HP servers - DL360

Felix · 16 Feb 2009 at 18:36

I am looking at several HP DL360 for replacing for our current domain controllers.

Has anyone got any past experience or comments on these servers?

If you hate them, what would be your recommendation?

Thanks

Deathwish · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:05

I love em! 1U version of a DL380, the only drawback being 6 rather than 8 SFF disks.

I have deployed lots of these into our environment now, any questions just ask

Felix · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:08

Excellent, I didn't realise there we 1U versions of the 380.

Are you using iLO?

Any set up as domain controllers?

Deathwish · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:14

I have used iLO on one or two of them yep, I usually just use the standard version but I have trialed the advanced version and it worked as described.

Non as DCs but we have DL380 which are and they are working fine (1x QC 2.83Ghz, 4Gb RAM and 2x 72Gb SAS 15k hard disks). No reason why a DL360 can't do it.

I do have a DL360 for our Exchange 2007 HUB and CAS roles. 2x 3Ghz QC Xeons, 8GB ram and 4x 72Gb SAS 15k disks. Works a charm!

Felix · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:21

Any reason why you went for DL380 as DCs? Are they doing any other tasks?

Deathwish · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:23

I wasn't around when they were purchased. I introducted the idea of using the DL360

If it was me today, i'd have a DL360 for a DC. No problemo!

m_cozzy · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:26

Esxi runs very well on them as well. Just converted two underutilized citrix servers to esxi, now running 3 virtual servers on each (limited to the 4gb of ram I have unfortunately)

Felix · 16 Feb 2009 at 19:29

Virtualisation is my next question! I am trying to see the benefits!

Stolly · 16 Feb 2009 at 21:13

Place i'm at now has just bought some more to run ESX, 64Gb of RAM each in them.

They've found that ESX servers run out of memory before CPU, which fits in with what i've seen in other places.

Felix · 16 Feb 2009 at 21:23

What virtual servers are you using the hosts for?

Deathwish · 16 Feb 2009 at 22:05

Hmm, never thought of VM but that is a good idea. 2 or 3 DL360s with 2x QC and 32GB RAM and a Fibre HBA for SAN connection could make a nice Hyper-V / ESX setup. Compact rack wise too

Felix · 16 Feb 2009 at 22:14

What SAN solutions would you recommend?

Ev0 · 16 Feb 2009 at 23:29

We mostly use DL360, 380 and some BL blades for stuff.

The DLs are great for most things, have used them for dcs no problem,

Curiosityx · 17 Feb 2009 at 00:44

Best 1U rack server in it's class, excellent for Web, TS, DC, Citrix and Virtual Front End Servers. As mentioned above it has expansion capability for upto 6 SFF SAS drives making it a nice FAP server also.

This may help your decision process.

http://www.hp.com/cgi-bin/sbso/buyguides/tsg_product_select.cgi

svbooga · 17 Feb 2009 at 15:30

cant fault the DL360, just installed one as an exchange server for a customer and excellent performance for a 1U server.

morfmedia · 17 Feb 2009 at 17:56

As above, awesome kit for 1U, go 380 if you need more local disks else value for money ML 370's can be very good

Shoei · 18 Feb 2009 at 20:49

Got plenty of DL360's
1 is our domain controller, 1 runs Ex2003 very nicely.
Used to run GSX server on a DL360 before we moved to DL380's and ESX.
They do the job, take a good hammering and still keep going.
May be a bit biased in that we resell HP gear

Felix · 18 Feb 2009 at 20:56

All looking promising, no bad reviews. Just the decision between the 360 or the 380. As I say will be used as DCs with windows 2008. Network has just over 1000 users with no more than 200 being on concurrently.

Deathwish · 18 Feb 2009 at 21:05

DL360 all the way, don't see any reasons why not, unless you NEED to use more rack space?

RobK · 20 Feb 2009 at 12:16

DL360s are great, been using them since the G1. I've just installed a 2 node ESX cluster using a pair of G5s with 32GB each and an EMC Clariion AX4 SAN.

You would go for a DL380 if you needed the extra internal drives or expansion slots - ESX servers often have a lot of NICs to support multiple VLANs.