Based on personal experiences I wouldn't recommend Dell based on the stability of their RAID cards. Our main file server (Poweredge 6400 w/PERC3-QC) has had 3 RAID array failures in the last two years, our new mail server (Poweredge 2600) was not even 2 months old nor in a production environment when we had a complete array failure (required the replacement of all backplanes, motherboard, cables, etc). Our SPLAT box (Poweredge 1750) has not had any failures in 9 months <knock on wood>, but our past server failures don't leave me with the warm and fuzzy feeling. I haven't had any problems with Dell's laptops or desktops, but the stability of their servers will steer me to HP for any future server needs. If that means I need to deal with loud fans, so be it, as long as the RAID controllers have a solid track record and proven reliability. One thing I would've done differently is made sure I could get as many PCI-X slots as we could afford. I got a 1U server (we're not tight on rack space), but I'm pigeon-holed with two PCI-X slots now. One is occupied by a 4 port NIC and the other by a VPN accelerator card. Had I thought ahead I would've jumped at a 2U+ server to have the ability to throw in another one or two 4 port cards. Do they make 6 or 8 port NICs? Even if I need a dongle... :) > > Use the dell then. You should use whatever you've infrastructure standard > > is. > > > > They are solid servers, but l would ensure to find out how many PCI(X) > > cards you can install on each model you are considering. > > > > Also check to ensure if running dual power supplies takes away any PCI(X) > slots (as occurs with the DL360 l think). > > Alan > > >On Thu, 10 Feb 2005 00:27:03 -0500, Jameel Akari <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Hmm, I think you're a little confused. > > > > > > SPLAT (Secure Platform) is Checkpoint's bundled FW1 and OS product. > > > It is a customized and hardened (well, stripped anyway) version of Linux, > > > into which FW1/VPN1 has been ported. > > > > > > You run SPLAT on any standard x86-based server, subject to the supported > > > hardware and your requirements. SPLAT isn't, and doesn't come with, any > > > specific hardware. > > > > > > The HP DL380 is a 2U rackmount server, currently Pentium-IV between 2.2 > > > and 3.06 GHz, with onboard hardware RAID (six drive slots), two onboard > > > gigabit ethernet interfaces (copper) and thress (?) PCI slots. > > > > > > I am running SPLAT on a 3.0GHz DL380G3. It's overkill, but sure is nice. > > > It could certainly sustain 1Gb throughput. > > > > > > The DL360 is a 1U server with two drive slots, 2 onboard NICs and 2 PCI > > > slots. It can be made as fast as the larger machine and costs less. I'll > > > probably go with this on my next FW project. > > > > > > Other companies (IBM, Dell) make comparable boxes which at this point are > > > all pretty good, having varying degrees of support in SPLAT. > > > >Thanks, this is making sense now. Thanks for the recommendations everyone. > > > >Regarding SPLAT, you mention varying degrees of support. Where can I > >find this information? We have 100% Dell servers for x86 here now. > >Would there be a compelling reason to go with HP?
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