The eServer's memory card comes up and out with butterfly levers. A simple, spring-loaded slide switch allows easy removal of the fan. IBM solved its power-draw problem by distributing the load through four 370-watt power supplies. It was the only unit we tested to use standard power cables. Getting a power supply out, provided you have good access to the back of the machine, is easy.
The front of the machine has a normal, as opposed to slim-line, CD-ROM and floppy drive. However, though it's easy enough to remove the drives--by squeezing the two clips on either side of each one--IBM's system for replacing these drives is clearly inferior to those of Dell and HP. These drives have standard cabling rather than pluggable bays, so you have to take the top and processor covers off to reconnect the data and power cables. The system has space for three 5.25-inch, half-height devices and one 3.5-inch floppy disk drive bay, plus the 12 hot-swap bays for hard disks. The IBM server also sports five PCI-X slots and one legacy PCI 2.2 slot. That's fewer than Dell's, but adequate.
IBM has included an advanced version of the old ISMP (Integrated Systems Management Processor), called the ASMP (Advanced Systems Management Processor). This discrete processor, whose excellent technology IBM migrated from its mainframes to its PCs, monitors the Intel side of the machine and collects data. The ASMP has a few new features, along with all the old ones that made us like the ICMP. Both control the LightPath diagnostics tools, but the ASMP also integrates with IBM's Director server-management software, and features SMTP traps and remote booting.
IBM's standard software is under active development. IBM Director, for example, is a sophisticated method to control or monitor your IBM servers in conjunction with the ASMP. Servers are connected via built-in RS-485 ports to provide out-of-band management. The Director must be set up on a separate server, but it provides a wonderful way to support IBM's systems. You can also get a separate, $499 management board, which will provide not only all the ASMP's functionality, but Ethernet out-of-band management, remote system control and a number of other features. Companies planning to deploy this machine remotely should consider adding this card. The eServer also includes ServerGuide to aid in OS and machine setup. We used ServerGuide to build our test x255 and found it to be smooth and untroubled.
The IBM system performed adequately in all our tests. It turned in middle-of-the-pack Iometer test results, but edged out HP and Dell in our Chariot test because the unit's NIC outperformed the others. In the Web Avalanche test, the IBM came in a close second, with 4,212 transactions per second, using an untuned copy of Microsoft Internet Information Server.
The unit comes with a three-year warranty, provided by IBM's giant Global Services division.
IBM eServer xSeries x255, $37,085, IBM Corp., (404) 238-1234, (800) IBM-4YOU. http://www.ibm.com
Hewlett-Packard Co. HP ProLiant DL580 G2
By the time we finished testing the HP ProLiant DL580 G2, a by-product of HP's wholesale digestion of Compaq, we had to reach for the Pepto-Bismol. The ProLiant DL580 G2 obviously was developed by Compaq prior to the merger--the next generation of the Compaq DL580 we were once fond of. But this version is disappointing, even keeping in mind the issues we had with the preproduction unit.
The charcoal gray DL580 G2 can handle up to four UltraSCSI 160 hard drives. The floppy and CD-ROM (or optional DVD-ROM) drives can be removed with the press of a button, for quick replacement or upgrade.
HP's dual-source power supplies were the easiest to replace, thanks to a simple clip-and-lever mechanism and their location on the front of the machine, an improvement over the earlier DL580's handle-trigger mechanism. When this machine is fully loaded, it can run on 110-volt power with the larger nonstandard power cables that come with the system, making power-distribution tasks much simpler. As with the Dell PowerEdge, this unit can be hooked to two power grids to ensure uptime. On the back of the machine there is the normal assortment of PS/2 connectors, a serial port and a video port. There also are two USB ports and an iLO port for accessing the integrated Lights-Out management. Ethernet connections require an internal PCI-X NIC.
A cover with a slick sliding mechanism gives you access to the rear two-thirds of the machine, which holds the components you would most likely need to access. Here, you'll find the memory card, processors and fans, all of which can easily be removed. The memory card has two butterfly-style handles that help remove the card and hold it in place. The processors come out by flipping a switch on the ZIF sockets. The processors' voltage regulators, in slots next to the processors, can be pulled out. The internal 5i RAID controller's battery and cache RAM module can be taken out to allow easy movement to another machine in the event of failure. Although you should rarely need to get to the front portion of the machine, you can reach that section by actuating the top cover, pushing a lever and sliding the front cover off. It's not as slick as the back section, but it's more than adequate.
The machine came with the familiar SmartStart utility to load a variety of operating systems. SmartStart is easy to use and useful in system-load and -configuration tasks. The integrated Lights-Out management card is an excellent tool for remote maintenance. It provides for remote text console, system-wellness monitoring, SSL-encrypted communications and automatic configuration for use right out of the box. Because it reduces time needed to tend the server, this feature effectively cuts TCO (total cost of ownership).
The DL580 G2 had some issues, particularly with the Iometer linear 64-KB read test, which shows maximum hard disk subsystem performance. The ProLiant DL580 G2 performed at about 29 MB per second on this test. We were concerned that the smaller 18-GB, Seagate-manufactured hard disks caused the problem, but learned that their performance characteristics are comparable to those of the 36-GB Fujitsu and Seagate drives in the IBM x255 and the Dell 6650. Rather, the problems have to do with the nature of the cache algorithms of the integrated 5i controller. HP claims the algorithms are designed for real-world applications rather than lab tests; however, we have to question this level of performance tuning. With a 64-KB stripe on the RAID controller and a linear read of a properly defragmented hard disk, this unit is destined to underperform.
The DL580 G2 did win the test that maximizes I/O operations by a substantial margin. However, considering the strange behavior the Iometer exhibited in the tests and the dismal performance shown in the sequential-read test, we take this performance number with a grain of salt. In the other two tests, NWC Custom and Database, which simulate real-world performance, the DL580 G2 came in last.
In the tests we did with NetIQ's Chariot, the DL580 G2 competed well, and in our Web Avalanche test, the DL580 G2 outperformed the competing machines, though by an insignificant margin.
The ProLiant DL580 G2 was also the loudest machine we tested. HP responded that the server meets "all national and international standards for noise emissions." We don't doubt that, but the machine still howls.
The DL580 G2 comes with a three-year warranty, with next day, on-site response. You can purchase extended warranties up to four-hour response time for critical applications.
HP ProLiant DL580 G2, $37,747, Hewlett-Packard, (650) 857-1501, (800) 282-6672. http://www.hp.com
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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