Hewlett Packard Compaq ProLiant DL380 G2 (253864-001) Server

Pros: Reliable, cutting edge technology
Cons: Limited expansion capabilities

This server has everything built in it that you could want for an affordable price. It has the cutting edge on technology that Compaq is known for with the bonus of their proven reliability and support. When we were first asked to look at these severs...

Pros: Easy to install components, solid, fast performance
Cons: None at this time...

Qualifications: I am the manager of a large software development lab at a major communications company, which consists of some 125 Compaq Proliant servers of various models and designs. Those models include 6500’s, 1600R’s, 1850R’s, DL360’s,...

Pros: Good capacity for upgrades, solidly built, smaller than some
Cons: Lacks lights-out-management of their 1U servers, Others build the same in 2U

My company, then almost entirely a Dell shop for x86 hardware, came into possession of a half-dozen Compaq DL380s to be used as Linux boxen. We looked at the DL380s when we picked servers before, but opted for Dell 2450 due to their smaller size (2U...

Pros: good perform and small physical
Cons: The price may be high

The compaq servers are our company standard. There are over 100 servers in our company. All these servers seldom have problem. But the printer servers often have problem. This server is compaq 3000. We do not know why these problem occur. Maybe...

Pros: Compact, powerful, great rackmount server.
Cons: Higher price.

The Compaq DL380 rocks. In a large datacenter, I can't see a reason to use any other brand - Compaq thinks things through.

First things first - physical characteristics. Getting this thing out of the box and mounted in the rack no problem. You...

Pros: Small, good support, a known name
Cons: expensive

I am a hosting network administrator and this is the server of choice for me. So far we have had very few problems with them (I run 20 of them now). They come with SmartStart software for easy install. I have only used NT on them, but a few friends of...

Pros: The techs say this is a great server for a data center.
Cons: You'll need hearing protection if near it for long.

I'm not a hardware technoid, but wanted to pass along that the DL380 G4 Proliant servers are very loud. When they start up in quiet mode, it sounds like a jet starting up. In the loud mode it is much worse. It's not at all quiet. In many applications this may not be an issue but if people are around it they'll need hearing protection.

Inside the server you'll find about 9-10 high speed fans. They spin so fast the fans generate a lot of noise.

I understand these are great servers but we are sending back the shipment we received due to the noise.

I received the following comment from someone reading my little review:
"It is actually not the air sound but the frequency of the fans that makes the offensive sound. Even inside a rackmount cabinet with the door closed the noise is still bad. It is otherwise an excellent server but HP are letting themselves down with the choice of that model of fans. "