Comments on: Server Analysis - Sun victory! http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/ Thought stream from SmugMug's CEO & Chief Geek Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:12:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6-bleeding2 By: SmugBlog: Don MacAskill » Blog Archive » Companies That Listen: Sun http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-92758 SmugBlog: Don MacAskill » Blog Archive » Companies That Listen: Sun Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:05:16 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-92758 [...] One of the attendees, who spends obscene, ungodly amounts of money with IBM, can’t even get engineering staff on the phone. Apparently, IBM has a big sales force who’s trained to buffer customers away from the engineers. Ugh. It’s an attitude like that which ensured IBM came in dead last in our vendor shoot-out. They literally didn’t want our business. Thank goodness Sun gets me in front of technical people when I need it. [...] [...] One of the attendees, who spends obscene, ungodly amounts of money with IBM, can’t even get engineering staff on the phone. Apparently, IBM has a big sales force who’s trained to buffer customers away from the engineers. Ugh. It’s an attitude like that which ensured IBM came in dead last in our vendor shoot-out. They literally didn’t want our business. Thank goodness Sun gets me in front of technical people when I need it. [...]

]]> By: R Rajesh http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-52004 R Rajesh Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:45:12 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-52004 Very neatly written post. Gives a good picture on the whole sequence of events that eventually led SmugMug to prefer Sun over various other vendors. Being a Sun employee, this is certainly a proud moment for me and many others working @ Sun:) Very neatly written post. Gives a good picture on the whole sequence of events that eventually led SmugMug to prefer Sun over various other vendors. Being a Sun employee, this is certainly a proud moment for me and many others working @ Sun:)

]]> By: Dr. Kenneth Noisewater http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-49982 Dr. Kenneth Noisewater Fri, 25 May 2007 16:51:45 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-49982 Blade servers IMO are only worth it if space/power are at an EXTREME premium, or if they cost less than the equivalent # of 1U servers when populated. As far as the Sun x86 hardware goes, it's pretty good (hardware engineering is mostly exquisite), but I would have preferred something similar to OpenFirmware instead of generic crappy 5min to boot 'hit Ctrl-X to frobozz your shiznag' BIOS. The web-based LOM is very cool, but the x86 CLI/serial LOM is very strange (though it does handle SSH, which is a big win). We also deal with a reseller because their discount is better than Sun would offer our company, and it's somewhat annoying. Sun really needs to be able to do custom hardware config as easily as Dell, especially if you order >10 of the same thing at a time. We got some of the first production T2000 servers this side of the Mississippi, and there've been growing pains (also largely due to the Solaris 8->Solaris 10 transition, there's just enough stuff different to make life Interesting, in the traditional Chinese sense), but we've seen huge improvements in Web and App server performance and a significant (dollar- and infrastructure managementwise) reduction in power demand. My work workstation will still be Linux though, at least until there's a Solaris version of UT2004 ;) Blade servers IMO are only worth it if space/power are at an EXTREME premium, or if they cost less than the equivalent # of 1U servers when populated.

As far as the Sun x86 hardware goes, it’s pretty good (hardware engineering is mostly exquisite), but I would have preferred something similar to OpenFirmware instead of generic crappy 5min to boot ‘hit Ctrl-X to frobozz your shiznag’ BIOS. The web-based LOM is very cool, but the x86 CLI/serial LOM is very strange (though it does handle SSH, which is a big win).

We also deal with a reseller because their discount is better than Sun would offer our company, and it’s somewhat annoying. Sun really needs to be able to do custom hardware config as easily as Dell, especially if you order >10 of the same thing at a time.

We got some of the first production T2000 servers this side of the Mississippi, and there’ve been growing pains (also largely due to the Solaris 8->Solaris 10 transition, there’s just enough stuff different to make life Interesting, in the traditional Chinese sense), but we’ve seen huge improvements in Web and App server performance and a significant (dollar- and infrastructure managementwise) reduction in power demand.

