The two most commonly used servers in the data center industry are blade servers and rack servers. This article will take you through these two servers.
What is a rack server?
A rack server is a server that is purpose-built to fit inside a server rack. A rack server is a general-purpose machine that can be configured to support different needs. They are most commonly found in data center environments, but can also be used in Small computer cabinet.
Unlike its PC counterpart, a traditional server, a rack server is wider so it can be secured into the rack using mounting screws or rails, depending on the design.
If you only need a small number of servers, they are the economical best choice due to the low upfront cost.
The height or number of rack units a system may occupy can vary greatly depending on what the system requires, larger servers allow for the use of additional CPUs, memory or other components, the servers themselves are mounted one above the other within the rack , to help minimize the amount of space used.
Benefits of rack servers
While which type of server you use depends largely on the scenario, there are several advantages to using smaller rack servers compared to blade servers:
1. Power supply
Rackmount servers are typically equipped with all the components needed to function as standalone systems, and they are powerful enough to run high-end applications.
2. Convenience
Being able to easily mount a server inside a rack is very convenient and saves a lot of space, especially when compared to traditional tower servers.
3. Cooling
Cooling rack-mounted servers is easier than most other servers, which often come with internal fans and place them in the rack to increase airflow.
4. Ideal for low quantity
Rackmount servers are best when you need many servers (but fewer than 10) because they don't require a bulky chassis.
What is a blade server?
A blade server is a type of modular server that allows multiple servers to be installed in a small area. These servers are physically thin , usually with only a CPU, memory, an integrated network controller, and sometimes storage drives built in.
The server chassis will facilitate any video cards or other components needed. This is where blades slip in, and blade servers are often found in large data centers due to their ability to fit so many servers into a single rack and their ability to provide high processing power.
In most cases, you install a large enclosure into a server rack, then slide multiple blade servers into the enclosure, and the enclosure provides power, manages networking, etc. so that each blade can run more efficiently, and It also reduces internal components.
Blade servers are often used when certain types of enterprise storage systems have high computing requirements: Network Attached Storage (NAS) or Storage Area Networks (SAN), which maximize available space by providing the most available processors per RU.
Blade servers also provide rapid serviceability by allowing components to be replaced without taking the machine offline.
Advantages of Blade Servers
1. Power consumption
In many cases, the blade server chassis will power multiple servers, reducing overall power consumption.
2. Hot swap
Blade servers can be configured to be hot-swappable, so if one blade fails, it can be pulled out and replaced more easily, which helps facilitate redundancy.
3. Reduce the need for cables
Instead of running separate cables for each server, blade servers can have a single cable (usually fiber optic) run to the chassis, reducing overall cable requirements.
4. Processing capacity
Blade servers can provide extremely high processing power while taking up minimal space
Summarize
When to use rack servers or blade servers depends entirely on each situation, in the end, both blade servers and rack servers can be configured to do the same job, it just depends on which is the most economical at this time.
When making your evaluation, be sure to consider the thermal and electrical requirements of the machine (board ratings), the computing requirements of the job (CPU/hour), and the capacity of the facility (watts/square foot) to find the best server for your needs.