HP ProLiantMicroserver For Dummies

These materials are 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
. Any dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
HP ProLiant
Microserver
Special Edition
by John Paul Mueller
HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition

Published by
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
Copyright 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise,
except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the
prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be
addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ
07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, The Dummies Way, Dummies.com,
Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John
Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used
without written permission. HP and the HP logo are registered trademarks of HP. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is not associated with
any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE
NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR
COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL
WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR
PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE
SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A
COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR
THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN
ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A
POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR
THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY
PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE
THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED
BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ.
For general information on our other products and services, or how to create a custom For Dummies
book for your business or organization, please contact our Business Development Department in the
U.S. at 877-409-4177, contact info@dummies.biz, or visit www.wiley.com/go/custompub. For
information about licensing the For Dummies brand for products or services, contact
BrandedRights&Licenses@Wiley.com.
ISBN: 978-1-118-82249-4 (pbk); ISBN: 978-1-118-82386-6 (ebk)
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Publishers Acknowledgments
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Project Editor: Carrie A. Johnson
Editorial Manager: Rev Mengle
Business Development Representative:
Karen Hattan
Production Coordinator: Melissa Cossell
Table of Contents
Introduction........................................................ 1
About This Book......................................................................... 1
Icons Used in This Book............................................................. 1
Chapter 1: Understanding Why You Need a Server . . . . 3

Defining the Benefits of a Server............................................... 3
Understanding How Servers Are Used..................................... 5
Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Defining a Server as a Physical Entity...................................... 7
Considering the USB................................................................... 9
Understanding NICs.................................................................. 10
Defining the PCIe Bus............................................................... 12
Understanding SATA Drives.................................................... 12
Understanding RAID................................................................. 13
DDR3 Unbuffered Memory....................................................... 14
Chapter 3: Defining Network Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Routers: Your Networks Traffic Cop..................................... 15
Switches: Extending Your Network Intelligently................... 17
Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Why HP Servers Give You Confidence................................... 20
Defining the Benefits of the HP Just Right IT Solution......... 20
Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer

Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Considering the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 Features........ 28
Considering the PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router
Features.................................................................................. 36
Looking at the PS1810 Switch Features.................................. 37
Chapter 6: Ten Benefits of ProLiant MicroServer

Gen8, PS110 11n, and PS1810-8G. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Data Consolidation................................................................... 39
Security...................................................................................... 40
Quiet........................................................................................... 40
Small Footprint.......................................................................... 40
These materials are 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Any dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
iv
HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition__________

Integrated with HP Networking Devices................................ 41
Low Power Footprint................................................................ 42
Easy to Set Up............................................................................ 42
Easy to Manage......................................................................... 43
Easy to Service.......................................................................... 43
Access to Superior HP Support............................................... 44
Introduction
he HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 is a small, quiet, and

uniquely designed server thats great as a first server
solution for micro and small businesses. With server class
performance in a form factor thats easy to use and service,
the MicroServer Gen8 helps you drive down expenses while
improving productivity and efficiency. And best of all, you
dont need a server room to have a server.
About This Book

In this book, you discover the ins and outs of the HP ProLiant
MicroServer Gen8 along with its counterparts the PS110
11nWireless VPN Router and the PS1810-8G Switch. When
combined as one solution, you get a multitude of benefits.
Asyou dig further into this book from here, you find out more
about the benefits of this solution and why you even need a
server. We start with some server and networking basics to
whet your appetite, and then introduce to you why we think
you will enjoy the HP product solution.
You can really start anywhere you like in the book from here,
depending on your level of understanding. If you want to
touch on the nitty-gritty of servers and networking, we recommend starting at page one and reading all the way through. If
youre more well-versed on the basics, then jump to Chapter4
and start seeing why the HP solution is right for you!
Icons Used in This Book

This book uses icons to alert you to useful and important
information. Youll see these icons in the margins as you read.
You cant miss them!
HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

This icon gives you extra information that helps you make
sense of some of the more technical aspects of small office
servers.
This icon points out helpful and useful information. You might
even save some time and/or money!
When you see this icon, pay attention. You get super-important
information thats worth remembering.
Chapter 1
Understanding Why You

Need a Server
In This Chapter
Looking at server benefits
Understanding how servers are used
or a business to thrive, it needs better ways to coordinate

the efforts of everyone involved so it can remain efficient
and competitive. This means ensuring that the businesss
computer systems remain stable and available: that you
can access files 24/7 (even when someone is away), that the
system can recover from failure (which is known as resiliency
in the IT world), and that the data remains secure.
Unfortunately, many businesses store data and information
across many computing devices with no centralized backup
and no security. Stop for a second and think how your business
could be impacted by the loss of your data. If such a mishap
would be devastating, maybe its time to upgrade to a server.
Defining the Benefits of a Server

A server is much more resilient and reliable than a single PC or
Mac or even a distributed system with a few backup devices
connected. PCs need to be powered down every night or at least
rebooted regularly. They arent designed for 24/7 operation, and
if they did, most would likely have a short shelf life, suffer poor
performance, and be vulnerable to memory errors.

