Top 8 Rack Servers

Dell PowerEdge Rack ServersHPE ProLiant DL ServersLenovo ThinkSystem Rack ServersIBM Power SystemsCisco UCS C-Series Rack ServersOracle SPARC ServersDell PowerEdge FXDell PowerEdge XE Servers
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    I like the iDRAC feature. I have also seen long life from each part and haven't had to call support, as far as I remember. I use competitors like HPE and we need spare parts every year.
  2. leader badge
    I am impressed with the tool’s stability.The solution's initial setup is straightforward.
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  4. The product scales well.One of the main advantages of this tool is its ease of use, as it is a GUI-based tool needing a simple and easy configuration...It is a stable solution.
  5. It is a very scalable solution. The most valuable feature of our machines is their ability to replace faulty parts without causing any downtime.
  6. The most valuable feature of the solution is performance.The most valuable features of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are integration and customization.
  7. The operating system is rock solid and the best I have ever used. The performance is the best feature.
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  9. The setup is straightforward. It can take anywhere from an hour to half a day. The most valuable feature of Dell PowerEdge FX is you can customize the solution to your specifications, such as speed. Additionally, part orders are shipped and received quickly when a part needs to be replaced.
  10. Its reliability and consistency are most valuable.PowerEdge XE servers are high-performing. We're hardly using 15 percent of their computing power, so there's a lot left over that we could utilize.

Advice From The Community

Read answers to top Rack Servers questions. 708,830 professionals have gotten help from our community of experts.
Stephen Larcara - PeerSpot reviewer
Stephen Larcara
Sr. Toll Systems Engineer at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
I am trying to determine if we need to specify and justify the cost for FM200 fire suppression. Client has about 24 sites each with a computer equipment room containing anywhere from 3 to 5 racks with 3-4 Dell and HP servers, CIsco network switches, patch panels, UPS and batteries. Many of these...
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Richard Artes - PeerSpot reviewer
Richard ArtesNo, i've been working it IT for 20 years and never seen a fire in a server room… more »
9 Answers

Rack Servers Articles

Netanya Carmi - PeerSpot reviewer
Netanya Carmi
Content Manager at PeerSpot (formerly IT Central Station)
PeerSpot’s crowdsourced user review platform helps technology decision-makers around the world to better connect with peers and other independent experts who provide advice without vendor bias. Our users have ranked these solutions according to their valuable features, and discuss which features...
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Rack Servers Topics

What are rack servers used for?

You can often find rack servers in data centers because of the scalability they provide. Assembling the servers on racks also maximizes air flow and simplifies maintenance and diagnostics. If there is a problem, you can just slide the server out of the rack.

A type of rack server called a rugged rack server is often used in military and industrial applications. These servers are certified to military standards and stress-tested to work under extreme heat or cold, impact, high humidity, or vibration during transport.

How do rack servers work?

One of the characteristics of rack servers is their convenience. IT personnel can slide them in and out of the server bay with ease. This feature enables technicians to swap parts if needed without the need for downtime.

The resources, services, and performance of the server will depend on the needs of a program or application that works on the server. Different use cases require unique server configurations and resources. For instance, a server installed in a remote military installation will require mobility, which a server installed in a commercial warehouse will not.

The number of servers a bay can hold will depend on the depth of the rack and its width. Most rack servers’ width is 19 inches, to fit a standard 19-inch server rack configuration.

Industry racks come in 19-inch, 23-inch and 24-inch widths. The height of the server bays is measured in rack units. A rack unit is 1.75 inches, and the most common rack heights are 42 and 44 units. Since this is equivalent to 77 inches of usable space, it allows you to stack a lot of servers.

What is the difference between rack and blade servers?

Blade servers are the smallest in terms of size. They consist of a thin, lightweight, modular computer that can be positioned upright without taking much space. They often sit inside racks in what is called “blade enclosures” or systems. Blade servers are smaller and more mobile than rack servers.

Blade servers are, like rack servers, slideable and can be swapped hot. As such, they can be easily scaled and upgraded. They also consume less power than tower and rack mount servers. The downside of blade servers is that they are limited in their expandability because of their small size.

Why are rack servers more expensive?

As a general rule, servers are more expensive than consumer-grade computers. They are designed, built, and tested to a stricter standard, thus vendors can charge more. A rack server can go from $400 and upwards, depending on the chassis. A mobile chassis, like the ones used for military operations, can be $1000 or more.

Rack servers offer much greater storage capacity than blade servers but still in a small, stackable size. Their convenience makes them more in demand, hence they cost more.

Why is rack server best?

Rack servers are smaller than tower servers, and they are mounted inside a rack. These racks look like regular metal shelf units, designed to stack a server on each shelf. The rack server is designed so you can vertically stack one over another. Therefore, they are very convenient to use and occupy less space than a tower server.

Often, the rack server is housed with other devices together, like storage units, cooling systems, SAN devices, batteries, network peripherals, and more.They are easier to organize because of the presence of management tools in the rack.

Because of this convenience, it is easier to identify, remove, and replace a malfunctioning server. Rack servers are the best choice for small businesses or wherever you need to maximize server space without having a dedicated server room.

Benefits of Rack Servers

If you are looking to have a small-sized server but still have a lot of storage and performance, a rack server has several advantages:

  • Power: Rack servers usually work as stand-alone systems. They can provide a powerful performance and can run data-heavy applications.
  • Convenience: Mounting a server within a rack is convenient and saves a lot of space.
  • Cooling: It is easier to cool a rack server than tower servers. Rack servers are usually equipped with internal fans. Also, placing them in a rack helps in terms of air flow and cooling the servers off.
  • Good for low quantity of servers: Although rack servers can be stacked on top of each other, they are better for when you need fewer than ten servers.
Features of Rack Servers

A rack server unit should contain the following basic components:

  • Motherboard: Also known as a system board, this is what enables the communication between components by using data buses.
  • RAM: This is the server memory, or random access memory. The more slots you have in your server rack, the more server memory modules you can add, which reduces the chance of latency and helps access data faster.
  • CPU: A central processing unit is what executes instructions.
  • HBA: A host bus adapter for connecting external devices to the server.
  • I/O ports: Input and output ports, for instance USC, serial ports or AUX ports. These ports are generally embedded into the system board.
  • Drive bays: These are useful for adding hard drives (HDDs) or solid state drives (SSDs) to your server.
  • Supporting equipment: This includes a cooling system, cable management units, rails, network security devices, and any other system that supports the server’s function.
Buyer's Guide
Rack Servers
June 2023
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo and others in Rack Servers. Updated: June 2023.
708,830 professionals have used our research since 2012.