Extremely Poor Reliability - ML370 G4 product line

[Neal Howard]

Eight months ago we bought 10 Proliant ML370 G4 machines, fully loaded with lots of memory, redundant power supplies & fans, SmartArray 64xx controllers, 15K rpm U320 hotswap drives, etc. Five months ago we bought an 11th box, similarly equipped.

In this short time frame, we've already suffered SIX hardware failures:

- 2 drive failures

- 1 completely failed SmartArray 6404/256 controller

- 2 battery failures on other SmartArray 64xx controllers (not the documented firmware problem, but genuine failure of the battery modules)

- one failed motherboard (on the newest box)


What on earth has happened to the quality of the Proliant product line? Are the ML370 G4 machines a "problem child" or something? Is anyone else out there experiencing such extremely poor reliability with them as I am? How about with any other Proliant models of recent vintage?

I've been buying and running Proliant servers of various sizes for nearly a decade and never had such terrible reliability issues with them before. I've got one ML370 G3 machine that has been running nonstop 24x7 for well over 400 days since its last restart that was needed only to install an O/S update. I've got many other older Proliants of various vintages that have all been unstoppable juggernauts. All these machines are installed in professional data center computer rooms with temperature and humidity carefully controlled and ups-conditioned power sources, and none of the other machines have ever had such reliability problems.

[Peter Stringer]

We have approx 10 G4's and many more G3's and have had only one memory problem.

We have had many Netserver problems though.

I am impressed with the proliant's reliability in comparison to Netservers.

regards

[Neal Howard]

I used to be impressed, and that's why I staked my reputation on the line and bought so many of the ML370 G4's all at once. But they seem to be dropping like flies lately and I'm the one who's catching the heat for having chosen to buy these HPs when my bosses were wanting me to have bought Dells instead. I based my decision and fought hard to win my choice of hardware on the established past proven performance of and reliability of Proliants... and now I'm getting blamed for making a poor choice.

[Mahesh Kumar Malik]

Hi Neal

We have several G4 boxes running without any problem. I think it is matter of chance. HP is a company known for quality standards. Do not lose confidence. Hope HP in your region must have taken care of all your issues.

It is good to point out such issues in order for HP to have relook into qaulity check procedures.

Regards
Mahesh