HP c3000 BladeSystem enclosure

I wondered to myself regarding the noise factor whether there actually was something amiss with my test unit. I Googled "bladecenter c3000 noise" and was assaulted with a number of hits, including white papers and even a visual demonstration, regarding the c3000's noise level and comparisons with competitive units.

For other servers in an enterprise environment, this isn't really a big deal as you would suspect those machines would be sequestered to a data center. But not all midsize businesses have a data center-like environment available, and in one briefing I noted that HP representatives claimed that this unit could be used under someone's desk. I don't think that is a realistic estimate. It was very difficult to have a conversation with one other person in the same room while this unit was running. With the door open, you could hear the unit across the entire length of my house, which isn't particularly open in nature.

Conclusion

The BladeSystem c3000 definitely is a serious contender that fills a heretofore-unmet need for quality servers in the midsize market. Blades and their advantages are now available to all businesses, not just enterprises. Its quality is high, it has a wide range of options, its line of blade servers is capable and solid, and it comes in a convenient package. If you can stand the noise and have a separate room or closet to store it in, the c3000 deserves your consideration.

Jonathan Hassell is an author, consultant and speaker on a variety of IT topics.