Broadberry 8014T-TB

Remote management is handled by Supermicro's IPMI 2 controller card, which fits in a proprietary slot on the motherboard and is included in the price. The bundled IPMI View utility accesses the card remotely, providing readouts on temperatures, fan speeds and voltages, plus controls for cycling power and graceful server shutdowns. However, the card doesn't support remote web browser access or any KVM-over-IP functions. Server monitoring is handled by SuperO Doctor III, while its web browser interface provides plenty of operational information on all critical system components.

Delays to Tulsa mean that the quad-core Tigerton Xeon MP launch is possibly only a few months away, so it may be worth waiting. There's no denying the 8014T-TB packs a huge punch, with few vendors likely to match this processing density in such a low-profile server. But it does have an unhealthy appetite for power.

Author: Dave Mitchell