Architecturally, Intel based servers have gone a long way in the last
couple years to close the gap on their RISC server counterparts.

Can they handle the load though?

We have a lot of Intel servers deployed in our organization, but none of
them are running anything that you could consider the heavy I/O load
that a TSM server inflicts on a machine. The usual problem is the badly
behaving applications taking their toll.

The last time I ran a box that could be close to that, I replaced a
Sparc SS20 that served around 200 root NFS client machines with a
Dell2300. It behaved itself but the performance dropped noticeably more
under load, possibly to do with the limitations 2.2 Linux kernel, but I
don't think I could have squeezed more performance through the bus. In
some ways it felt like a downgrade.

I am investigating saving some significant costs by deploying a TSM
server using an Intel box. It will have a couple FC HBAs, a couple G/bit
NICs and a 155ATM NIC.
It will be deployed along our main TSM server using virtual volumes (I
like the look of the new IBM x345/360 servers).

My concern is that it won't bend as well under load as our SUN/RS6K
servers in the past.
Any recent Intel converts?

Cheers, Suad
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