Opinions Wanted: Dell PowerEdge Servers ... ?

[Gayn Winters]

> [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org] On Behalf Of Chuck Swiger
> Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 7:57 AM
> To: Mike Galvez
> Cc: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: Opinions Wanted: Dell PowerEdge Servers ... ?
> 
> 
> Mike Galvez wrote:
> [ ... ]
> > No small thing you need to consider when choosing Dell is 
> that they DO NOT support
> > FreeBSD. They support Windows and Red Hat Linux. If the 
> machine is not lights-out
> > and the OS is not one of the above, they will not send 
> parts or a technician.
> > 
> > I found this out the hard way and had to load Linux on a 
> spare drive just to prove
> > a piece of hardware was failing.
> 
> I've heard that Dells tech support isn't as helpful as it 
> used to be, but I've 
> had them replace a CD-ROM drive and a 4mm DAT tape backup on 
> Dell machines 
> dedicated to FreeBSD without any problems.
> 
> Try running the diagnostic CD or floppy that came with the machine?
> (Or can be downloaded for the specific system type from the 
> Dell website.)
> 
> -- 
> -Chuck

I suggest a small slice with Red Hat or Fedora on any Dell Server that
runs FreeBSD.  As Chuck suggests, downloading the diagnostics for your
machine in advance is good advice.  I've found Dell's Linux support team
is helpful, but they have some policies like "run the diagnostics before
doing anything else" which you usually won't be able to avoid. They may
want to walk you through a Linux boot or some other steps under Linux.
Once they verify the problem, they are very good at sending replacement
hardware. 

-gayn

Bristol Systems Inc.
714/532-6776
www.bristolsystems.com