HP vs. Dell: Which is the Right Server for You

HP and Dell have been in a neck-and-neck race for dominance for the server space. In 2018, Dell took over as the top server. Then this year, HP gained the top spot on the market.

With all the back-and-forth battle between the computer giants, finding the best server is a reasonable concern because it is essential to the growth of your company.

Picking the right server isn’t just about brand loyalty or deciding at random. While both Dell and HP offer excellent servers that dominate the market because of their quality, in reality, there is no one “right” server for any business. Instead, businesses choose a server that aligns with your needs and business goals. Then, depending on the structure of your organization and where you imagine you’ll be in the next few years, you can decide which one to invest in.

Price

When it comes to investing in technology, the cost is an essential factor. Each company has a variety of servers that run the gamut on pricing. However, Dell servers are typically the less expensive of the two.

Dell is cheaper of the two because it’s a business class server. HP, on the other hand, is enterprise-class. HP does offer a more thorough manual that includes every component of their server. You can find documentation easily for whatever you need. However, small-sized consultants typically choose Dell to boost their profits and get a high-performing server for a lower price.

However, this might not be the case soon. HP has gone through multiple corporate shake-ups, and they recently announced that they would soon be offering "everything as a Service" by 2022. What this means is your company can pick and choose which products and services you need and only pay for what you actually use. Depending on the needs of your business, then, HP servers may be the more cost-saving option in the next few years.

Reliability

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Depending on your business, reliability might be the most critical aspect of your server. Recent research showed that hourly downtime costs exceed $300,000 for 86% of companies. An unreliable server will quickly drain your resources and profitability.

The ITIC Global Server Reliability Report for 2019 studies which servers offer the most reliability for their clients. Dell’s Poweredge has better reliability compared to HP’s Proliant server.

However, HP does have a system in place to warn clients of potential part failure to allow them to correct before it becomes an issue. Not that part failure is always an issue: some customers have reported that they have gone years without needing to replace parts.

Management Tools

Out-of-band management is a concern that many customers have. It provides better security for your information, better internal network, and emergency access should your primary network become unavailable.

HPE’s management tool is iLO and Dell EMC’s is iDRAC. There used to be significant differences between the two systems, but they have both progressed a lot to provide many of the same features. The IPMI implementations are similar enough that they are no longer a deciding factor between the two servers. However, they do have some notable differences.

Dell’s iDRAC has made significant improvements in recent generations. Java is no longer required to use iDRAC 7, which is great, but the Graphic User Interface is not as well-developed as the new iLO GUI. Updates also take a bit longer with iDRAC than iLO, which can be frustrating for users.

iDRAC uses a physical license, which can be bought on the secondary market. What this means is that you don’t have to be locked in with the OEM after the end of life. iDRAC also offers OpenManage Essentials, which is similar to RIS. However, both RIS and OpenManage Essentials have issues with some browser versions.

HPE’s iLO, on the other hand, is automatically included. However, Advanced (i.e., post console session) requires a license. It’s not possible to buy them used, so it could lock you in if your servers go EOL. In addition, reusing the advanced key on multiple servers goes against its terms of service. Although some users claim you can buy one key for multiple servers, it’s required to purchase new keys for each one like iDRAC.

iLO is more user-friendly and intuitive. The platform does work faster than iDRAC. However, the difference is not significant enough to be a major deciding factor, so you should consider some of the other aspects when choosing.

Customer Service

Since you’re going to be investing time and money into your server, you want to be reassured that you can get help when you need it. When you purchase from Aventis Systems, though, you don’t have to trade the server you prefer for better customer service.

Our superior customer service and warranty mean that you can get answers to your questions and help with whatever you need. With a more thorough warranty than either Dell or HP provides, customers can get excellent support included without the big price tag.

Unlike most tech centers, Aventis Systems’ support is located right in the US. What that means is that you don’t have to worry about being transferred multiple times or getting the runaround for the help you need. One call is all it takes to make sure you’re getting the best support.

Aventis Systems also offers easy upgrade options for the highest level of uptime. No matter which system you choose, you can get the amount of uptime that works best for you and your business.

The Best Server for Your Needs

In the HP vs. Dell servers' debate, each of them provides a great product and there is no clear-cut winner. Both provide a highly reliable server at a similar quality and price. Plus, through Aventis Systems, you can get the superior customer support you need.

When it comes to choosing between HP and Dell through Aventis Systems, you can’t go wrong. You can pick one knowing that it can serve you and your business needs.

Related Reading:

● Comparing Top-of-the-Line Servers: HP Proliant DL360 Gen9 vs. DL380 Gen9

● Choose the Right Server for Your SMB

● Transforming Small & Mid-Size Businesses With Dell Poweredge Servers