Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Linux Now 25% of Dell's Server Business

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the prodigious-penguins dept.

Sam Haine '95 writes to mention a ZDNet article discussing Linux's place in the server market, at least for Dell Computers. Linux now makes up over 25% of the company's server business, and has become such a standard that they only need to confer with Red Hat for some 10% of service calls. From the article: "Linux and open source have been a blessing for Dell as it has struggled to make an impression, other than as a desktop and laptop supplier, in enterprise computing, According to Martin Hingley, vice-president of the European Systems Group at analysts IDC, part of the problem for Dell in the enterprise is that 'people don't like partnering with Dell.'"

7 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. correction by oringo · · Score: 5, Informative

    The original post said that Linux was 25% of Dell's server business, but the TFA said it was 25% of Dell's Enterprise business. There's a big difference there. Enterprise business also include high-end workstations, and server business also include small-business servers and such.

  2. Re:OpenManaged and the No OS option by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Actually it is a very misleading article title, linux is not 25% of there server bsiness, it is 25% of there enterprise business. There is a world of difference between these 2 segments, especially since dell is a very small player in the enterprise server space, but a big time player in the small business space.

  3. love my dell servers by Hohlraum · · Score: 3, Informative

    We moved from Solaris 8 on E420R and Netra T105's to Debian Sarge on Dell 2850 and 1850's. Sarge installed without a hitch on these machines (granted I'm using the default 2.4 sarge kernels and not the 2.6 addon kernels) and most/all have been up without a failure/restart for nearly a year now.

  4. Under the radar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have a set of customers that require Dell servers. I install one about every 6 weeks. We order them without an OS and then install CentOS Linux. Does Dell only count the official Red Hat installs ordered with the servers. As an aside, Dell servers aren't bad. They are better than their desktops. However they are still cheap (in the bad sense). For example, if you order their server and DAT tape drive separate, you have to go through the hassel of locating a power cable! for the tape drive. My preferred server vendor (HP) always includes cables and rails in the base server package for most anything you would install. Another complaint would be an old one to anyone using Dell, that is they slipstream changes in hardware in the various models without changing the model numbers. Some of the last 2800s require downloading patches from Dell to make the Raid controller work reliably. I've never had to do that with HP. Posting anoynomously to keep the NSA guessing.

    1. Re:Under the radar by robertjw · · Score: 2, Informative

      My preferred server vendor (HP) always includes cables and rails in the base server package for most anything you would install.

      Interesting, things must have changed. The last time when I purchased servers, which was 2 or 3 years ago, HP didn't included jack in the basic server package. Rails, cables, etc... all had to be ordered separately. I didn't purchase directly from HP, and the sales rep from my vendor had a difficult time figuring out what we needed to order. I have little love for Dell, but I can't imagine their setup for ordering accessories is any worse than HPs.

      --
      Find coupons in Greeley
  5. Re:If you thought their MSFT support was lacking.. by brianlmoon · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have nothing but good experiences with Dell's Linux support. Granted, I have not asked them Linux questions. I have usually had a hardware problem. However, they have not choked on the fact that we run Gentoo. Their people seemed knowledgable about Linux in general. You could also tell they are not drones cause they answer the phone "Hello" not with some scripted speech.

  6. Re:How Fair is Dell to Linux Purchasers? by pboyd2004 · · Score: 2, Informative

    1: Are non-Windows preloaded Linux servers as easy to find as Windows 2003 Server machines?

    Umm... yeah its just a radio button See http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx ?c=us&cs=555&l=en&oc=MLB1675&s=biz. There are actually more linux options than windows.

    2: Does Dell try to convince you go buy Windows software anyway, even when you don't want it (to keep Microsoft happy)?

    Some "operating system additions" but that is stuff like CALs and if you select linux and select one of those it asks you to unselect that.

    3: Has Dell ever reported purchases of non-Windows based hardware to the BSA, or any other such organization (haven't heard of it myself, but it's a valid question)?

    Umm yeah lets report our customers to the BSA cause they payed us upto $2700 for a supported operating system... yeah I can see that...

    4: Are comparable Dell Linux machines without Windows installed truly available at a price that fully reflects the lack of the Microsoft Tax?

    See above, looks about right to me.

    5: Does Dell preload adware/advertising crap on their Linux boxes?

    Nope.

    6: Do you get the same level of customer support for a non-Windows box as you do for a Windows loaded one?

    Yeah, actually better support in my experience.