Over the last two years there has been significant maturation in the design and implementation of blade technologies. The most recent blade server upgrade by Dell has further leveled the playing field making the selection process more competitive and difficult.
Enterprises that are looking to move to blade servers need to consider business application requirements and available technology. Some of the items to be considered before selecting a vendor and blade server include:
- Number of blades per chassis
- Processor selection
- I/O capabilities
- Storage
- Pricing
By comparing the options available from each vendor, enterprise IT staff can determine which systems are most appropriate. The selection criteria outlined in this note should help guide the decision process towards the blade technology and vendor best suited to the business.