Crystal Cube Consulting

Rock Paper Scissors: Will Pizza Boxes Beat Blades in Cyberspace

Abstract

In our report this challenging question is reviewed in detail exposing the bottom line as to the best direction for data centers, Central Offices (CO), and other critical enterprise markets such as Financial and Healthcare.

When the telecommunications industry began looking seriously at blade servers it was at the same time that PICMG was developing the AdvancedTCA standard somewhere around the 2003 timeframe. That was the beginning of the blade server dynasty which basically reoriented servers and chassis on their sides, as well as, putting the servers on cards with integrated networking functions and mounted a blade chassis inside of a standard rack. Now we have the AdvancedTCA platform with any number of blade and SBC configurations for consideration, but because the price for ATCA blades compared to Rack Mounted Servers (RMS) are 2 to 3 times more expensive; the question becomes why should one move to ATCA blades or other bladed platforms for that matter?

The tremendous amount of AC powered RMS in data centers, such as, the huge data centers of Google, Yahoo and others with the issues of power consumption and thermal challenges compounded by miles and miles of cabling make for a very compelling story for AdvancedTCA bladed platforms as the solution of choice moving forward. As the Average Sales Price (ASP) continues to drop for AdvancedTCA based on demand and technology, coupled with all of the advantages mentioned within this ground breaking report, provide Telco and enterprise users with a reason to reconsider the use of RMS going forward based solely on the less expensive unit pricing compared to the apparent higher cost of an AdvancedTCA solution.

Crystal Cube Consulting provides a detailed worldwide five-year revenue and shipment forecast 2008 - 2012 to include AdvancedTCA platforms, IBM BladeCenter HT platforms, Servers, Blades, and NEBS (Telco) Blades.

Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures

Methodology

Executive Summary

Background Blades and Servers

Blades

Rack Servers

Performance RMS versus AdvancedTCA

Improving Power Efficiency

AC versus DC

Virtualization Reduces Power, Footprint, and Cost

Processors Increase Performance per Watt

Head Room for IP Services

Climate Change in the Data Center

Changes in Processor Performance per Watt Over Time

Summary of Findings

Blade and RMS Pricing

Forecast

Forecast Methodology

AdvancedTCA Five Year Forecast 2008 – 201

BladeCenter HT Five Year Forecast 2008 – 2012

Servers, Blades, and NEBS (Telco) Blades) Five Year Forecast 2008 – 2012

Guidance to Carriers and TEMS

Appendix I

Major Server and Blade Suppliers