The Pros and Cons of Buying a Refurbished Blade Server

     Refurbished servers help companies maintain their dynamic IT networks without paying a high price for new hardware. Used servers come in three models: tower, rack-mounted, and blade. This article discusses the pros and cons of using the blade models.

Pro: Excellent Scalability

     Blade models are the most scalable of all of the servers. When the network must expand, an additional blade is slipped in the chassis while the network is up and running. This makes it easy to upgrade the network's memory as the new applications are added.

Con: Expensive Configuration

     Initially, configuring blades that serve complex application environments requires significant time and labor. The user may need training from the manufacturer to configure and administrate the models; some manufacturers provide free training. When training is not free, its cost can significantly add to the overall fee of configuration.

Pro: Easy to Deploy

     Often, a company will find refurbished blade servers as the easiest types of servers to deploy. Instead of deploying tower models at different workstations, or securing rack-mount models in an enclosure, a company can deploy blade models by slipping them into a chassis one after the other. This makes the deployment process quick and inexpensive.

Con: Potential for Overheating

     When multiple used servers are housed in a single chassis, they are more likely to overheat than towel or rack-mount models. Purchasing hardware that automatically shuts down when it reaches a critical temperature (i.e. 131°F) is the easiest way to prevent overheating. Keeping the temperature of the environment that houses the chassis below 72°F also helps prevent it from overheating.

Pro: Energy Efficient

     Housing several servers in a single chassis establishes a single power supply for all of the models. This reduces each blade's power needs. Blade models are also more energy efficient than other pieces of hardware because they lack conventional devices that require power, such as a keyboard and a graphics card. If a company is committed to reducing its annual utility bill, using blade models instead of tower models will help.

Con: Economy of Scale

  
   If a company only needs two servers, buying a chassis and implementing two blades is not cost effective. It would be more economical to buy two tower models. However, if a company knows that its network will gradually expand in the next three years, investing in the blades may be the best option after all.