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> We use Dell servers exclusively and have for 15 years. I think we're up |
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> to 400+ physical boxes now and the number of Linux-compatibility issues |
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> in all that time is exactly zero :-) |
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That's good to hear. |
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> If Dell sold server-class hardware that wasn't 100% supported in Linux, |
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> their sales would suffer badly, they have a strong business model around |
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> 100% Linux support in the data center. So the odds are very much on your |
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> side, but do your Google checks on the proposed hardware and verify. |
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You're right. But it's quite a difference to sell something which comes |
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with some Linux distribution installed and "works" and to have a system |
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in place which lacks a single but important feature just because it's |
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not one of the mainstream features. |
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> 1. Pick a server model that has an option to ship with RHEL |
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> pre-installed, this indicates 100% Linux compatibility. |
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That was one of the reasons why we're thinking about Dell server. They |
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offer SLES and RHEL as operating systems. |
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But again, often the last 1% of the hardware's features (like hardware |
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sensors) are only available if you use some creepy vendor software (like |
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OpenManage). |
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> 2. For VM hosts, look into the -R variant. We found them by pure chance |
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> end of last year, they are the same model but with some stupid large |
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> number of front drive bays (16?) mounted vertically. It's built with VM |
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> servers in mind. For some reason the price was cheaper than the regular |
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> R720 even with 16 drives installed! Maybe we just got lucky but nobody |
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> here was going to query a bargain like that :-) |
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Thanks for the hint! |
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