All NVMe seems like a good starting point, but I'd hope that some day there will be a more capacity-oriented variant for people who actually know what they're doing with exabyte-scale storage.
Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
131–140 of 264 posts
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#132Earlier quoted context omitted.
I thought M1 had the best price/performance numbers, too bad Apple does not sell CPUs.
Or, more relevant to this discussion, servers.
No, CPUs is more relevant. Linux runs on M1, and if they sold CPUs, someone would make a board they could be put on that fit in standard server form factors. For this type of comparison, people want CPUs, not the next version of Xserve.
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#133Earlier quoted context omitted.
Or, more relevant to this discussion, servers.
They sell rack-mountable hardware (Mac Pros) running a certified Unix OS. It's only a matter of time until those are based on Apple Silicon too.
Rack Mac Pros are targeted at racks that are mostly filled with audio/video equipment. Apple really doesn't seem to have any interest in selling server products again.
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#134If you haven’t been listening to their “On The Metal” podcast you are really missing out! https://oxide.computer/podcasts
It’s all fun stories from people doing amazing things with computer hardware and low level software. Like Ring-Sub-Zero and DRAM driver level software.
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#135Earlier quoted context omitted.
They sell rack-mountable hardware (Mac Pros) running a certified Unix OS. It's only a matter of time until those are based on Apple Silicon too.
Rack Mac Pros are targeted at racks that are mostly filled with audio/video equipment. Apple really doesn't seem to have any interest in selling server products again.
So? It's still rack-mountable workstation-class hardware that will probably be running on Apple Silicon at some point. And it will probably be possible to boot Linux on it, similar to existing M1 Macs. That's pretty indistinguishable from many servers.
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#136Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is it important what kind of virtualization? It works and since it is built for this hardware it will likely be more reliable then anything you're putting together yourself. The specs are damn good. When it is all top-of-the-line, inflexibility is kind of a mute point. Where else are you going to go? > But I'm not sure how many people asked for Apple-style hardware in the DC. Well integrated, performant and relia…
> Why is it important what kind of virtualization? Because if I ran this, would have to manage it. Given that I have lots of virtualization to manage already, I would want it to use the same tooling for rather obvious reasons. > is pretty much all everyone running their own hardware is looking for. I don't think you talk to many people who do this, but as someone who manages 8 figures worth of hardware, I can tell yo…
I don't see details on the API, but it seems likely you could write a libvirt provider for it and use existing virsh tooling (Cockpit / CloudStack / ...).
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#137Who is the target buyer? Is this to compete against Nutanix / VCE?
I think it would more play in the space of a NetApp/Cisco FlexPod or VCE's Vblock, but what those customers are really purchasing is the certified validation of core enterprise apps on a particular hardware/software stack, as well as the massive engineering and support organizations that those companies can bring to bear to validate firmware upgrade and to swoop in in the event of an issue. You also seem to get a LOT…
Firmware that does not suck?
Because that's something the current "major vendors" really are irredeemably terrible at.
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#138It sure looks pretty, but appears to be - - dedicated to virtualization, done their way - rather inflexible in hardware specs - vendor-locked at the rack - if you have hardware from someone else, it can't live in the same cabinet I guess if you just want a pretty data center in a box and look like what they consider a 'normal' enterprise to be, it might appeal. But I'm not sure how many people asked for Apple-style h…
> dedicated to virtualization, done their way
This is a selling point - if it's actually better (which, why not? most of the existing virtualization management solutions either suck or are hugely expensive).
If it's not better, big deal? I'm assuming you could just throw Linux on these things and run on the metal or use something different, right? Given how much bcantrill (and other Oxide team members) have discussed loving open hardware, I seriously doubt they would intentionally try to lock down their own product!
> vendor-locked at the rack - if you have hardware from someone else, it can't live in the same cabinet
This is aimed at players so big that they want to buy at the rack level and have no desire to ever touch or carve up anything. It's a niche market, but for them this is actually a plus.
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#139Earlier quoted context omitted.
Rack Mac Pros are targeted at racks that are mostly filled with audio/video equipment. Apple really doesn't seem to have any interest in selling server products again.
So? It's still rack-mountable workstation-class hardware that will probably be running on Apple Silicon at some point. And it will probably be possible to boot Linux on it, similar to existing M1 Macs. That's pretty indistinguishable from many servers.
You seem to be thinking that a server and a workstation are the same, ignoring that server skus need oob management, apis, hardware support and so many other things as table stakes
Re: Servers as they should be – shipping early 2022
#140This looks interesting (although I'm not in the target market, too small)... But if I were looking at this, judging from the quality of people they've amassed in their engineering team, is there any chance they won't be acquired in 6 months? To anyone looking to take a bet on this, what is the answer to "what's your plan for when your stellar team gets acquired?" And what answer will satisfy that buyer? Update: Addin…
Hi! So, at every step -- from conception to funding to building the team and now building the product -- we have done so to build a big, successful public company. Not only do we (the founders) share that conviction, but it is shared by our investors and employees as well. For better or for ill, we are -- as we memorably declared to one investor -- ride or die. Also, if it's of any solace, I really don't think any of…
Brian, well done for the launch. I am in awe of your team's audacity, patience and execution.