Servers like the HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 have resiliency
and reliability features built in. A server is less susceptible
to crashes especially disk crashes in which you would
kiss your files and data goodbye. And if the disk crashes in
a laptop containing vital information, it could cost almost as
much to have someone recover your files as it would to just
buy a server. Even with regular backups of a laptop, some
data will very likely be lost.
Servers make it easier for you to focus on your business
instead of managing the resources required to support your
business. People who are more productive tend to work
better together and come up with truly amazing ideas.
The idea that centralizing data and sharing resources makes
things easier can be expressed as return on investment (ROI).
Businesses need to focus on the ROI that every purchase provides to ensure money is invested wisely. After all, a purchase
represents an investment in the business, and that investment
needs to benefit the business in multiple ways. The following
list provides an overview of the most common benefits that
businesses obtain by moving to a server:
Enhancing efficiency and productivity: Having a server
saves both time and money. Instead of spending an hour
tracking down an important spreadsheet your vacationing coworker neglected to send out before he left, you can
centralize everything on a server so everyone can work
together more easily. A server improves productivity by
making it possible for people to exchange information
faster and to collaborate with greater ease. Any time you
make communication easier, you improve the output of a
group as a whole. Without a server, people have to search
for the information they need to perform essential tasks.
Ensuring authorized access to your data and resources:
Not only do people have to locate the data required to
perform the task, but also its necessary to gain access
to resources such as printers and other devices used to
create output. A server improves individual productivity
by making it possible for people to find and access the
things they need much faster. Having a server allows you
to set policies to manage authorized access.
Keeping data safe: Theres no question you need to back
up your data. Its much easier to back up your important
business information from a central location. Storing
business information on multiple individual systems
Chapter 1: Understanding Why You Need a Server
exposes your data to potential damage, loss, and unauthorized access. By doing a single backup of a centralized
server, you save money by not having to buy everyone
his or her own direct-attached storage device.
Accessing the central server using multiple devices:
Users want to use their own devices to work with data. In
addition, a single user may use more than one device
a smartphone while on the run, a tablet at home, and a
PC at work. Your employees can access the info on the
server from multiple client devices whether theyre on
premise or remote (if allowed). If an important business file is located on someones laptop, it can only be
accessed from that device by using a server, you can
access the information from multiple client devices.
Maintaining control over data: Government regulations
require that you keep certain kinds of information secure
for a certain period of time and ensure only authorized
access to it. For example, a doctors or dentists office
must maintain the privacy of patient records, so you
need some method for ensuring that happens. Even if
you dont have legal or other reasons to maintain strict
data integrity, competitive reasons exist for maintaining
control. Servers make it possible to improve control over
the entire computing environment.
Understanding How Servers

Are Used
Servers provide services that fulfill particular needs. These
needs are called use cases. Each of these services helps
achieve one or more of the benefits described in the preceding section. In order to fully understand what a server provides, you need to know the most common use cases.
File and print services

Often servers provide both file and print services to their
users. The file and print services can be combined into one
system or on separate servers. A file server makes data accessible to multiple end users, and it provides a central data store.
Users can rely on access to the data wherever its needed. For
example, when you need access to the latest b
usiness plan

that the department is working on, the file server has this in a
central location. Having the data stored in a central location
also makes it easier to ensure the data is secure.
A print server is one that allows multiple users to share a
printer. However, the term now applies to any output device
that tends to be expensive and used only occasionally by any
given user. For example, a law office may need to print out
documents for a court case on a high-quality printer, so centralizing this process and sharing resources saves money by
having the capability to prioritize and manage multiple print
output requests.
Backup services
Storing your data in a centralized location makes it possible to
secure the data and improve efficiency by allowing quick access
by multiple users. Note, the data is still susceptible to loss from
hardware failures and natural disasters. Having a centralized file
store makes it simpler to back up the data to another location
for protection. Additionally, most users/employees still have
working files and data on their individual laptops and desktops.
A key use for a server is as a dedicated backup server for all the
client devices. In case a user experiences a failure of her laptop,
her data can be recovered from the backup server.
Database services
Databases make it possible to organize, manipulate, and analyze similar types of data. Businesses need to know all sorts
of things about their customers in order to serve them better.
For example, you might want to find out the average amount a
customer will spend when making an order. A database makes
this sort of analysis possible. However, in order to fully realize the benefits a database can provide, you need a server to
store the data it manages in a central location.
Application services
A centralized server can host common small-business applications so everyone can have easy access. For example, running Intuit QuickBooks on a server can help organize all your
accounting data and store it in one centralized location.
Chapter 2
Defining Server Basics

In This Chapter
Looking at the server as a physical entity
Working with the universal serial bus
Getting to know network interface cards
Defining the peripheral component interconnect express bus
Taking a look at serial advanced technology attachment drives
Protecting your data investment with a redundant array of
inexpensive disks
Learning more about DDR3 unbuffered memory
or many people, a server is a dark mysterious box that

sits in a room somewhere. As with any other unknown,
its easy to view the server as something to fear, or at least
steer clear of, lest you upset something and lose your data.
Servers are like any other computer, except that theyre
configured specially to make it easy to perform the tasks
discussed in Chapter1 (for example, file and print, backup,
database, and application services). So the better you understand your server as a physical device and what its used for,
the easier you can make decisions about buying precisely the
right server to meet your needs and to work with the server
once you own one.
Defining a Server as a Physical

Entity
Servers generally lack features that are used to support
information exchange with a user, such as a display, keyboard, and mouse. In addition, the internal features of

a server focus more on memory, hard drive space, and
processing cycles versus a desktop PC. The precise configuration of a server depends on the tasks that you decide it
should perform.
In the past, servers usually came in huge boxes. Because
of the way servers were designed, these boxes required a
number of noisy fans to keep things cool. The combination
of the large box size and the fans used to cool components
meant that servers required their own room to keep the noise
from annoying users performing work. Fortunately, modern
servers are smaller and quieter (as shown in Figure2-1), so
you can place them anywhere within a room. This server is
9.15 inches tall, 9.06 inches wide, and 9.65 inches deep (23.24
cm x 23 cm x 24.5 cm).
Figure2-1: Modern servers are quiet and relatively small.
Unlike desktop systems, where a user may want to add or

remove devices or accessories after setup and during use,
servers are usually set up and then left as is. Consequently,
servers typically have their connectors located on the
back of the system. In addition, because the purpose of
a server is to communicate in various ways, it usually
has multiple input/output (I/O) connections, as shown in
Figure2-2. Dont worry about the specific purpose of these
connectors for now the remainder of the chapter tells
you about them.
Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics
Figure2-2: Servers have a

