Server vs Desktop

The market for dedicated servers is full of offers.
Everything, from micro-machines based on Atom, desktop Core2 and Athlon, and ending with servers on Xeon with 2 or more heads, dozens of GB of RAM and SAS drives.

Sites hosting providers are full of labels Xeon and Opteron.
Customers argue with someone steeper processor and measured by the length of the disk loop.

Only a few people know the difference between server and desktop platforms and technologies.
I will tell you about this difference in my article.

Foreword

Immediately I warn you that I do not have any sympathy for any of the manufacturers.
Processors, like the rest of the iron I choose after tests and price comparisons, in order to get the cherished price / quality formula.
For convenience, I will use the names of Intel processor manufacturers, since they are familiar and understandable to the overwhelming majority.
Therefore, I immediately apologize to the fans of AMD products.
')
The article does not claim full coverage of all technologies.
We start from the consumer line of servers based on Xeon and Opteron.

Popular wisdom

There are various rumors among the people that server processors are inaccessible to mere mortals and provide transcendental performance.
On the iron forums, you can see a huge number of topics with the headings "Which is better than Xeon **** or Core ****".
Often, when SCSI and SAS are mentioned, they sigh sadly.

So why is everyone so eager to cling to these supertechnologies? Is this necessary?

Processors and motherboards

In fact, server processors are almost exact copies of their desktop counterparts.
In the production of server processors using the same technology and equipment as for the desktop.

Very often, you can get a processor with Xeon marking, which is an exact copy of Core, but 1.5-2 times more expensive.
What is the secret?

The secret is simple:
In the production of Xeon is more stringent quality control, more products goes into marriage.
Hence the price.

Motherboards of the server segment differ in form factor in order to fit the specific chassis and the availability of a quick replacement of components.
Most manufacturers of server hardware make specific motherboards for specific chassis, to optimize the occupied space and blowing components.

Also, many server motherboards have remote power management modules, consoles, etc.
And of course, they will not have built-in 7.1 audio and game orientation.

SAS, SATA, SSD

Everyone knows that SAS is a protocol for server disk systems.
But not everyone knows that in the first edition of SAS and SATA were identical.

Subsequently, the developers of the standard considered that it does not make sense to include all the features of SAS on desktops, and SATA has become a cut-down version of SAS.
And it's not bad, why pay for something that you do not use?

The first SSDs were targeted specifically at the server segment, now anyone for 200-400 USD can afford high-speed drives on their iron chipper.

Total

Sometimes manufacturers, to the delight of the server segment, begin to use the latest technologies a little earlier than in the desktop sector.
If these technologies become interesting for home users, they will immediately flow onto desktop machines.

Almost all technologies have analogues in both segments.

You do not need to crave a server processor in order to play your favorite game, it is easier to buy its counterpart at a lower price.
This is certainly less cool, but it corresponds to common sense. :)

Related Links:
A recently posted comparison of processors , SAS and SATA , SAS versus SATA: do you need a personal cow server saddle? .