Author: Chris Hubbard

HP’s Gen10 ProLiant RackMount servers offer a variety of Intel Xeon 3100-7100 family processors – with clock speeds ranging from 1.8-3.6 GHZ and up to 28 cores per processor. With 24 DIMM slots (12 DIMM slots per processor), these servers have immense memory capabilities that can be configured up to 3 TB per server. These servers also share the same management software have some overlap with their supported operating systems. While the HP ProLiant DL360 Gen10 and DL380 Gen10 share many of the same specifications, there are some major differences between the two. Use the table below to find out which server is the right fit for your business.

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1U vs 2U Rack Space

One of the main critical differences between the two servers is that the DL360 is a 1U rack while the DL380 is a 2U rack. A 1u rack is better suited for businesses with limited rack space, as you would be able to fit more processors in a cabinet using 1U racks over 2U racks. 1U racks are better suited for high performance computing environments that require high-density computing. A 2U rack, on the other hand, is a great option for those who have large amounts of available rack space to use. 2U racks allow for increased storage capacity and have more disk drive slots and PCIe 3.0 slots than 1U racks. If noise is a factor, a 2U rack will be quieter than a 1U, as the fans in a 1U rack will have to spin faster in order to cool itself down which, in turn, causes the 1U racks to operate at a higher power consumption per rack. A 2U rack has more physical space, so the fans can spin at a lower speed in order to dissipate heat more efficiently.

Storage & PCIe 3.0 Slots

The 1u rack DL360 Gen10 can be configured up to 40TB of storage. On the other hand, the 2u rack DL380 Gen10 boasts a max storage of 459TB. This is the biggest difference between these two models. Although the DL380 G10 takes up twice the amount of rack space, it offers 10x the amount of storage compared to the DL360 G10, offering 5x the amount of storage per rack.

Although both models ship standard with 3 PCIe 3.0 slots, the DL380 G10 can be upgraded to include 3 more slots with an additional PCIe riser. Customize your server with additional GPUs, RAID cards, Wi-Fi cards, or SSDs.

Conclusion

Combining power & speed, both of these servers excel at performing mission critical applications and both can be used for high-performance computing and virtualization. At the end of the day, choosing between the DL360 and DL380 G10 servers boils down to storage, PCIe 3.0 slots, and whether you want a 1U or a 2U rackmount server. The server experts at SourceTech can help identify which server best fits your needs. Call or chat with us and get a custom configured server today.

The 13th generation of Dell rackmount servers offer large storage options and are ideal for high performance computing for your data center. The Dell PowerEdge R630 comes in a dense, compact 1u rack model, perfect for businesses with limited rack space. The Dell PowerEdge R730 boasts incredible amounts of memory and storage, able to handle very demanding workloads such as virtualization, exchange servers, medical imaging, and high performance computing. Both models come with additional storage options, as well as Dell’s new iDRAC 8 with Lifecycle Controller for remote management from a tablet or smartphone.

While the Dell PowerEdge R730 and R630 share many of the same specifications, there are major differences between the two. Use the table below to find out which server is the right fit for your business.

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Size

It’s important to factor in the size  Businesses that only have one or two rackmounts may want to consider the R630 for its 2u performance packed into a 1u chassis. While the R730 is a performance powerhouse, it takes up 2 units on your rackmount. It’s a good idea to think about how much computing power and storage you are getting per unit on your rackmount.

Memory

One of the major differences between the R630 and the R730 is the amount of memory each server can hold. In its compact design, the R630 can hold up to 1.5TB of RAM using 24 DIMM slots, up to 64GB per slot. If 1.5 TB isn’t enough, the R730 can be configured for up to 3TB of memory using 24 DIMM slots, up to 128 GB per slot.

Drive Bays & Storage

The R630 and the R730 each come with their own set of drive bay configurations that offer different storage options. The R630 has the following drive bay configurations: 24 x 1.8″ SSD – up to 23TB via 0.96 TB hot-plug SATA SSD; 10 x 2.5″ drive bays – up to 18TB via 1.8TB hot-plug SAS HDD; or 8 x 2.5″ drive bays – up to 14TB via 1.8TB hot-plug SAS HDD.

If you need more storage, the R730 can deliver. Dell’s R730 can be configured in one of two ways: 16 x 2.5″ drive bays –  up to 29TB via 1.8TB hot-plug SAS hard drives, or 8 x 3.5″ drive bays  – up to 64TB via 8TB hot-plug NL SAS hard drives.

I/O Slots

Both servers come with additional PCIe slots that can increase the computing power of your device. The R630 has PCIe three slots while the R730 has seven. Customize your server with additional GPUs, RAID cards, Wi-Fi cards, or SSDs. Each model also comes with a dedicated PowerEdge Raid Controller (PERC) slot to increase performance, efficiency, and uptime of your server.

Operating Systems

The 13th generation of Dell servers support the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows Server® 2008/2012 SP2, x86/x64 (x64 includes Hyper-V®), Microsoft Windows Server 2008/2012 R2, x64 (includes Hyper-V®), Novell® SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server, and Red Hat® Enterprise Linux. Only the R730 can support Microsoft Windows HPC Server 2008. If you need a server that supports high power computing, the R730 is the right choice.

Virtualization

R630s and R730s can use VMWare or Hyper-V® to achieve virtualization. Virtualization can increase the efficiency of your data center by offloading large workloads to virtual machines, saving businesses money on server hardware and energy costs. Virtualization can reduce the number of servers your company needs, reducing the amount time your IT staff spends on configuring and managing your server.

Remote Management

Both the R630 and R730 come standard with the Dell iDRAC 8 express, which allows for remote management of the server without any additional software needed. iDRAC 8 allows for administrators to connect to the server from a smartphone, tablet, or another computer using a web browser. Take control of your server, no matter your location.

Making the Right Choice

Which server is the right fit for your business? With over twice the computing power of the previous generation, the R630 offers 2u performance in a 1u rack, which can increase the efficiency of your data center. The R630 is an ideal server for running transactional, analytical, and enterprise-level applications and can also be used for virtualization.

The R730, on the other hand, is a performance powerhouse. Boasting up to 3 TBs of memory and up to 64 TB of storage, the R730 is ideal for larger applications, such as medical imaging and email servers. The R730 can also support high performance computing applications using Microsoft Windows HPC server 2008.

So which one should you pick? The R630 is a great choice for its compact design and affordability. For business with large applications that demand higher computing power, such as hosting exchange servers and virtualization, both the R730 and 630 will be the perfect fit. Because both servers can be configured to very high levels of performance, be sure to compare how much memory and storage you are getting per rack unit. Here at SourceTech, we staff knowledgeable IT experts who can walk you through a custom server configuration for an R630 or an R730.