My work workstation will still be Linux though, at least until there’s a Solaris version of UT2004 ;)

]]> By: Dale http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-47703 Dale Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:29:38 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-47703 I must agree with your assessment. I have been to the HP, IBM and SUN corporate dog and ponies at each of their individual headquarters and their is no doubt that the SUN guys love their company and what they are doing more than everyone else. Sun and HP both went out of their way to sell what they had technically and put the right people in front of us. IBM on the other hand strictly try to market it us into buying it because we are a large mainframe shop. When that didn't work they swapped to winning deals on the golf course with the execs who haven't ever logged into an open systems server and the only reason they used the pc's was to check email. Amazingly our initial quotes went from IBM bladeservers to a P-Series 595 and finally a P 560 stating virtualization was going to solve our problems. Funny since half of the environment runs windows (they didn't mention how they were going to make windows run on the P-series). Deals are not completed yet, but the Techs are pulling for SUN and/or HP. Dell was a non-player for us. I must agree with your assessment. I have been to the HP, IBM and SUN corporate dog and ponies at each of their individual headquarters and their is no doubt that the SUN guys love their company and what they are doing more than everyone else. Sun and HP both went out of their way to sell what they had technically and put the right people in front of us. IBM on the other hand strictly try to market it us into buying it because we are a large mainframe shop. When that didn’t work they swapped to winning deals on the golf course with the execs who haven’t ever logged into an open systems server and the only reason they used the pc’s was to check email. Amazingly our initial quotes went from IBM bladeservers to a P-Series 595 and finally a P 560 stating virtualization was going to solve our problems. Funny since half of the environment runs windows (they didn’t mention how they were going to make windows run on the P-series). Deals are not completed yet, but the Techs are pulling for SUN and/or HP. Dell was a non-player for us.

]]> By: Server Specs » SmugMug dishes on SunFire X2200 M2 server http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-47216 Server Specs » SmugMug dishes on SunFire X2200 M2 server Mon, 16 Apr 2007 21:05:56 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-47216 [...] x86-64 Server vendor bakeoff: Server vendors vie for SmugMug’s newly minted Web 2.0 dollars. HP doesn’t fit the bill, passes them off to a VAR; Dell is quick on the draw but not paying attention to what they actually asked for; IBM doesn’t return phone calls (Tell me about it!); Rackable is “cheap in every sense of the word” and its once “cool” server business is in some sort of freefall. And the winner by default: Sun. [...] [...] x86-64 Server vendor bakeoff: Server vendors vie for SmugMug’s newly minted Web 2.0 dollars. HP doesn’t fit the bill, passes them off to a VAR; Dell is quick on the draw but not paying attention to what they actually asked for; IBM doesn’t return phone calls (Tell me about it!); Rackable is “cheap in every sense of the word” and its once “cool” server business is in some sort of freefall. And the winner by default: Sun. [...]

]]> By: Mayor Andrew Moore http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-38009 Mayor Andrew Moore Fri, 23 Feb 2007 04:40:10 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-38009 Don, I found your company because I work at Sun Microsystems who posted a link to your Blog internally. Wow! I took the tour, posted photos and was sold. Now I'm a customer and my family, who live across the west, are grateful for your service. I'm also the Mayor of Erie Colorado (www.erieco.gov) (Pop 15,000 - Boulder Suburb) and have started to post Town photos. I agree passion is what gets things done and I'm happy your family has passion for digital photo sharing. Best Regards, Andrew Moore Mayor, Town of Erie Director, Sun Microsystems Don,

I found your company because I work at Sun Microsystems who posted a link to your Blog internally.

Wow! I took the tour, posted photos and was sold. Now I’m a customer and my family, who live across the west, are grateful for your service.

I’m also the Mayor of Erie Colorado (www.erieco.gov) (Pop 15,000 - Boulder Suburb) and have started to post Town photos.

