Best Server

Compaq's ProLiant Serves Up A Winner

A server's value is far more than the quality of the components, such as the disk subsystem, processor and various data buses. The value also weighs those intangible factors such as warranty, technical support, ease of use and overall quality and feel of the unit. In other words, value includes the company behind the product.
Compaq's ProLiant best exemplifies these qualities. The ProLiant has all the makings of an enterprise server, but it comes at the price of an Intel-based server. The ProLiant has plenty of expansion capability and an abundance of integrated subsystems. It comes standard with features that many other server makers call optional (and charge extra for), including an integrated CD-ROM, hot-pluggable drive bays, a high-performance RAID controller that sports dual channels and a mirrored 2-MB write-back cache with battery backup. In addition, Compaq has written great documentation.
Compaq's attention to detail is evident. For example, Compaq is the only vendor that puts the EISA configuration utility on the fixed disk in a separate partition and allows you to run the utility as a startup option. Other servers give you the utility on diskette, which often takes an eternity to load. Network administrators everywhere will appreciate the time savings.
The ProLiant stands above the competition with Compaq's unique prefailure warranty, in which the company replaces components that are showing signs of failure--no questions asked.
Only a handful of vendors provides remote server management tools. Compaq has the most complete tool set, with Hewlett-Packard and Zenith a distant second and third, respectively. Toll-free technical support available around the clock only solidifies Compaq's position as the premier server vendor. The company continues to manufacture the definitive Intel-based server for the network environment.

Compaq ProLiant Family, $6,399-$26,254, Compaq Computer Corp., P.O. Box 692000, M120208, Houston, TX 77269-2000. (800) 345-1518; fax (713) 378-1442.

Runners-Up
HP NetServer 5/100 LM, Hewlett-Packard Co., 5301 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara, CA 95052. (800) 322-4772 or (800) 533-1333; fax (208) 344-4809.

Z-SERVER EX DP66E, Zenith Data Systems, 2150 Lake Cook Rd.,
Buffalo Grove, IL 60089.
(800) 532-8115; fax (708) 808-4434.