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Is Your Server Vendor Providing the Quality, Innovation, and Support You Need? Expand / Collapse
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bradmcgehee@hotmail.com
Posted Monday, October 05, 2009 9:07 PM


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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Is Your Server Vendor Providing the Quality, Innovation, and Support You Need?

Brad M. McGehee
Microsoft SQL Server MVP
Director of DBA Education, Red Gate Software
www.bradmcgehee.com
Post #798291
Open Minded
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 5:02 AM
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When we became an extension of our main company's global contract with this particular supplier, there was a honeymoon phase of about 8 months where I got calls and follow ups.

Now, there's nothing. What we only have left are the deep discount for purchase of their equipment. I am thankful the servers have no hardware problems. Nowadays, they are quite powerful with lots of hard drive space. Our SQL2005 runs very, very well on 2-year old hardware.

Unfortunately, so does the higher needs of certain OS and systems. One in particular, an antivirus which is bloated and hangs our server twice a week regularly. There, our server supplier could not help us.

Otherwise, I am pleased with the server hardware and the discounts.
Post #798418
Steve Jones - SSC Editor
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 8:09 AM


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I think that you get what you pay for. For most 4x4 and smaller machines, it's a retail, commodity purchase. If you are large enough and purchase in bulk you might get somewhat better support/service, but otherwise it's like you went to Best Buy and bought it. That's the level of service you get.

I do think that some vendors are doing a better job of publishing documentation and bugs, but as far as service/support, I'm not sure it will get better.






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Post #798532
Robert.Smith-1001156
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 9:36 AM
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I'm reminded (and I'm dating myself here) of comedian Lily Tomlin's character Geraldine the Telephone Operator and her famous line "We're the Phone Company, sir. We don't have to care". Server vendors generally aren't much different.

I must say in server vendor's defense that the similarity of PC hardware and server hardware has generally led to the mistaken impression that any idiot can look after these things. In the past it was simply understood that mainframes and minis were looked after by a High Priest/Technician class. The people supporting servers today often have no relevant qualifications, and it's the vendors who get blamed.

Robb
Post #798629
chauchnet
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 11:30 AM
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Some big corporations offer different levels of pay support. For instance a gold or platinum support member could jump the support call ahead of the line. Get served right away by one of the most experienced Technical Support Agents. If a replacement hard drive is needed for the server. It is shipped right away from the nearest warehouse and could possibly arrive between 2-3 hours. Now that is service. Of course that is something people will have to pay extra for.

Otherwise if customers want free support. They will have to wait in the Support queue for countless hours. Be served by an agent that has only been working for the company a couple weeks. If a replacement part is needed, it should arrive between 2-4 weeks.


Post #798690
Gift Peddie
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 3:17 PM
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I'm reminded (and I'm dating myself here) of comedian Lily Tomlin's character Geraldine the Telephone Operator and her famous line "We're the Phone Company, sir. We don't have to care". Server vendors generally aren't much different.


People also wanted to reach out and strangle grand ma bell and we all know there is no grand ma bell today, who knows what the future will bring not necessarily the cloud.

Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
Post #798825
Michael Valentine Jones
Posted Tuesday, October 06, 2009 3:46 PM
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Robert.Smith-1001156 (10/6/2009)

I'm reminded (and I'm dating myself here) of comedian Lily Tomlin's character Geraldine the Telephone Operator and her famous line "We're the Phone Company, sir. We don't have to care". Server vendors generally aren't much different.

I must say in server vendor's defense that the similarity of PC hardware and server hardware has generally led to the mistaken impression that any idiot can look after these things. In the past it was simply understood that mainframes and minis were looked after by a High Priest/Technician class. The people supporting servers today often have no relevant qualifications, and it's the vendors who get blamed.

Robb

"You see, this phone system consists of a multibillion-dollar matrix of space age technology that is so sophisticated even we can't handle it. But that's your problem, isn't it? So, the next time you complain about your phone service, why don't you try using two Dixie cups with a string? We don't care. We don't have to. We're the Phone Company. "
http://snltranscripts.jt.org/76/76aphonecompany.phtml
Post #798846
Andy sql
Posted Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:12 AM
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I think there are huge differences in the server market. Head over to Dell's website, and you can find a tower "server" for under 300 pounds! Alternatively, you can spend more than that on just a hardware RAID card. Our servers general cost about 4000 pounds. We also pay extra for a 4-hour response time.

It is debatable whether a server for 300 pounds is better value that a server for 4000 pounds. With a full VMware Infrastructure/vSphere, with auto-failover, you could argue that you should just have racks of cheap servers, and swap them out when they break.

Andy
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