Re: Alternatives to Dell?

Not in my experience for IBM, even for an order approaching 100k. The sales guy was rude, jumping on numbers, unable to
talkabout exactly what differentiates IBM from Dell (equivalent config) - other than the name and their 20K+
difference.
 
We use many Dell servers, no quality issue, but as someone pointed out earlier, linux support is not that great.
 
Only issue so far hardware wise is the PERC card on one of the machines, and i believe one should stay away from the
adaptecversions of PERC.
 
 
-anjan
 

    -----Original Message----- 
    From: Joshua D. Drake [mailto:jd@commandprompt.com] 
    Sent: Wed 12/1/2004 9:15 PM 
    To: Matthew Marlowe 
    Cc: Steven Rosenstein; josh@agliodbs.com; pgsql-performance@postgresql.org 
    Subject: Re: [PERFORM] Alternatives to Dell?
    
    


    > 
    >Go the IBM website, try to find a comparative x86 system and 
    >spec it out. The list pricing is in the $12-16K range.  Yes, I know 
    >I could get a good discount if I developed a relationship with 
    >an IBM reseller here..and perhaps the end pricing would be 
    >in the $10-12K range....but the Dell way just seems alot more honest 
    >to me, and reasonable.  The IBM gear doesn't seem that much better. 
    >  
    > 
    It is my experience that IBM will get within 5% of Dell if you 
    provide IBM with a written quote from Dell. 

    Sincerely, 

    Joshua D. Drake 



    >And while I have concerns about some of the Dell 
    >hardware, none of the issues have really caused any issues for me or my clients 
    >here yet.....(crossing fingers..) 
    > 
    >I just don't think IBM makes it easy for new customers to buy their equipment and 
    >if I went with them, I'd always have the lingering suspicion that I was paying too much. 
    > 
    >I really hope they change some day...  Until then, I just see Dell winning more of the 
    >server market share. 
    > 
    >Regards, 
    >Matt   
    >--- Original Message--- 
    > To: josh@agliodbs.com 
    > Cc: pgsql-performance@postgresql.org 
    > From: Steven Rosenstein <srosenst@us.ibm.com> 
    > Sent: 12/01/2004  4:17PM 
    > Subject: Re: [PERFORM] Alternatives to Dell? 
    > 
    >  
    > 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>>I recommend IBM equipment, but in the spirit of caveat emptor  I should let 
    >>>you know I work for IBM... :-) 
    >>> 
    >>>Seriously, I've been using IBM laptops and desktops for about 5 years, even 
    >>>before I started working for them.  They tend to be a little more expensive 
    >>>than Dell, but I think they use beefier components and don't cut the specs 
    >>>quite as close as Dell does.  IBM gear is designed more for industrial use 
    >>>than home computing, which is reflected in the quality (and the price). 
    >>> 
    >>>IBM just released a new series of PowerPC-based servers that are 
    >>>specifically designed to run Linux.  They're at the higher end, but from 
    >>>what I understand, they provide much more bang for the buck than 
    >>>Intel-based servers. 
    >>> 
    >>>I hope this helps, 
    >>>--- Steve 
    >>>________________________________________________________________________ 
    >>>___________ 
    >>> 
    >>>Steven Rosenstein 
    >>>Senior IT Architect/Specialist | IBM Virtual Server Administration 
    >>>Voice/FAX: 845-689-2064 | Cell: 646-345-6978 | Tieline: 930-6001 
    >>>Text Messaging: 6463456978 @ mobile.mycingular.com 
    >>>Email: srosenst @ us.ibm.com 
    >>> 
    >>>"Learn from the mistakes of others because you can't live long enough to 
    >>>make them all yourself." -- Eleanor Roosevelt 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>>             Josh Berkus 
    >>>             <josh@agliodbs.co 
    >>>             m>                                                         To 
    >>>             Sent by:                  pgsql-performance@postgresql.org 
    >>>             pgsql-performance                                          cc 
    >>>             -owner@postgresql 
    >>>             .org                                                  Subject 
    >>>                                       [PERFORM] Alternatives to Dell? 
    >>> 
    >>>             12/01/2004 05:24 
    >>>             PM 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>>             Please respond to 
    >>>                   josh 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>> 
    >>>Folks, 
    >>> 
    >>>A lot of people have been having a devilish time with Dell hardware lately. 
    >>> 
    >>>It seems like the quality control just isn't there on the Dell servers. 
    >>> 
    >>>Thing is, some companies are required to use 1st-tier or at least 2nd-tier 
    >>>vendors for hardware; they won't home-build.   For those people, what 
    >>>vendors 
    >>>do others on this list recommend?   What have been your good/bad 
    >>>experiences? 
    >>> 
    >>>-- 
    >>>--Josh 
    >>> 
    >>>Josh Berkus 
    >>>Aglio Database Solutions 
    >>>San Francisco 
    >>> 
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