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The Big Squeeze
One area of concern often overlooked is the acceptance of clone machines by third-party hardware and software manufacturers.
Tier 1 vendors conduct rigorous internal product testing, and many third-party software and hardware companies will buy branded machines to do their own testing and verify the operation of their products' Tier 1 hardware. So beware: If you use clone hardware and run into software glitches, it's possible to get backed into a corner because some software makers will use your clones as an excuse to avoid examining their own products. However, if you are running a branded Tier 1 product, software vendors generally have little choice but to stop pointing fingers and concede that hardware compatibility and quality are not at issue.
On the server side, one glitch that has always dogged Tier 1 vendors is support for multiple OSs. This was particularly true during the early days of Linux adoption, where drivers for proprietary Tier 1 SCSI cards and motherboard support were seriously lacking. The white-box market used considerably more standard hardware, making it easier to install different NOSs. Advances in branded vendor hardware and in OSs, combined with refinements of vendor installation CDs for server machines and the expansion of those products to include OSs like Linux, has, to a large extent, solved this problem. (On the desktop, of course, support for alternate OSs is still nonexistent. But that's another story.)
Standards Fair?
The issue of proprietary versus standard is at the heart of our controversy. Early on, Tier 1 vendors did their best to make a buck on common components, such as floppy drives. Nonstandard commodity hardware and changes to add-on cards that would let them be used only in one vendor's systems drove many people away from branded machines. This is still occasionally the case. Clone boxes, however, offer a standard motherboard, standard floppies and drives, and standard power supplies. Many people feel empowered by the freedom provided by standard hardware. But when one is managing huge numbers of machines and has a healthy relationship with the vendor, the hardware argument largely evaporates. Vendors that understand your needs, and know what is critical and what can wait, can reduce downtime and frustration. Open communication channels make interactions like parts ordering easier.
Another consideration is the focus of resources. Motherboard manufacturers, such as Abit Computer Corp., Aopen, AsusTek and Tyan Computer Corp., issue periodic BIOS updates to support more processors, and they fix problems with the system boards. Specific BIOS issues have to be scaled up through the integrator, and then to the motherboard manufacturer. But many times the motherboard manufacturers do not even have U.S. offices. When dealing with a Tier 1 vendor, you generally can get much better support for board-level problems.
Companies need to make sure they are cultivating and maturing in the relationships they have with their suppliers, whether these are Tier 1 vendors or white-box manufacturers. Don't let discontent over poor service fester. If you're having a problem, tell your vendor. And if you're not getting a resolution, switch companies or increase pressure on your vendor. An important factor in making your vendor relationship work is respecting that company's right to make money. Negotiate the best deal you can get and demand that the vendor live up to its promises and warranties. But also remember that, just like you, the vendor is in business. Be fair with vendors, and they will usually be fair with you.
Size Does Matter
Clone desktop PCs are often used for special-purpose applications, such as POS (point of sale), and in small shops. Many smaller companies have tight relationships with their local VARs (value-added resellers), which often will not only administer the client's network but sell and maintain house-built PCs. Small shops can forge close enough relationships with most clone manufacturers to ensure that they're happy with the boxes they receive.
The real battleground for clones versus branded PCs is the midsize space. Midsize companies often aren't big enough to get the personal attention they crave from Tier 1 vendors, while clone manufacturers are wooing them hard. In many cases, these customers rely on local VARs for many of their computing needs, and often will go with what their VARs recommend. By settling for clones pushed by their VARs, midsize companies may be losing out on the consistency they need.
White-box PCs, however, can be highly effective when used in a couple of areas, specifically in the small-business, home-office and special-purpose markets. They may even function phenomenally in these areas when they're built by a trusted local or mail-order company. The fact that most white-box PCs are better than the consumer machines from Tier 1 vendors is not in dispute. Tier 1 vendors have separate divisions within their companies that handle consumer-grade boxes and manufacture them not as simply scaled-down business-class machines but as lower-end products. They are made from different components, undergo less rigorous testing and do not reflect how the vendor's business-class boxes will perform in the enterprise.
Another factor to consider is leasing. Leasing is a popular way for companies to keep the cost of PCs off the books and ensure that arguments about replacement life are minimized. Leasing contracts are generally handled by capital corporations, such as General Electric Capital Corp. and IBM Financial Services, which may balk at white-box PCs because they have difficulty assigning value to clones. The resale value of a white-box unit is considerably lower than that of a Tier 1 machine, meaning that white-box PCs depreciate more rapidly, making the cost liability for leaseholders much higher. This and the indeterminate nature of the white-box configuration render these units poor choices for leasing, thus precluding them from many corporate deals.
Choose wisely from the grand buffet of PC offerings available to you. Initial cost is a determining factor, but while it's important, don't let it lead you down the road to price-only purchasing decisions.
Steven J. Schuchart Jr. covers storage and servers for Network Computing. Previously he worked as a network architect for a general retail firm, a PC and electronics technician, a computer retail store manager, and a freelance disc jockey. Send your comments on this article to him at sschuchart@nwc.com.
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