There is a dizzying amount of hardware for today's x64 servers. In this section, we'll explore a number of these choices to help you navigate the selection process for your local conditions and requirements. We'll discuss the ramifications of each and offer thoughts on trade-offs, limitations, and opportunities.
Hardware selection criteria
Corporate procurement policies
Hardware choice may be constrained by organizational policy. Perhaps your company enjoys a volume discount from HP, or has an umbrella support contract with IBM. You may even work for a company that sells servers and are thus urged or compelled to keep it in the family, dogfood style: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_your_own_dog_food.
In...