number of connectors that
normally are
located on the
back.
Considering the USB

The universal serial bus (USB) ports on the back of the server
provide the means to connect various devices. Its also possible to use USB to create network connections, but the highspeed nature of servers makes this use less likely. A server
needs to connect with the network using a high-speed connection so it can support multiple clients. A USB connection
would slow things down too much.
A server normally has shared or centralized devices connected to it through the USB ports. For example, you may
decide that you want to connect an expensive printer to the
network through the server. In addition, you may attach
your server to a security system to provide centralized
monitoring of conditions in your office. There are all sorts
of devices you can connect to your server, but for the most
part, these devices benefit everyone, rather than a particular
individual.
Servers typically support two common types of USB ports
to ensure that each device you plug in has the functionality
it requires. Many differences exist between port standards,
but the main differences are that newer ports, e.g. USB 3.0,
support higher speed data transfers and offer more power
to connected devices to perform tasks such as charging
10
atteries. Older ports, e.g. USB 2.0, are supplied so that older
b
devices can find the level of support originally defined for
that device. USB 3.0 provides faster speed (10x) and more
power efficiency than USB 2.0 and is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 devices. However, if USB 3.0 is used with a
USB2.0 device, it will operate at USB 2.0 speeds.
Understanding NICs
A network interface controller (NIC) connects the server to the
rest of the network. In order for computers to communicate
with each other, they must have a network connection. The
connection can be wired (physical) or wireless (relying on
radio waves), but there must be a connection. Otherwise, its
as if the computer is enclosed in a soundproof room unable
to talk with the outside world.
The server typically uses a physical connection, rather than
a wireless connection, because the physical connection provides greater reliability, better security, and higher speed. In
addition, you typically wont move a server between locations
while its in use, so a wireless connection doesnt provide any
advantage for server configurations.
For the most part, working with a NIC consists of plugging in
a cable to the server and then plugging the other end of the
cable into a router or switch. The connector looks much like
the one used to connect a landline phone to the telephone
connector on a wall but a little bit bigger and referred to as
a RJ-45 connector. This section describes some special features of NICs that are handy to know about when working
with a server.
11
Connecting at the correct speed

An important consideration for working with servers is connecting to the network at the correct speed. A server provides
services of various sorts to a number of clients (desktops,
laptops, tablets, or other devices that rely on the server). The
higher the connection speed, the easier it is for clients to gain
access to the functionality that a server provides.
A server used for a small- to medium-sized business will typically provide a 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) Ethernet connection. Ethernet is a technology for local computing networks
or Local Area Networks (LANs). A 1Gbps connection means
the server can send and receive Ethernet frames at 1 billion
bits of information each second. There are 8 bits in each byte,
and 2 bytes hold a single character, so the server can transmit
62,500,000 characters each second. Thats akin to sending ten
copies of War and Peace to your server every second (assuming a word count of 587,287 and 10 or so characters in the
average word).
In order to make the connection work, you must have the
right kind of cable and a network router or switch designed to
operate at the same speed as the NIC. Its usually a good idea
to get the router and/or switch and the server at the same
time so you can be certain the two will work together.
Monitoring NIC activity

Your server could suddenly stop communicating with the
network cables get unplugged, hardware fails, software
causes crashes, and even acts of nature can become involved.
Because you want to get your network running again quickly,
its important to have some means of monitoring NIC activity.
A server will typically have a light associated with each NIC
connection. The light shows whether you have an active connection, including a properly connected cable, as well as indicating if data is being transmitted.
12
Defining the PCIe Bus

A server is made up of a number of discrete parts. You dont
really need to know much about these parts (such as the CPU,
memory, disk drives, and I/O slots) except that they are main
subsystems of the server. The peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) bus provides the connections between
these various discrete parts. Without this bus, the various
parts wouldnt be able to talk to each other, and the server
wouldnt do anything for you.
Many different kinds of busses are used to create connections between components in servers. There are a number of
PCIe levels. The important thing to remember is that a 2.0 bus
transfers information at 5 giga-transfers-per-second (GT/s),
while a 3.0 bus runs at 8 GT/s, which means that the 3.0 bus
works faster. In addition, the devices that attach to the bus
can use multiple data lanes. A device that supports eight lanes
(shown as x8 with the device documentation) can communicate twice as fast as a device that supports only four lanes
(x4). The number of lanes supported is influenced by the
electrical component just described as well as a mechanical
component, the PCIe connector. Different sized connectors
will also influence the number of lanes supported.
Understanding SATA Drives

One of the main purposes of servers is to make it possible to
manage and protect data efficiently. Serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) drives provide the permanent storage
for data used by everyone within a business. With this in
mind, server drives tend to be quite large and extremely fast.
The SATA acronym refers to the kind of connection that the
drives use to communicate with the rest of the server. This
connection type offers the following advantages over older
technology drive setups:
Reduced cable size and cost
Native hot swapping (based on implementation)
Faster data transfer
More reliable data transfer
13
For the most part, you dont need to worry too much about the
particulars of SATA. All you really need to know is that SATA
provides fast and efficient data transfers using inexpensive
cabling that is easy to connect to the drive. Drives are also
differentiated by the way they connect in the server, including hot plug and non-hot plug (NHP) drives. The MicroServer
only supports NHP drives and they cant be unplugged and
removed while the system is running. Many NHP implementations have each drive cabled which involves more work for
the user to remove and service a drive versus a hot-plug configuration. However, the MicroServer is designed to enable the
drives to be easily removed for servicing or upgrades when
the system is shut down. The difference between a hot-plug
and pluggable drive is that hot-plug drives can be removed
while the system is running. Pluggable drives can only be
removed when the system is shut down. Of course, usually the
more convenience offered, the higher the associated cost.
Understanding RAID
You can connect disk drives in certain ways to gain additional reliability, speed, or both. The most common way to
connect multiple disk drives together is through a redundant
array of inexpensive disks (RAID). Most servers support multiple levels of RAID so you can choose how the drives connect together and determine what kind of results to expect
from the connectivity. Here are the most common RAID
levels:
RAID 0: Provides additional speed by having two drives
store the data, but doesnt provide any sort of data protection in the event of a drive failure. Using two drives effectively increases the size of the data path, which means
that the server can read and write the data faster. This is
known as striping. You must have a minimum of two drives
to use this RAID level.
RAID 1: Provides additional reliability by placing the
same information on two drives. If one drive fails, the
other drive can take over because it contains an exact
copy, or a mirror, of the first drives data. You must have
a minimum of two drives to use this RAID level.
14

