Dell simplifies the blade server

Infoworld - Part of Dell's server business is building custom machines for very large customers who want fewer bells and whistles but higher computing density and lower power consumption. The Dell PowerEdge C6220 is a server the company has brought out of this custom arena and into its regular sales channels. It is the second in a new series of servers that combines internal storage and two or four two-socket "nodes" (aka sleds or blades) wrapped up in a highly efficient 2RU package.

The PowerEdge C6220 is being marketed as a high-density server solution primarily targeting HPC (high-performance computing) and virtual server clusters. In a major change from the previous model (C6100), the C6220 lets you mix and match node configurations. With support for heterogeneous nodes, this platform becomes a great fit for branch offices, allowing you to configure the nodes at the right size for your branch office database, VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure), Active Directory, and more -- as opposed to racking up a bunch of monolithic servers or partially filling an expensive blade server chassis.