configuration and purpose. Servers are usually accessed over a network, and many run unattended, without a computer monitor, input device, audio hardware or USB interfaces. Many servers do not have a graphical user interface (GUI), and are configured and managed remotely. Servers typically include hardware redundancy such as dual power supplies, RAID disk systems, and ECC memory, along with extensive pre-boot memory testing and verification. Critical components might be hot swappable, and to guard against overheating, servers might have more powerful fans or use water cooling.