RAID 1+0: Combines the benefits of RAID 0 and RAID 1 so
the drives work faster but also provides added reliability.
You must have a minimum of four drives to use this RAID
level.
RAID 5: Provides additional speed and reliability by
having a minimum of three drives store the data and
including special information to rebuild the data should
one drive fail. This RAID level has an advantage over
RAID 1+0 in that you gain more data storage space with
the same resulting speed and reliability boost. The tradeoff is added complexity. You must have a minimum of
three drives to use this RAID level.
DDR3 Unbuffered Memory

Because servers run 24/7, the chance of memory errors is
higher than with desktop systems that dont run all the time.
Therefore, most servers today use memory with error correction codes (ECC) that provide higher data resiliency. In fact,
HP was the first company to introduce ECC memory in industry standard servers.
Another attribute of memory is whether its registered
memory or unbuffered memory. For purposes of entry servers that usually have a smaller memory footprint, UDIMMs or
unbuffered DIMMs consume less power and are more affordable than a comparable Registered DIMM or RDIMM configuration yet still provide error correction.
MicroServer uses DDR3 memory. The latest memory is DDR4,
but currently there are no low-voltage DDR4 UDIMMs. With
its focus on efficiency and low power, the MicroServer supports both standard voltage and low-voltage DDR3 UDIMMs.
For more detailed coverage on DDR3 memory, see DDR3 For
Dummies (Wiley), also available from HP.
Chapter 3
Defining Network Basics

In This Chapter
Playing traffic cop with routers
Using switches to extend your network
he two main building blocks of any network are routers

and switches. Switches connect your devices computers, printers, and servers to each other. They are what
enable users to communicate and share information over
your local area network (LAN).
Routers connect networks to each other and computers to the
Internet or wide area network (WAN). Their reliability is paramount, especially if your business relies on cloud computing
services or cloud-based apps. Routers are what allow your
companys devices to share a broadband Internet connection.
In this chapter, you discover more about the router and
switch basics.
Routers: Your Networks

Traffic Cop
A router is a device that passes data between networks, which
could include LANs and wireless LANs (WLANs). The data
could be traditional network data, such as information in
spreadsheets and text documents, as well as rich media data
and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) traffic. After connecting your companys networked computers to your broadband
Internet connection, the most common function of a router is
to act as a dispatcher for network data and ensure it is routed
correctly and efficiently.
16

Routers are placed at any network gateway (where one
network meets another), or at a network point-of-presence
(an access point from one place to the rest of the Internet).
Routers determine the best route for a given packet (a unit of
data divided up for efficient routing) so it travels to its destination most efficiently.
On the LAN side, a router interfaces with switches, wireless
APs (access points), IP phones, and analog devices (such as
facsimile machines, analog phones, and analog modems). On
the WAN side, a router can interface with a service provider,
Internet service provider, public switched telephone network
(PSTN), cellular networks, or any combination of these.
Basic routers carry out routing functions and allow remote
computers for example, devices on the Internet to connect to a specific computer or service in your LAN. These
routers can also support wireless networking, enabling your
wireless devices to connect to the Internet. This would be
ideal for small businesses that want to connect the LAN and
WLAN to the Internet but also allow mobility devices such
as tablets and smartphones to connect to the LAN.
The first order of business for many small organizations is
establishing an Internet connection. Most Internet Service
Providers (ISPs) provide routers that include at least four Fast
Ethernet or Gigabit ports, essentially a small switch, meeting the basic needs for connectivity. Many of these routers
are consumer-grade and were suitable to meet your business
needs in the past. However, mobility, security, and access to
cloud-based applications are driving the need to connect in
new and more robust ways.
You may find that you are familiar with one of the following
scenarios and need to consider moving to a business-grade
all-in-one router solution.
Small businesses often put security on the back burner.
Hackers are aware of this and are increasingly targeting
small businesses. As your organization becomes more
mobile, you need to consider more effective ways to
secure company data. A business-grade router can offer
features like Virtual Private Networks and Firewalls for
robust security.
Chapter 3: Defining Network Basics
17
Users are experiencing poor wired or wireless performance connecting to shared resources or the Internet.
This may be a result of older technology being used on
the ISP router.
Users require wireless access to shared resources or the
Internet. In this age of Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD),
users may require access to shared resources or the
Internet from wireless devices. Your router may not offer
wireless connectivity.
Switches: Extending Your

Network Intelligently
A network switch uses its physical connection points (ports)
and software intelligence to transmit information as data
packets between client devices, including PCs, printers, IP
cameras, IP phones, and LAN devices, such as servers, wireless APs, other switches, and routers. Data packets carry digital voice, video, or data.
The switch inspects the packets as it receives them. It determines the source and destination of each packet, sets up
the best network path to get it there, and then forwards it
appropriately. Speed and coordination are essential so packets dont collide or get dropped. While routers and switches
serve some similar functions, they work together to create a
robust network.
Some switches can be configured and managed so certain
traffic is segmented that is, transmitted only through specific ports for performance or security reasons. Packets
from a payroll application, for instance, may be segmented
to pass only through ports that connect the authorized users
in finance or human resources. And because packets from
voice applications are latency-sensitive (delays cause the data
to decompose and voice breaks up), they should be partitioned and prioritized over other applications. If you think
your environment requires a special configuration, consult
with your partner or IT advisor.
A switch also receives and sends packet traffic outside the
LAN through a router or gateway. This edge device connects
18

the LAN to external WANs, such as the Internet, by using a
broadband service.
Your network will connect a variety of devices depending
on your needs and industry, including wireless gear and
VoIP devices, such as IP phones. Switches make these connections which involve a variety of speeds, signals, and/or
cables possible. Organizations that are growing find that
they need to increase the number of wired ports to accommodate more users and more network-based devices such as
printers, IP phones or cameras, and laptops and desktops.
The intelligence that a router or switch provides varies by
vendor, but its important to look for the right kind of functionality. A switch can provide the following kinds of functionality:
Configuration software: In order to use the switch
correctly, you need software to configure it. Switches
that provide a secure built-in user interface are easier to
configure.
Automatic device discovery: A switch can provide varying functionality depending on the device connected to a
particular port. Support for protocol standards ensures
that devices will work together. One feature that the
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) enables
is automatic device discovery. This allows the switch to
find (or discover) devices connected to it and make them
visible to the server.
Packet storm protection: Individuals with malicious
intent can try to bring down your network by flooding it
with useless requests (also called a Denial of Service, or
DOS, attack). In addition, faulty NICs or software encountering a bug can send errant data on the network, causing
it to fail. A good switch will prevent this act from happening so your network continues to communicate efficiently.
Troubleshooting functionality: Using a switch can make
troubleshooting your network easier. A switch can help
you detect conditions such as faulty cables, faulty NICs,
and disconnections. In many cases, all you need to do is
look at a series of lights to determine what has gone wrong.
Green operation: Modern switches automatically power
down when theyre not needed so they consume less
energy and produce less heat.
Chapter 4
Introducing the HP Solution

