I am going to enter the fray about the Dell/Compaq debate. I have used both in similar configurations, and I personally am more impressed with design with the Dell. I have found their support to be more helpful but both were comparable.
We are low-budget shop and the big difference that I see is this: hot-swap drives, etc cost less for the Dell. I often buy minor parts like hot swap trays for our Dell servers on auction (ebay, etc) at a very reasonable cost. That is basically impossible for Compaq stuff. For some reason everything like that costs 5x as much for the Compaq. I typically can get a hot swap tray for a Dell for $20. But the same part for a Compaq costs $100. Go figure. Also, I was able to add off-the-shelf cpu's (without an additional regulator or adaptor) to my Dell PowerEdge servers. Don't think that is an option with the Compaq. So, they are both great servers. Both have good support, and great performance. But the Compaq is definitely more propietary if you ask me (and more costly to upgrade, even for new cost in my experience). Just my $.02. Kevin Alons -----Original Message----- From: Mike Powell [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 10:31 AM To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues Subject: RE: looking for hardware My experience with 2 failed RAID drives on our Dell servers: Call tech support. 10 minutes on hold, get technician. Explain hard drive self-test notices filling up log. Tech asked how many. I said that I stopped counting at 100. He said they'd get me a new drive ASAP. In both cases, I had a drive in my hand FOUR HOURS LATER, even though we are two hours away from Seattle. Not FedEx overnight, four hours same day, courier didn't arrive until 7:30, but got there in time for same-day replacement. I imagine service better than that. Mike -----Original Message----- From: Clayton [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 7:47 AM To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues Subject: RE: looking for hardware My issues with Dell go back to the last time we all slagged off all the vendors out there. From that thread I know loads of folks have had good experiences with their Customer Service, but I never have. I have always had to wait for 20 minutes on hold once I pressed 3 for server support, only to get someone telling me that I had got through to the wrong department when I did get a human being. The other thing someone mentioned, that I have also experienced, is that when you do have a hardware failure, the get you jump through a million hoops to avoid what they would call unnecessary service call outs. I think the person mentioned they had a faulty hard drive, and put the phone next to the machine so the guy on the phone could hear it clunking, and he still wanted him to go through all of the diag's. List Charter and FAQ at: http://www.sunbelt-software.com/exchange_list_charter.htm List Charter and FAQ at: http://www.sunbelt-software.com/exchange_list_charter.htm
