A whitepaper came out a little while ago from the management consulting firm, PRTM, that gives a perspective on the server industry. The paper, which Dell was one of the contributors to, specifically focuses on something near and dear to our hearts, hyperscale data centers.
The paper, entitled Hyperscale Data Centers: Value of a Server Brand, talks about what organizations who are looking to build out these ginormous data centers should consider when selecting a system vendor.
In particular, PRTM offer their points to consider in light of the decision of working with a system OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) like a Dell or HP, or going directly to an ODM (Original Design Manufacturers) like a Foxconn or Quanta.
The five main areas PRTM recommends focusing on when choosing a server vendor are:
- Providing total solution reliability
- Ability to accommodate future capacity swings
- Ability to guarantee supply of components and sub-systems
- Accountability
- Ability to manage the entire spectrum of a large-scale deployment
Check out the whitepaper and see where you land (I know which I would choose :))
Update:
Dave Ohara of Green Data Center blog fame did a post about choosing between OEMS and ODMs building on this entry. He provides a lot of great detail and factoids, check it out:
Extra-credit reading
- PRTM blog: Hyperscale Data Centers—5 Points to Consider When Choosing a Server Vendor
Pau for now…
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