Re: RAM speed difference?

["Matthew J. Brodeur" <user=126@nabble.blu.org>]

 On Sat, Dec 22, 2007 at 05:35:17PM -0500, Scott Ehrlich wrote: 
> 
> I'm pricing out some servers (from Dell) and deciding between their 1955 
> blade server and a 2950 2U server.   I learned the 1955 has only 4 RAM 
> slots, whereas the 2950 has 8. 

Looking at Dell's site[1] (click "Blade Details), the 1955 supports 
"Up to 32GB (8 DIMM slots)".  It's been a while since I opened up a 
1955, but I doubt they're lying about it. 
[1] http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/pedge_1955_new?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz&redirect=1


> I could go with 10 blades, or 10 2950 machines.   The benefit of the 2950 
> would be more slots for RAM and, with its architecture, easier to manage 
> and expand (I work with two of the 2950 machines anyway, and have seen 
> the 1955). 

Since the RAM issue is moot, I'd be thinking about storage options, 
expandability, rack space, power, and cooling.  It sounds like you 
really have three options, the 1955s, 1950s, or 2950s.  The blades 
take up the least space (7U), but you're limited to 2.5" drives (two 
per blade) and expensive blade-specific expansion cards.  The 1950s 
and 2950s would take up 10U or 20U respectively, but allow you to use 
2.5" or 3.5" drives and standard PCIe cards.  The blades are probably 
a win in terms of efficiency, but only if most of them will be powered 
on most of the time.  Blade enclosures (in general) tend to waste a 
good bit of power even when all the blades are powered down. 

Short answer: if this is a build-it-and-forget-it environment, I'd go 
for the blades.  If you're likely to be upgrading and reconfiguring 
later, the more standard rackmounts are probably a better option. 

-- 
Matt Brodeur                                                     RHCE 
[hidden email]                         http://www.nexttime.com
PGP ID: 2CFE18A3 / 9EBA 7F1E 42D1 7A43 5884  560C 73CF D615 2CFE 18A3 
The walls here are so very soft, and I just love all the buckles on my 
new coat. 
_______________________________________________ 
Discuss mailing list 
[hidden email] 
http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss