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Rollout: Gateway's E-9522R Servers

Posted by Steven J. Schuchart Jr.
March 01, 2007

Tags: AMD Opteron, E-9522R, Gigabit Ethernet, Steven J. Schuchart, Tier 1, hardware reviews, lights-out management, midmarket, second-tier vendor, servers, Client Security, Custom Programming, Data Networking & Management, Data Protection, Data Security, Database Management Services, Enclosures, Gateway', Hard Disk Drives, Hardware, Hotspots, Interactive Applications, Linux, Management, Networking, Other, Other Operating Systems, Physical Security, RAID , Remote Access Software, Scripting, Security Appliances and Hardware, Serial, Server and Network technology, Servers, Servers & Storage, Software, Software and Web Development, Tapes and Disks, Technology, USB, USB Cards, WLAN Security, Web Servers, Web Standards, Wireless, Xeon

Channel: Tapes and Disks, Other, Networking & Mgmt, Servers & Storage, Data Protection, Wireless

The Upshot Gateway says its line of 2U, AMD Opteron-based E-9522R servers cost less than comparable boxes from Tier 1 competitors. That price break plus the company's meticulous attention to customer service and redundancy make the devices ideal for small and midsize enterprises, education and government customers. The E-9522R is clearly intended for the midmarket. However, Gateway's position as a second-tier vendor tied heavily to the consumer space means some IT groups are reluctant to take a chance on its products. Advanced features such as lights-out management and four Gigabit Ethernet ports equip the E-9522R admirably for its role. And the price we were quoted is substantially lower than comparable products. Gateway's E-9522R Servers

Gateway has proven it can produce hardware that is, feature-for-feature, on par with industry big boys' gear. Question is, can the company overcome its consumer roots and gain the confidence of IT pros? We took a long, hard look at both its latest AMD Opteron-based offering, the Gateway E-9522R, and the company's position in the server market. Judging by this device, the answer is an unqualified "maybe."

Don't get us wrong: The 2U E-9522R is a solid device, and its plentiful processor options, tool-less disassembly for service and four Gigabit Ethernet NICs will serve Gateway's SMB/SME, education and government target markets well. The company has cultivated these buyers with promises of an increased focus on service and hardware redun-dancy features to capture share while larger competitors, such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, focus on the enterprise.

However, though the system is worthy, Gateway doesn't do anything with the E-9522R that makes it pop in the ultracompetitive x86 server market. Moreover, the company suffers from an image problem. It remains to be seen whether competitive pricing can lure IT buyers out of their Tier 1 comfort zone.

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