In This Chapter
Understanding why HP servers give you confidence
Defining the benefits of the HP solution
f youve read the first three chapters, you know a little bit
about servers and why theyre useful devices for your business. All this information is great because it helps you define
a reason to use a server to gain specific advantages for your
business. However, there are a lot of different kinds of servers
out there, so its important to know what kind of server you
need for a smaller business or a home office.
Most servers arent designed for use at home or in small business offices. You dont want to mistakenly purchase a server
with capabilities beyond the needs of your business. Thats
the purpose of this chapter to help you understand what
factors you should consider when selecting a server.
Of course, HP sells a lot of different servers, so its important
to know which server to get. This chapter discusses the HP
ProLiant MicroServer Gen8, which works well for small or
home office businesses. This chapter also provides you some
information about the HP PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router and
HP PS1810-8G switch that were purposely designed to work
with the MicroServer Gen8 as an integrated solution.
20
Why HP Servers Give

You Confidence
HP has been a leader in industry standard server business for
many years. By leveraging that experience, the company is
making it easier for customers to deploy their first server. HP
has developed the tools and management solutions that make
it simple for small businesses to configure, install, and use a
server.
HP has done all the work for you. Its better together
approach pulls everything together, including server and
options hardware, operating systems, and software components, and makes sure they work flawlessly together through
extensive integration testing and qualification.
When you buy individual pieces and try to put them together
as a complete system, you can encounter all sorts of problems.
The parts may be incompatible with each other or not fully use
the functionality provided by other parts. In addition, mistakes
in purchasing the wrong pieces cost both time and money.
The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 server and associated PS110
Wireless Router and PS1810-8G Switch (along with the required
operating system and management software) together provide
a complete solution where you can plug in your existing systems, perform the required configuration, and get right to work.
Defining the Benefits of the HP

Just Right IT Solution
Getting a ProLiant MicroServer solution from HP has a lot of
benefits that directly affect the solutions usability in a small
business or home office environment. HPs Just Right IT solutions are designed specifically to meet the business needs of
small and medium businesses. To learn more about HP Just
Right IT solutions, visit www8.hp.com/us/en/businesssolutions/smb/index.html. The following sections
describe each of these benefits and help you understand why
theyre important. As you read these sections, you may discover additional reasons to get a solution from HP based on
your specific business needs.
Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution
21
Placing the server where

you want it
Being able to place a server precisely where you want it is a
significant plus that larger systems dont provide. In many
home or small businesses, space is at a premium, and users
have carefully wedged furniture and equipment into specific
places which are often the only places theyll fit. You dont
want a server that takes up a lot of space. As you can see in
Figure4-1, the footprint of the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8,
PS110 Router, and PS1810-8G Switch is really small. The networking devices neatly stack on top of the MicroServer, maintaining a small space thats about the size of an 8.5-x-11-inch
piece of paper.
Figure4-1: The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 server with PS110 Wireless

Router and PS1810-8G Switch.
Keeping things quiet

The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 only produces 21 dbA. The
birds singing in your backyard make more noise than this
server does. In short, you wont even notice that the server is
running unless you look at the lights. The associated router
and switch are fanless, so you wont hear them at all. This
makes the MicroServer ideal for placing in your front office or
reception area and not be disruptive to your business.
22
Making your work environment

greener
The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 server has an energy-saving
150-watt or 200-watt (depending on region) power supply.
This is in contrast to a lot of systems that sport power supplies in the 500 watt range (or even higher). A smaller wattage power supply means that youre spending less money to
run the server in direct electrical costs. In addition, a smaller
power supply also means less heat, so the server wont add
extra heat to your office. The networking devices also have
green features. The switch offers an energy efficient design
that supports Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) and additional
green features. The router supports Wireless Multimedia
(WMM) Power Save mode for wireless, allowing it to transmit
data while in a low-power state, which conserves battery life.
Upgrading your server with ease

Your business is going to grow. As your business gets larger,
youll need to hire more people, which means you may need
to add memory for better performance to handle the larger
number of users. Fortunately, the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8
has a modular design that makes it easy to perform upgrades
with ease. For example, to add more memory capacity, just
simply twist the thumb screws, remove the chassis cover and
pop in the memory DIMM, as shown in Figure4-2. Additionally,
Figure4-2: U
pgrading your server requires nothing more than plugging in
new pieces as needed.
23
the PCIe slot is conveniently accessible if you want to add an

HP Smart Array P222 controller for RAID 5 support.
Similarly, additional upgrades can be made with ease, such as
adding hard drives, a PCIe card, or an optical drive.
Protecting your data

HP SmartMemory is an HP Qualified Option and is thoroughly
tested beyond standard industry practices with HP ProLiant
servers to ensure compatibility, performance, longevity, and
reliability. HP Smart Memory makes your system resilient,
which means its unlikely that your data will get damaged
when unforeseen events occur.
Smart Memory makes it possible for your server to do more in
a more reliable manner. For more on HP Smart Memory, check
out DDR3 For Dummies, 2nd HP Special Edition, at http://
files.hypervisor.fr/doc/DDR3forDUMMIESv2.pdf.
Using simplified management

techniques
No one expects you to become a computer guru. With this in
mind, the HP solution comes with the Integrated Lights Out
(iLO4) software that makes management easy. At a high level,
iLO software allows you to manage your system locally or
remotely. Chapter5 discusses more about this software.
Broad certified operating system

support for the MicroServer Gen8
HP ensures that your operating system of choice has been
pretested to run on your machine. In fact, many operating
system vendors such as Microsoft require that we certify
the operating system. The HP testing saves you the trouble
and guesswork in determining if the software is compatible with the hardware. Applications run on top of the OSes;
therefore, you only need to check to see if the application
works with your choice of OS.
24

