***Bottom-Line***: Whether put to use as a virtual host, specialized application server, database server, etc. the ***PowerEdge R710*** is designed to fit almost any need. ** ** Rack-mounted servers are the bread and butter of any Network Operations Center (NOC), or Data Center, if you prefer.  And they come in a variety of size to fit any computing need.  We recently started installing the next generation 2U Dell PowerEdge server, the ***R710***, the smaller cousin of the *PowerEdge T710* tower server.        **The Server: **   Dell designed the cutting-edge ***PowerEdge R710*** for the high-availability, 24/7/365 Network Operating Center (NOC) environment.  The 2U rack-mount server was designed with for the virtualized environment and as such that can be fitted with up to (8) 2.5" (SAS or SATA II) hard drives and embedded hypervisors (Microsoft Hyper-V, or VMWare ESXi).  Like its larger cousin the *PE T710,* the ***PowerEdge R710*** also features dual *Intel Xeon 5500 *and* 5600* series processors with Six-Core and Quad-Core functionality.    The ***PowerEdge R710*** is well suited for processor and memory-intensive applications, such as SQL databases, mail servers like *Microsoft Exchange* Server *2007/2010*, or *Novell GroupWise*, and web-based application like *Microsoft's SharePoint Portal Server.*  But the server is scalable enough to operate as a virtual host.  We currently utilize our complement of ***PowerEdge R710's ***with a specialized application with high processor duty cycles, so each was configured with Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5500 processors.      Because of the 2U design the ***PowerEdge R710*** incorporates only (4) high bandwidth (up to 5gb/s throughput) PCIe Generation 2 slots (2x PCIe x8 slots + 2x PCIe x4 slots).  In addition the ***PowerEdge R710*** can be configured with a dizzying array of NIC's featuring dual or quad ports from Intel or Broadcom.     Memory comes in the form of high-speed triple data rate (DDR-3) memory banks that support up to 192GB (18 DIMM slots) of error-correcting code (ECC) SDRAM all on a 64-bit dedicated bus.  Denominations include 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB of DDR3 800MHz, 1066MHz, or 1333MHz memory sticks. Optional RAID controllers include the embedded dual channel *PERC6/I RAID* controller, and the PERC H200, or PERC H700.  However the ***PowerEdge R710*** can also be configured with a number of different alternatives for controlling all manner of hard drive solutions, both internally and externally.    n the storage arena again the ***PowerEdge R710**** *shines; it can be configured with either 3.5" x 6, or 2.5" x 8 hot-plug SAS or SATA II hard drives.  Maximum storage is up to 12TB of internal storage if (6) 3.5" 2TB SAS or SATA II drives are used.    Like all Dell PowerEdge servers, the ***PowerEdge R710*** has a very small blue LCD panel on the front to display messages from the system backplane or the *Dell OpenManage Server Administrator* software suite.  Granted the display is capable of only one line of text, but it has proven useful in the past in providing a quick diagnoses of a particular problem.   Dell's *Open Manage Server Manager *(now on Version 6.21 suite of software enhances manageability, from initial server start-up through everyday operations by allowing for server hardware management via a web interface.  Combining performance, availability and configuration flexibility, the ***PowerEdge R710*** server is an ideal solution for small-to-medium businesses where space might be a consideration, Virtualization a key strategy and or and remote sites that require robust internal storage, PCI expandability and high availability features. ** ** **My Viewpoint **   If you are looking for versatile, scalable, powerful 2U rack-mount server that incorporates the latest server design elements into an attractive cutting-edge design and is reasonably priced, look no further than the (2U), Dell ***PowerEdge R710*** Enterprise-class** **server.  Whether put to use as a virtual host, specialized application server, database server, etc. the ***PowerEdge R710*** is designed to fit almost any need.   

TheBard

Aurora, IL