Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 21:12:54 -0500 From: David Kelly <dkelly@hiwaay.net> To: "Marc G. Fournier" <scrappy@hub.org> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Opinions Wanted: Dell PowerEdge Servers ... ? Message-ID: <20060625021254.GB57553@Grumpy.DynDNS.org> In-Reply-To: <20060624215742.N1114@ganymede.hub.org> References: <20060624215742.N1114@ganymede.hub.org>
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On Sat, Jun 24, 2006 at 10:03:42PM -0300, Marc G. Fournier wrote: > > I'm currently weighing options ... my last two servers were HP > Proliant, and I *really* like them, but I might have a line on a > supplier in Panama that deals in Dell Servers and not HP ... > > Looking at Dell's web site, the PowerEdge has an optional "Remote > Access Controller" that will it *sounds* like will give me similar > functionality as HPs iLO ... Am not familiar with either, but are you sure this is hardware and not Windows specific software? My parents are 500 miles away, recently had a Microsoft problem out of warranty and were put off by Dell's request for $100 to resolve the problem. The local Professional Windows Weanie was given a chance but failed. With lots of doubt Dell could solve it remotely they took a chance. Was asked a few questions and asked to enable something, and shortly the Dell tech was inside their machine remotely. Problem was initially diagnosed and cured. Microsoft Autoupdate updated something that broke something else in Word. Next week the problem was back. Warranty service on the first call once again fixed the problem and properly disabled Windows from updating what ever it was again. They were very pleased that it only cost $100 and that it actually got things working as they were. They have lots of experience at paying locals $50 to $100 to make Windows work after it breaks. Often the "pro" does no good. They haven't had the same problems with the 800 MHz G4 iMac I gave them new for Christmas several years ago once they got DSL and quit using its built-in modem. > But, I've heard bad things about their 'desktop offerings', and am not > sure if that follows through to their "Servers" ... Listen closely enough and you'll hear bad about anything, if you want to hear bad. Dell offers product in every price class. They offer Walmart-grade of PCs. They offer high end stuff. Dell doesn't quite make it up to Apple or Sun standards. > So, I'm kinda looking for both good, and bad, experiences with the > PowerEdge stuff ... anyone with opinions? In my experience the Optiplex and PowerEdge lines are Dell's Good Stuff. This FreeBSD machine is a Dell PowerEdge 400SC with one of the first HT Pentium 4's at 2.8 GHz. Was $400 delivered. Or very little more than CPU + MB from other sources at the time. I got case, CD, floppy, mouse, keyboard, 40G HD, 128MB SDRAM, build in sound and gigabit ethernet, and 8MB PCI video card thrown in. Runs FreeBSD as if it was made to. Interesting in that Dell's diagnostic CD appears to be Linux. -- David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly@HiWAAY.net ======================================================================== Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.
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