PowerEdge
Encyclopedia
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
gives the name PowerEdge (PE) to its server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
product line.
Most PowerEdge servers use the x86 architecture
X86 architecture
The term x86 refers to a family of instruction set architectures based on the Intel 8086 CPU. The 8086 was launched in 1978 as a fully 16-bit extension of Intel's 8-bit based 8080 microprocessor and also introduced segmentation to overcome the 16-bit addressing barrier of such designs...
. The early exceptions to this, the PowerEdge 3250, PowerEdge 7150, and PowerEdge 7250, used Intel's Itanium
Itanium
Itanium is a family of 64-bit Intel microprocessors that implement the Intel Itanium architecture . Intel markets the processors for enterprise servers and high-performance computing systems...
processor, but Dell abandoned Itanium in 2005
after failing to find adoption in the marketplace. The partnership between Intel and Dell remained close, with Intel remaining the exclusive source of processors
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
in Dell's servers until 2006. In May 2006 Dell announced that it also intended to develop servers using AMD
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
Opteron
Opteron
Opteron is AMD's x86 server and workstation processor line, and was the first processor which supported the AMD64 instruction set architecture . It was released on April 22, 2003 with the SledgeHammer core and was intended to compete in the server and workstation markets, particularly in the same...
processors.
The first Opteron-based PowerEdge systems, the PowerEdge 6950 and the PowerEdge SC1435, appeared in October 2006
PowerEdge machines come configured as tower, rack-mounted, or blade server
Blade server
A blade server is a stripped down server computer with a modular design optimized to minimize the use of physical space and energy. Whereas a standard rack-mount server can function with a power cord and network cable, blade servers have many components removed to save space, minimize power...
s. Dell uses a consistent chip-set across servers in the same generation regardless of packaging, allowing for a common set of driver
Device driver
In computing, a device driver or software driver is a computer program allowing higher-level computer programs to interact with a hardware device....
s and system-image
System image
A system image in computing is a copy of the entire state of a computer system stored in some non-volatile form such as a file. A system is said to be capable of using system images if it can be shut down and later restored to exactly the same state...
s.
OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
s and VAR
Value-added reseller
A value-added reseller is a company that adds features or services to an existing product, then resells it as an integrated product or complete "turn-key" solution...
s also offer solutions based on PowerEdge servers. Loaded with custom software and with minor cosmetic changes, Dell's servers form the underlying hardware in certain appliance
Computer appliance
A computer appliance is generally a separate and discrete hardware device with integrated software , specifically designed to provide a specific computing resource. These devices became known as "appliances" because of their similarity to home appliances, which are generally "closed and sealed" –...
s from IronPort
IronPort
IronPort Systems, Inc., headquartered in San Bruno, California, was a company that designed and sold products and services that protect enterprises against Internet threats. It was best known for IronPort AntiSpam, the SenderBase email reputation service, and email security appliances...
,
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
,
Exinda
Exinda
Exinda is a United States technology company that provides computer networking products and services. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, Exinda delivers WAN optimization and network bandwidth management solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises....
Networks, and Enterasys.
In 2007 the PowerEdge line accounted for approximately 15% of Dell's overall revenue from computer-hardware
Computer hardware
Personal computer hardware are component devices which are typically installed into or peripheral to a computer case to create a personal computer upon which system software is installed including a firmware interface such as a BIOS and an operating system which supports application software that...
sales.. In recent years Dell has been transitioning from a pure hardware vendor to a solutions-provider and services company, as evidenced, for example, by the acquisition of Perot Systems
Perot Systems
Perot Systems was an information technology services provider founded in 1988 by a group of investors led by Ross Perot and based in Plano, Texas, United States. A Fortune 1000 corporation with offices in more than 25 countries, Perot Systems employed more than 23,000 people and had an annual...
and KACE Networks
KACE Networks
Dell KACE specializes in delivering appliance-based computer systems management solutions which allow organizations to manage IT assets. They also provide software for security, application virtualization, and systems management products...
and the setup of a special global services department within Dell
PowerEdge RAID Controller
Among the standard hardware components of a server, note Dell's proprietary PowerEdge-specific PERC (PowerEdge RAID Controller). The related software in the PERC Fault Management Suite offers facilities such as the Background Patrol read, which aims to fix bad sectors on online RAIDRAID
RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
disks running under some of the more recent PERC controllers.
Model naming convention
Since the introduction of the Generation 10 servers Dell uses a new standarized method to name their servers, the Dell PowerEdge naming conventionNaming convention
A naming convention is a convention for naming things. The intent is to allow useful information to be deduced from the names based on regularities. For instance, in Manhattan, streets are numbered, with East-West streets being called "Streets" and North-South streets called "Avenues".-Use...
.
The name of each server-model is a 4 character code. The first character, a letter indicates the type of server: R for 19-inch rack
19-inch rack
A 19-inch rack is a standardized frame or enclosure for mounting multiple equipment modules. Each module has a front panel that is wide, including edges or ears that protrude on each side which allow the module to be fastened to the rack frame with screws.-Overview and history:Equipment designed...
models, the M for modular indicates a blade server
Blade server
A blade server is a stripped down server computer with a modular design optimized to minimize the use of physical space and energy. Whereas a standard rack-mount server can function with a power cord and network cable, blade servers have many components removed to save space, minimize power...
while the T for tower indicates a stand-alone server.
This letter is then followed by 3 digits:
The first digit refers to the number of sockets in the system: 1-3: one socket, 4-7: two sockets, 8,9: four sockets
The middle digit refers to the generation: a 0 for Generation 10 and the 1 for Generation 11
And the 3rd and last digit indicates the make of the CPU: a 0 for Intel processors and the 5 for AMD
Advanced Micro Devices
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. or AMD is an American multinational semiconductor company based in Sunnyvale, California, that develops computer processors and related technologies for commercial and consumer markets...
. For example: The Dell PowerEdge M610 is a two-socket server of the 11th generation using an Intel CPU while the R605 is a two-socket AMD-based rack-server of the 10th generation.