HP tests and certifies Microsoft Windows and Linux operating
systems and VMware hypervisor to save you heartache and
wasted time. To see what OSes are compatible, tested and
certified, visit the HP OS Support Matrix at www.hp.com/go/
ossupport.
Keeping things safe

The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 has an optional locking
mechanism. Some people may wonder what all the hubbub is
about after all, you dont lock your PC. The difference is
that the server contains all your business critical data. You
dont want someone to disable the server or damage the data
it contains. Locking the server prevents others from physically interacting with the server except as authorized.
There are two locking mechanisms to point out. One is to
restrict access to hard drives to prevent inadvertent removal.
There is an internal latch that prevents the bezel door from
being opened. The second locking option is for physical security of the server itself. The rear of the server enables either a
simple padlock/chain or Kensington lock to secure the server
to prevent someone from walking away with it.
Integrated networking
HP Networking offers a full suite of networking solutions to
meet the needs and budgets of every small business. The solutions are quick to install and easy to use so your employees
can share resources, communicate, and collaborate without
complexity.
HP Networking products for small businesses are specifically
designed with your needs in mind:
Quick and easy to use: Ready-to-use, plug-and-play simplicity that makes setup, operation, and management
happen in a snap.
Efficient: Intuitive, web-based, and zero-management
network operation saves you time and the eco-friendly
design of our products gives you peace of mind.
Reliable: The products are tested for worry-free operation to help keep the business online and productive.
25
Open: We make our solutions standards based, so you

can easily add them to your network and manage them.
Equipped with enhanced security features: HP
Networking helps incorporate advanced secure technology, such as Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2), in wireless products, 802.1X in switches, and Virtual Private
Networks in routers.
Future ready: To meet your needs in the future, HP
Networking provides a clear upgrade path for your growing business.
Intelligent: Our products feature the functionality and
performance designed to meet the employee and customer demands of a small business.
Cost-effective: Our products offer low cost of ownership
with HP Limited Lifetime Warranty 2.0. It includes hardware warranty replacement for as long as you own the
product, with nextbusiness-day advance replacement
available in most countries and 24/7 phone support for
three years.
26
Chapter 5
Detailing the HP ProLiant

MicroServer Solution
In This Chapter
Defining the characteristics of the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8
Booting with USB or MicroSD
Discovering firmware
Using the embedded management features
Performing tasks remotely
Seeing the iLO Mobile App
Defining the characteristics of the PS1810-8G Switch and the PS110 11n
Wireless VPN Router
ome of your devices require little, if any, knowledge on

your part. A toaster works just fine without any understanding of its inner workings. However, a server, router,
and a switch arent a toaster (or any other sort of household
appliance). Given that your server directly affects the viability
of your business and supports its day-to-day operations, you
do need to know a few things about the server, router, and
switch solution. You dont need to become a computer scientist, just an informed user whos familiar with the basics.
This chapter provides an overview of the ProLiant
MicroServer Gen8, the PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router, and
PS1810-8G Switch features and a bit about their functionality. You get an introduction into some of the specific innovations that HP has to offer that differentiates the ProLiant
MicroServer Gen8 small business solution from other options
on the market. These devices are key building blocks for
HP Just Right IT solutions targeted at small and medium
businesses.
28

Your server contains quite a bit of hardware that you gain
access to in various ways. For the most part, you wont ever
interact with the hardware after you set it up. However, when
setting up your server, or performing basic administrative
tasks, it helps to know a few things about the features of your
server in order to successfully interact with the hardware.
Even if you dont actually perform the setup of your system,
having an overview of what will happen is useful because you
want to know what the technician you hire is doing. The following sections provide a base knowledge that will help you
understand your server solution better.
Considering the ProLiant

MicroServer Gen8 Features
Chapter2 contains a description of many of the pieces of
hardware you find in and around a server box or chassis.
Features such as the Ethernet and Universal Serial Bus (USB)
ports make it possible to connect your server to other systems on the network and to interact with devices such as a
printer. Even your current PCs have many of these features,
so you have probably seen them at some point already.
Something you probably dont have on your PC is front
panel status indicators of the type shown in Figure5-1. The
blue light bar at the bottom tells you about the health of the
internal server components. The LEDs at the top right of the
server allow you to check the status of both hard drive and
Network Interface Card (NIC) activity at a glance as well. Even
the power switch provides you with status information.
Not only do you want your server easier to use and maintain, but also you want it to be an efficient workhorse. You
want to get the most out of it that you can to maximize your
investment. The ProLiant installation tool called Intelligent
Provisioning allows you to specify an HP approved SD card as
a target device for deploying your operating system. By booting from USB or micro-SD, all the hard drive capacity becomes
available for data storage.
Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solution
29
Figure5-1: Front panel status indicators make it easy to monitor server health.
Booting with USB or micro-SD

Booting the system means starting it up, loading an operating
system, and making the system generally available for use.
Normally you boot your system from the hard drive or a CD/
DVD. These traditional boot methods are easy to maintain and
make the boot process part of the server itself.
HP ProLiant servers have SD boot capability, and they use
less power and require less cooling. Additionally, because the
SD media is internal to the server, it provides physical security. Also, high vibration can be an issue for rotational storage
but has no impact on solid-state solutions like SD boot.
You can boot from USB as well. This is useful when the operating system on the hard drive might become corrupt. In this
case, you can insert a special USB or micro-Secure Digital (SD)
device to boot the system and repair the operating system
on the hard drive. Precisely how this happens depends on
the operating system you use, so you want to be sure you
understand the recovery options that your operating system
provides.
30
What tools are included?

