Servers & Devices

HP ProLiant and Dell PowerEdge servers - previous generations overview

The rapid evolution and technological advancement of the IT sector means that new equipment is released at regular intervals, usually supporting the latest standards available at the time of release for optimum performance and efficiency. As a result, the main differences between server generations are the components that make the difference in terms of computing power and expandability. When selecting older equipment for specific applications, as well as spare parts and accessories, it is important to note that these are often only compatible with each other if the manufacturer's specifications for the model generation are taken into account. In addition, availability from the manufacturer is often limited after the release of a new model generation.

Rack and tower servers from HP and Dell, for example, support the relevant processors (CPU: central processing unit) from Intel and AMD in different model variants and allow the use of compatible DDR-RAM (Double Data Rate Random Access Memory) standards for main memory. Depending on the generation of the system, further differences can be seen in the SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) and SATA (Serial ATA) hard disk connection options, as well as the revisions of the PCIe (PCI Express) slots on the motherboard for the installation of adapter cards for upgrading the systems.

HP ProLiant and Dell PowerEdge servers use similar technology

HP (Hewlett Packard) acquired the ProLiant product name after its merger with Compaq in 2002, as a successor to the Netserver product name that had been used until then. Restructuring within the group led to ProLiant devices being sold under the HPE (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) brand in 2015.
ProLiant servers are proven and reliable solutions for businesses of all sizes that need powerful and scalable platforms for their mission-critical applications. Each generation is available in a variety of models, configurations and form factors, providing versatility for almost any application.

Dell's PowerEdge servers also offer a wide range of systems to meet the diverse needs of businesses. Again, each generation represents the state of professional server technology. Each model offers a range of configuration options and features that can be adapted to meet the requirements of the application.
Due to the large number of models and versions, it is essential to check the manufacturer's technical documentation for specifications and compatibility restrictions when selecting older equipment and components.

HP ProLiant G5 & Dell PowerEdge 9th generation

The fifth generation of HP ProLiant servers was launched in 2006 and supports different processor configurations depending on the model and version. Intel models are available for the use of Xeon CPUs, including those for the LGA 771 socket, as well as AMD models with support for Opteron processors in Socket F. Memory configuration is DDR2 RAM, which was the standard at the time, and hard drives are connected to the systems via SAS or SATA interfaces. Expansion cards can be installed either in PCI-Express slots or in slots using the previous PCI-X standard.

Technically comparable alternatives are also available from Dell, which with its 9th generation PowerEdge systems also offers a wide range of blade servers, tower models and rack servers in various height units. The technology is almost identical and, depending on the model and configuration, offers a wide range of options for adapting the hardware to the requirements of the application.

HP ProLiant G6 & Dell PowerEdge 10th generation

The sixth generation of ProLiant servers was released in 2009 with a number of changes depending on the model. For example, Intel CPUs required different processor sockets such as LGA 1366, while the F socket was retained for more advanced Opteron processors. There are also differences in main memory, with some configurations already using the newer DDR3 standard. The PCIe standard has established itself as the interface for expansion cards and is already available in version 2.0, depending on the model.

With the 10th generation of PowerEdge servers, Dell is once again offering systems based on the same standards for comparable performance. Depending on the model and form factor, the servers support different platforms for CPUs from Intel and AMD, and offer different configuration options for customisation.

HP ProLiant G7 & Dell PowerEdge 11th generation

For the seventh generation from 2010, new processor sockets have been introduced. In addition to the LGA 1567 socket for Intel versions of ProLiant servers, these include the C32 and G34 sockets for the use of updated AMD Opteron CPUs. The now established standards of DDR3 for main memory and PCI Express 2.0 slots for expansion cards are widely supported. However, the proven SAS and SATA protocols are still used for connecting hard disks and drives.

At the same time, Dell offers the 11th generation of PowerEdge servers with similar hardware in different form factors and configurations. Tower servers with Intel Xeon, Pentium and Celeron processors for sockets such as LGA 1155 and 1156 are available, as are rack servers with support for common Intel and AMD platforms.

HP ProLiant G8 & Dell PowerEdge 12th generation

With the eighth generation ProLiant systems released in 2012, the various Intel models gained access to new Xeon processors via the LGA 2011 socket, which also allows the use of the PCI-Express 3.0 interface for the installation of expansion cards. The AMD platforms continue to support the C32 and G34 processor sockets, which means that in this generation the server versions can differ significantly in their configuration options.

In the 12th generation of PowerEdge servers, released in the same year, Dell again used similar technology, but without AMD-based models. With sockets such as LGA 1356 and LGA 2011, the devices exclusively feature Intel platforms for the use of Xeon processors with support for DDR3 memory and PCIe 3.0 for expansion slots.

Depending on the hardware generation different solutions are supported for server management

Both HP and Dell use their own solutions for server management and remote administration. HP's ProLiant servers allow access via iLO (integrated Lights-Out). Dell offers similar functionality for its PowerEdge servers with iDRAC (integrated Dell Remote Access Controller). As new versions with more advanced features are released on a regular basis, older servers often only support certain versions of management software, depending on the generation.

Overview of HP iLO versions

• iLO 2: Compatible with HP ProLiant G5 servers
• iLO 3: Compatible with HP ProLiant G6 and G7 servers
• iLO 4: Compatible with HP ProLiant G8 and G9 servers

Dell iDRAC versions overview

• iDRAC 5: Compatible with Dell PowerEdge 9th generation servers
• iDRAC 6: Compatible with Dell PowerEdge 10th and 11th generation servers
• iDRAC 7: Compatible with Dell PowerEdge 12th generation servers

Older generation IBM servers as compatible replacements

IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is a globally renowned company in the IT sector and a provider of professional server technology and services. In addition to hardware such as processors, compatible operating systems have been developed and server solutions based on the x86 chip architecture have been released. The name of the x86 product line was changed in 2006 as part of the renaming of all IBM servers from IBM xSeries to IBM System x. These server models support both Intel and AMD processors, and are available in a variety of common form factors and sizes for versatile use in different infrastructures. Following the acquisition of the x86 server division by Lenovo in 2014, the devices were initially sold under that name until 2019, when the System x designation became Lenovo's ThinkSystem brand.
The generation of IBM System x servers is identified by the suffix M at the end of the model name, followed by an ascending number. So a system with the suffix M2 is a second-generation server, while third- and fourth-generation systems are labelled M3 and M4. Again, in terms of compatibility, the manufacturer's technical documentation should be consulted when selecting equipment, spare parts and accessories.

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