SAN MATEO (02/18/2000) - SIZE MATTERS TO IT, as evident in the move by computer makers to shrink their rack-mounted servers to provide maximum scalability without adding additional acreage to the data center.
But with the minimum size of a four-way Intel IA-64 Itanium-based server measuring as tall as 7Us (1.75 inches per U) to accommodate the processor's heat output, IT managers may face an additional challenge of finding room for the new operating environment.
In contrast, Sun Microsystems Inc. model 420R enterprise server, a 64-bit, four-way server with 4GB of memory, rises only 4Us -- average in the industry today.
"Density per box is important for, say, an ISP, because as rapidly as they're growing, they're actually managing real estate as well," explained Warren Mootrey, group manager of Sun's workgroup server division.
Underscoring IT's desire for shorter racks, the same OEMs showing 7U-size Itanium servers at the Intel Developer Forum last week have all recently launched marketing campaigns emphasizing Intel-based servers with minimum space consumption.
According to one IT manager, size does matter. "The more you can fit in a rack the higher [performance] potential you have," said a service bureau IT manager who did not want to use his name.
However, at least one vendor was quick to point out that IA-64 gives more memory density than IA-32.
A four-way Xeon server gives you 8GB of memory, but a four-way Itanium gives you 64GB, according to Greg Palmer, product manger at Compaq Computer, in Houston.
Nevertheless, the heat generated by the Itanium seems to be creating more of a problem than previously expected.
"The Itanium processor is tremendously hot," said Laszlo Elteto, a senior software scientist at Rainbow Technology, an Irving, Calif.-based software developer. "Intel sent us a prototype IA-64 workstation with only one Itanium processor, and it had seven fans."
Intel has offered no design spec as to how to make a four-way Itanium server stay cool enough without an oversize box and an array of fans, said an Intel spokesperson, who added that OEMs would have to work the details out themselves.
"We're looking at everything to keep these systems cool," a source within Compaq said.
Vendors claim it will be difficult to maintain ease of serviceability as well as cable management in the 7U form factor.
"Power consumption will have to be reduced," Elteto said. "Perhaps when [Intel] moves to a copper architecture or when they engineer down to 0.13 micron ... they'll begin to see substantial cooling."