A PowerEdge Overview or Why the R640 is so Darn Popular

How many Dell PowerEdge R640 servers do you think are sold each minute? We don’t know the number either but we can provide an answer as to why it is so popular.

• It’s a rack server and racks work well for most businesses, allowing them to start with one or two servers and add more later.
• The R640 (along with the R740 models) are the ones with Goldilocks level of drives and processors – not too few and not too many – for most businesses.
• The entire PowerEdge line is built with the same quality parts so when choosing, you just need to focus on your current and future data needs.

Let’s take a closer look at those popular R640 and R740 models—this includes the R740xd and R740xd2. All of them are two socket units, which means they can have up to two processors, and they have lots of options for drive configurations.

And when you’re talking about a two-rack unit, the back of the server has more space to customize and connect all your other equipment.

These models seem to have just the right amount of everything to suit most businesses. In fact, unless they are not anticipating any data growth at all, we often recommend clients who start out looking at a one-socket option to go with the two sockets instead and just half populate it. This gives them room for growth and can still keep them on budget.

It’s true that Dell offers entry level servers, like the T40 and the R240, and enterprise servers, like the R940, but the biggest sellers by far are the R640 and R740 models.

When to Choose Tower Servers

Towers are great for ROBO (remote office, branch office) when each office has limited space that won’t accommodate a rack. They are also great choices for dentist’s offices, law firms and other businesses that want a data solution that can fit on or under a desk.

When to Choose Blade Servers

Blades are more popular than towers because you can squeeze more into less space, but they are designed for a specific environment. If someone is trying to sell you blade servers, be very cautious and make sure it is really what you need. If you just need two servers to get you started, don’t choose a blade option as it will likely be way more than your data requires, and will cost you a lot. However, if you need 16 servers to get a location set up, then blade servers might be a good choice.

Setting Up A Data Center

We don’t want to forget the four socket PowerEdge rack servers. If you have a data center to set up, you’ll want to consider the R840 or R940 but give us a call and we’ll help you determine what will work best for your needs. It might be a blade system, or it might be several of those popular R640s and R740s.

Talking through your needs, budget and the options available to you is the best way to ensure you end up with the servers that will work for you and your future goals.