...
- Size of servers:
- Are these desktop/workstation form-factor?
- Are these rack-mounted servers?
- For rack-mounted severs, how many Rack Units (RU) will the servers take up in a server rack?
- Location of servers: Where are the servers going to be placed?
- Power consumption:
- Is there an adequate power source to run the servers?
- What is the server's power supply wattage?
- How many power supplies within the server?
- Cooling: Do you know if the heat the servers generated can be sustained in a lab?
- Server Noise: Will the server impact users in the lab or occupants in nearby rooms?
...
- Dual Network Interface Cards (NICs): Most rack-mounted servers are equipped with at least two, but it should be verified before purchasing. Two NICs should be configured for redundancy and prevent network loss due to an unexpected outage with only 1 NIC.
- Remote Management (Out-of-Band Management): Dedicated Ethernet-capable remote server management port. These type of ports are used to access the server at the hardware/console level for remote management. This dedicated port and service emulates an individual physically standing right in front of the server performing tasks. Examples of an OOBM port is iDRAC, IPMI