I agree passion is what gets things done and I’m happy your family has passion for digital photo sharing.

Best Regards,

Andrew Moore
Mayor, Town of Erie
Director, Sun Microsystems

]]> By: Kevin Hutchinson http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-37595 Kevin Hutchinson Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:53:57 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-37595 Can you post more details about your Rackable experience? When you say "cheap in every way" can you talk more about this? I'm an investor in Rackable and want to understand how they are engaging with their potential sales relationships. Thanks, Kevin Can you post more details about your Rackable experience? When you say “cheap in every way” can you talk more about this? I’m an investor in Rackable and want to understand how they are engaging with their potential sales relationships. Thanks, Kevin

]]> By: CQ2 » Blog Archive » Two SmugMug bits: Sun and Amazon http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-37577 CQ2 » Blog Archive » Two SmugMug bits: Sun and Amazon Tue, 20 Feb 2007 22:54:58 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-37577 [...] Interesting comparison of hardware vendors from a photo-sharing site, SmugMug: [...] [...] Interesting comparison of hardware vendors from a photo-sharing site, SmugMug: [...]

]]> By: mtrcycllvr http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-36154 mtrcycllvr Wed, 14 Feb 2007 01:50:33 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-36154 Just another Sun employee and faithful smugmug user. Smugmug rocks and I'm even happier with it now knowing MY hard work is helping support YOUR hard work, which put together keeps my friends and family poking at my life in photos via smugmug. I was impressed at your very candid appraisal of "Large-company-itis", something we here at Sun deal with every day. Not clear what the cure is, but I see insiders working to 'cut the crap' and get down to business more and more, so maybe there is hope! And lastly, while my opinion may be somewhat biased - Sun hardware rocks, and that comes from an unwavering commitment to investment in R & D. See Dell's engineering, aka: remote management (or lack thereof) for a classic example of this. Dell may have happy stock investors, but Sun creates BETTER hardware, and that *will* turn into a better ROI for you as your TCO goes lower and lower over time. Just another Sun employee and faithful smugmug user. Smugmug rocks and I’m even happier with it now knowing MY hard work is helping support YOUR hard work, which put together keeps my friends and family poking at my life in photos via smugmug. I was impressed at your very candid appraisal of “Large-company-itis”, something we here at Sun deal with every day. Not clear what the cure is, but I see insiders working to ‘cut the crap’ and get down to business more and more, so maybe there is hope! And lastly, while my opinion may be somewhat biased - Sun hardware rocks, and that comes from an unwavering commitment to investment in R & D. See Dell’s engineering, aka: remote management (or lack thereof) for a classic example of this. Dell may have happy stock investors, but Sun creates BETTER hardware, and that *will* turn into a better ROI for you as your TCO goes lower and lower over time.

]]> By: MN http://blogs.smugmug.com/don/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-36105 MN Tue, 13 Feb 2007 19:25:36 +0000 http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/07/server-analysis-sun-victory/#comment-36105 Thanks for the important feedback. Disclosure - I am a Sun Product Manager in the X64 space. We are particularly appreciative of the detailed feedback you have given regarding the prospect-to-order process. I think we can all be open about the current issues with it. Suffice it to say, there is widespread awareness of this within Sun and active work to address it. We also greatly appreciate the product cost feedback. Clearly, TCOO is an important metric however entry cost is also important and we also take this criticism to heart. Here again, there is active work in this area. Many thanks! This is highly valuable! Thanks for the important feedback. Disclosure - I am a Sun Product Manager in the X64 space.

We are particularly appreciative of the detailed feedback you have given regarding the prospect-to-order process. I think we can all be open about the current issues with it. Suffice it to say, there is widespread awareness of this within Sun and active work to address it. We also greatly appreciate the product cost feedback. Clearly, TCOO is an important metric however entry cost is also important and we also take this criticism to heart. Here again, there is active work in this area.

Many thanks! This is highly valuable!

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