The Skinny on Server Blades

Software on the Edge of the Blades

For the most part, blade manufacturers have attempted to use standard software, especially operating systems, without making major modifications. This will change as competition and the pressure to diversify lead to the development of customized and third-party software that enhances various characteristics of the blades. The way that systems are managed and monitored will also become especially important.

Another potential development, and one that is unusual in the current server hardware market, is the formation of alliances between blade manufacturers and software suppliers to optimize performance and features for areas such as database management, telecommunications, application servers, and Web services. In the future, software considerations may become of greater importance to the value of blade systems than basic hardware.