Blade Watch

Before I begin, this is an industry wide issue which relates to support and procurement and affects all the major vendors I research, talk with and dream of doing business with. At this point bladewatch uses wordpress templates and I’m sure it could be improved.

I wish these comments to be taken as they are with no ulterior motive or to be taken as an emotional outburst.  I simply mean to make it easier for end users to get the information they need, to make it fewer mouse clicks, to avoid ‘information overload’. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get lost within the same site, when you’re just trying to know the difference between one blade to another from the same vendor.

How many processors does blade1 have when compared to blade2. You’d be surprised how many texts/emails I’ll get from colleagues (who know I know specifications too much), who’ll say, DL380 G1 what’s the maximum memory, because going through the site might ‘take forever’. I always end up telling them to google “server type and specifications”, “DL380 quick specs”

Just a virtual directory or re-director would be brilliant please.

Again, I remain a fan of the three companies mentioned below and I don’t wish anything to be taken out of context, it’s a hardware/software issue which affects many of the vendors.

For this test I have done no prior research, I have not used any business cards or fancy secret url’s to access the information I need.

I am happy to be corrected if I have made errors and indeed apologise if this is the case:

• If I want information on a HP server, I know to go to http://www.hp.com/go/proliant, I then  click the type of proliant I wish to view, whether it’s a DL, ML or BL (Blade System), I then get presented with sub options, your DL, is it a 300 series you want? a 100? Or I just type DL380 G5 in google for this url.
• It’s similar for Dell: I get asked to select office, then the business type (small/enterprise), then servers, then rack servers, or google 1950 and get this url.
• For IBM I need to go: IBM then products, then servers, System X, then I get a list of options, I select rack servers, or I do google ibm x3350 and get this url.

What I need are two paths: (what I call, business/management and technical/support)

1. Server information – specifications, pricing, standard features and upgrades – what you need to know
2. Welcome to servering – what a server is, what I need to get going, what SAS means or if it’s SATA I need, energy efficient computing, design, why my server is better than others, that kind of thing.
   1. Keep in mind your core audience, what information it is that they seek
   2. Keep the information clear and concise and then allow the user to click for more information.

There we go, hopefully my most polite and supportive comments to be made, and hopefully no one will take exception to said comments.

If I have upset anyone, or there are quicker ways/better url’s to use do get in touch and I hereby pledge to do just one post about the quick url as compensation.

With all of this in mind, can I in essence have a blog or mini site for each server?

www.hp.com/dl360? Or www.Dell.com/PE1950?

Maybe even have support updates, some running commentary from guys in the field…. “We’ve had problems if the firmware isn’t this… the reason for upgrading your DL360G4 to a G6 is…” It could be invaluable for communicating your business justification and in reducing your support costs. I’ve got to install Windows 2003 on a Dell PowerEdge 1950, what drivers do I need to get the server to boot, to get Windows installed and for it to be on the network? What core drivers are recommended?

How cool would that be? I remember when I was first starting out, I did a Windows NT service pack upgrade on a Compaq Proliant 2500R, the server blue screened. We rebuilt the server and restored. How nice would it have been if there had been a post, telling me the fix, that all I had to do was upgrade the array controller firmware?

Yes we have google, yes we have customer specific customer options/prices, maybe even a very nice sales/customer account manager called Nigel, but I’m talking for the generic off the street I want one of these servery things what does it come with…

For example:

Welcome to the DL360 G6: (www.hp.com/dl360)

• Specifications -it’s got so many processors…. and this much RAM
• Benefits – better array controllers, it’s great for….
• What you need to know – energy improvements over the old model, performance/reliability improvements
• Drivers/firmware – support blog – you need this firmware pack as of November

You get the idea – I could be accussed of being a geek but nonetheless.

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