HP has developed setup, management, and serviceability
tools that make using ProLiant servers an easier experience.
The built-in tools of the MicroServer Gen8 include the
following:
Setup
Health monitoring
System updates
Server management (local and remote)
The engine that enables all of these tools is HP iLO.
HP iLO, your preferred IT

administrator for ProLiant
Even though the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 is a reliable business resource, you still want to keep track of what its doing.
It comes with HP Integrated Lights-Outs version 4 (iLO4)
firmware that helps you manage both the server and its associated HP PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router and HP PS 1810
Switch (when your network includes them). HP iLO is the
engine that enables the tools mentioned in the preceding
section, What tools are included?
When the HP MicroServer Gen8 is shipped, youll find a paper
label connected to the back of the server this is your iLO
tag. Make a copy of this tag and store it safely. This is your
login credentials information for turning on and using HP
Integrated Lights-Outs features.
Performing all levels of support is a major undertaking, so iLO 4
makes the task easier by splitting it up into several convenient
pieces. You access the functionality required to manage the
server through one of several iLO 4 modules. The following
sections describe the iLO 4 firmware in more detail, tell you
about special iLO 4 licensing for small and medium businesses,
and provide an overview of some of the most common
modules.
31
Set up the system for use

Device drivers are computer programs that allow the operating system and applications to communicate and access hardware devices that are attached to the computer (or server).
The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 has a tool called Intelligent
Provisioning that provides all the drivers needed for installation on a pre-loaded flash chip so no searching for DVDs or
lengthy downloads are necessary. Theres a recommended
install feature, shown in Figure5-2, for a simple, fast installation with HP suggested default settings. IP will do the work for
you by recognizing any out-of-date software and automatically
download the latest versions. Intelligent Provisioning can
install Microsoft Windows, Linux (Red Hat and SUSE) OSes,
and VMware hypervisor. Intelligent Provisioning can support
configuring additional OS boot devices, such as an internal
MicroSD card.
Figure5-2: I ntelligent Provisioning uses a simple UI to guide you through

server deployment.
Faster and accurate problem resolution

Just as a doctor monitors the health of a patient or a
mechanic the health of a car, you can monitor the health of
your server. In each case, a standardized set of tools is used
to perform a detailed check on the person or device. The
32

Active Health System is an essential component of iLO by
keeping watch over your system and providing continuous
monitoring of key server statistics. Just like any other device,
your server could experience a hardware failure. Active
Health provides health and service alerts to proactively let
service and support personnel know of any degraded condition. Because support professionals know what led to the
failure, they can fix the issue quickly to shorten downtime and
get you back online faster.
Agentless management
An agent is a special piece of software that runs on a client
system. Whenever a server needs to perform a task on the
client, it contacts the client through the agent. The agent acts
as an intermediary and allows the server to perform required
tasks, such as a backup or installing applications, without
requiring the client machines user to become involved.
Many computer setups do rely on agents to perform essential
tasks. However, using an agent poses a number of problems
for the client, including
Opening potential security holes
Using client resources that could be better used to run
applications
Interfering with client operations
Using an agentless approach makes it possible for iLO to
update both clients and servers without incurring any of
these problems. As a result, your setup is both more secure
and reliable.
Perform updates automatically

The HP Smart Update Manager (SUM) is a tool for updating
firmware, drivers, agents, and configuration tools on your
server. HP SUM provides an interactive GUI which is ideal
for users who might not be comfortable using command-line
tools. It determines only the required updates that are necessary to minimize the downtime for your server and will install
all the updates in the necessary order so you dont have
to keep track and worry that youre not meeting any of the
required dependencies before updating. The HP Smart Update
Manager coordinates your server updates based on your
schedule. In other words, you wont get stuck in the middle of
33
the day waiting for the server to finish an update the server
automatically updates itself at night when youre at home
sleeping. And these updates? HP Service Pack for ProLiant
includes firmware, drivers, and tools in a comprehensive, pretested package. Together with HP SUM, you spend less time
on maintenance and gain operational stability.
Perform tasks from remote locations

The iLO Essentials license is a new license specifically
designed for small and medium businesses that makes it
possible to manage your server from anywhere. The license
provides full remote management access via the Integrated
Remote Console (IRC), virtual media, and email based alerts.
Here are brief descriptions of these features:
Virtual media: This is a browser-based application that
lets you connect media from your local client device to
the remote server.
Remote console: This feature allows you to interact with
the server remotely using a virtual keyboard, video, and
mouse without having to have those devices attached to
the server. The Integrated Remote Console for HP Pro
Liant provides enhanced resolution, where the remote
screen fits within one window and the screen can be
scaled to any size to avoid having to use scroll bars.
Email alerting: Its important to remain aware of how
your server is working, even if youre not in the office.
This feature sends emails to anywhere you want with
server status messages so you know about any changes
to the server immediately.
You arent always going to be in the office waiting to perform
a task. Most people have lives that require them to be doing
something else. With this in mind, iLO makes it easy to perform various tasks from another location. In fact, you have
two options for this capability:
Using the web-based application from a tablet, notepad,
or other device that supports a browser
Using the mobile app from your smartphone
In order to be useful, these applications make it possible
to perform general server maintenance tasks, including
rebooting the server when necessary, as shown in Figure5-3.
34
Figure5-3: Perform management tasks from a remote location.
Obviously, you wont need to reboot your server very often,

but you want to do it quickly and efficiently when you do.
Most of the tasks that you perform from a remote location
are a little more routine. For example, you could load a new
application on the server, as shown in Figure5-4. In fact, you
can even load something as complex as a new version of an
operating system (OS) if necessary.
Figure5-4: You can load an OS or an application remotely with virtual media.
35
HP iLO Mobile app

The HP iLO Mobile application provides access to the remote
console of your HP ProLiant server from your iPhone or iPad
or Android device. The mobile app interacts directly with the
iLO processor on HP ProLiant servers, providing total control
of the server at all times as long as the server is plugged in.
For example, you can access the server when it is in a healthy
state, or when it is powered off with a blank hard drive. As an
IT administrator, you can troubleshoot problems and perform
software deployments from almost anywhere.
The HP iLO Mobile app, shown in Figure5-5, allows you to
perform the following tasks:
Operate the server power switch.
Use the Remote Console to interact with the operating
system, including BIOS and ROM configuration changes.
Figure5-5: Y ou can choose how to interact with your MicroServer via the
iLO mobile phone app.
36

