Dell Designs Blade Servers for 'Pull and Go'

Modular handle on M1000e chassis and M600 and M605 servers facilitate installation, transport

Beth Stackpole, Contributing Editor -- Design News, September 22, 2008

Golden Mousetrap Winner Hardware Software

HARDWARE
DELL BLADES CHASSIS M1000e/SERVERS M600 AND M605,
DELL INC.

There are a number of criteria used when choosing among blade servers with performance and energy efficiency ranking among the top priorities. Yet something else to consider is the ease of configuration and flexibility of a blade offering — a factor Dell Inc. spent a lot of time on in its design for its Dell Blades Chassis M1000e and M600 and M605 blade servers.

The M600 and M605 blade servers and the M1000e chassis boast a modular server handle and mechanism that utilizes a “pull and go” concept, which facilitates installation and makes it easy to remove and transport the blades in a matter of seconds. Traditional blade modules use simple rotating levers to mate and unmate the module connectors, which translates into multiple steps for the user to unlatch the lever and unmate the connection. Traditional designs also don't provide an easily recognizable means for transporting the blade enclosure, requiring individuals to determine, on their own, the best way to grip the unit.

Conversely, the Dell design enables a much simpler process. To remove an M600 or M605 blade server from the M1000e chassis, the user pushes a button to release the handle from a locked position. Once the handle is pulled, cam levers are actuated to unlock the blade from the chassis and once the operation is complete, the handle “locks out” in an open position to provide an easily accessible carrying handle.

Dell paid close attention to the server handle in its blade design because even though the blades and enclosure are handled by highly trained technicians, their installation, sophistication and scale means nothing can be taken for granted in the design, according to Brandon Brocklesby, server mechanical development at Dell.

“The blades need to be easy to repair or replace in stressful situations,” he says. “Collectively, these features allow for ease-of-use and quick, reliable functionality to reduce downtime.”

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