Anticipated benefits Dozens of server blades can fit in the space of a single traditional server, resulting in space and power savings. Blades promise enhanced reliability through simple hot-swapping as well as simplified server management through unified interfaces.
Hurdles Still a new and relatively unproven technology. Proprietary offerings can lock customers into a long-term vendor commitment. Current iteration doesn’t link well into SANs.
Primary markets Enterprises with server-intensive IT needs, such as ISPs, online merchants and media streamers.
Estimated cost $1,800 to $8,000 per blade plus a rack.
Players
Dell Computer PowerEdge, www.dell.com
Hewlett-Packard ProLiant BL, www.hp.com
IBM eServer BladeCenter, www.ibm.com
RLX Technologies ServerBlades, www.rlx.com
Sun Microsystems Sun Fire Blades, www.sun.com
