Server Consolidation

Overview

Types

Benefits

Resources

Consolidation Calculator

Clipper Group Paper

Intel IT Case Study

Dell TechCenter

Data Center Capacity Planner

Services

Server Consolidation

Virtualization

Storage Consolidation

Energy Smart Data Center

Server Consolidation

Consolidation is Cool

You've probably been through your share of server consolidations. Whether you treat consolidation as a project or as part of normal operations, good data center management usually includes consolidation. Right now is an especially great time to consolidate servers. Consolidation is cool again in 2009!

Technology Synergies

Three major technology improvements have come together in 2007 to make server consolidation a very attractive solution. Each technology can bring benefits to almost any IT organization, but when combined the benefits compound.

	Quad-core processors Especially the latest quad-core processors from Intel, provide astounding performance, allowing multiple servers to be consolidated onto fewer quad-core servers. In Dell testing, PowerEdge^TM servers with Quad-Core Intel^® Xeon^® 5300 series processors had up to 63% better performance^* and up to 40% better performance per watt^* than PowerEdge servers with Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5100 series processors. Depending on the age and use of your servers, you could consolidate from 4 to 8, or even more, old servers running similar workloads onto one quad-core server.

	Energy efficient servers Such as Dell's Energy Smart servers, provide significantly greater performance per watt than previous generation servers. In a recent study of performance, power use and performance per watt, the Dell PowerEdge Energy Smart servers increased performance by 80% over previous generation servers while requiring only 60% of the power, resulting in a 200% increase in performance per watt (see figures 1 & 2)^*. You can spend less to power the servers and less to cool the room with new energy efficient servers.

	Server Virtualization Is ideal for application consolidation, allowing you to consolidate even a greater number of old workloads and servers onto a fewer number of new quad-core servers. Dell recommends 2-4 virtual servers per core, or 16-32 virtual servers per 2-socket quad-core server.