Mount an ISO CD/DVD image from an image file hosted on
a web server (http or https). The disk image is available
on the server as a USB CD/DVD drive. You can boot from
the disk image and deploy an operating system.
Access the HP iLO web interface.
Store the list of servers you want to manage.
Considering the PS110 11n

Wireless VPN Router Features
Many first networks rely on a router to connect the various
computers together and provide access to the Internet. Each
computer on the network PCs and servers alike has a
cable that connects from its Ethernet port to a port on the
router. The router ensures that data sent from one computer
to another arrives at the required destination.
The all-in-one HP PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router is purposebuilt to work with the HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8. It
delivers secure high-performance Internet access and wired/
wireless connectivity for offices and remote/mobile employees. The router features the next generation HP Networking
user interface and Easy Setup Wizard that are designed for
simplicity and reliability to get your business connected
quickly.
The router includes a Stateful Packet Inspection Firewall, and
enterprise grade VPN technology, combined with wireless
encryption features like WPA/WP2 encryption for secure data
transfer. Advanced security features like 802.1X, URL filters,
Content filters, MAC filters, and Trusted Users Management
keep your network safe from outside threats and unwanted
access. Time-based rules that enable scheduling rules for
radios and security features combined with email alerts simplify management tasks for users.
It has an innovative design that allows it to be stacked on the
HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 and features internal antennas,
ideal for unobtrusive use in office environments. The router
features a Server Dashboard, shown in Figure5-6, implementation via HP ProLiant iLO technology with Auto-discovery, and
Active Health Status monitoring of the HP ProLiant Server.
37
Figure5-6: Server Management Dashboard on the HP PS110 Router.
Looking at the PS1810

Switch Features
As a business expands, it relies on a switch to connect the
growing number of devices to the network. Like the router,
each computer on the network PCs and servers alike has
a cable that connects from its Ethernet port to a port on the
switch. The switch ensures that data sent from one computer
to another arrives at the required destination.
HP PS1810 Switch Series devices are smart-managed, fixedconfiguration Gigabit Layer 2 switches that are purpose built
to work with HP ProLiant Gen8 and Gen9 Servers. They are
designed for small businesses looking for key networking features in an easy-to-administer solution. The series includes
8- and 24-port Gigabit switch models. The 24-port model
includes SFP ports for fiber connectivity. The 8-port model
has an innovative design that allows it to be stacked on the HP
Proliant MicroServer Gen8. Both models have fanless design,
making them ideal for office deployments. The 8-port Gigabit
Ethernet model can optionally be powered by an upstream
Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch. A key feature is the autodiscovery and monitoring of HP Proliant Servers. Customizable
features include VLANs, Spanning Tree, and link aggregation
trunking. The 8- and 24-port models include the latest energysaving capabilities Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) and idleport power down. All come with a lifetime warranty.
38

The amount of information that your server can transmit each
second determines how fast it can fulfill client requests. The
faster the connection, the faster the server can respond. The
ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 actually has two Ethernet ports
and the PS1810-8G Switch provides the means to use both
of those ports at once to answer client requests. Combining
both ports so that they appear as a single port to the client is
called link aggregation. Using link aggregation means that your
server can handle up to 2 Gb/s of data, rather than just 1 Gb/s.
Theoretically, you can use any router or switch with your
server, but the HP Networking products are purposely
designed to work with the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 and
provide a number of features that make it a great fit. The
three devices are designed to work together to create a very
efficient network for a home office or small business.
Chapter 6
Ten Benefits of ProLiant

MicroServer Gen8, PS110
11n, and PS1810-8G
In This Chapter
Achieving heightened security
Creating a smaller footprint
Enjoying an easy-to-manage and service setup
Gaining IT support
btaining and installing a ProLiant MicroServer Gen8

Server, a PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router, and a
PS1810-8G Switch offer specific benefits. This chapter provides
you with ten reasons to obtain this Just Right IT solution for
your business. Some of this information is repeated from earlier chapters to help you get the big picture with greater ease.
Data Consolidation
Many businesses face the problem of actually locating information that they own. The information may appear in someones
inbox or within a filing cabinet somewhere, or it might be on
a laptop or even a smartphone. Locating the data, especially
when the person who has it isnt available, becomes a nightmare when maintaining good customer relations depends on
that data. A server makes it possible to put all your information
in one place, yet make it available to anyone who needs it in
any location and on any device. In Chapter1, we talk about
several use cases that include consolidation.
40

The result of centralizing your data is to make things more
efficient. You wont have to worry about someone being out
sick one day or whether a particular user will have access to
a much-needed printer. Installing and configuring a server
on your network eases the burden of data, application, and
resource sharing for everyone, which makes it a lot easier to
focus on work instead of how to accomplish the work.
Security
Its incredibly important to protect your data so that your
customers can maintain confidence in you and your competition doesnt gain an unfair advantage. The MicroServer Gen8,
PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router, and PS1810-8G Switch provide advanced features that make it incredibly easy to secure
your data. More importantly, as mentioned in Chapter1, they
offer you more control over security by allowing you to define
who can access the data and from where. When coupled with
patch and security action automation, a server can greatly
enhance security while also reducing your workload.
Quiet
You can place the server and its associated switch right
in your office. Chapter4 highlights that the ProLiant
MicroServer Gen8 only produces 21 dbA. Thats about the
same sound level as rustling leaves make. The birds singing
in your backyard make more noise than this server does. In
short, you wont even notice that the server is running unless
you look at the lights. The associated switch and router are
fanless, so you wont hear them at all.
Small Footprint
Take a look at Figure6-1 and youll notice that the
MicroServer Gen8, PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router, and
PS1810-8G Switch combination is incredibly small. You dont
have to dedicate a lot of space to supporting the hardware,
as revealed in Chapter4. In fact, the footprint is smaller than
many PCs. So, you get all the power of a server, but without
the space requirement that many computers require let
Chapter 6: Ten Benefits of ProLiant MicroServer Gen8
41
Figure6-1: You can easily fit this server into your office space.
alone servers. And the innovative stacking design for the networking components provides a clean, elegant look.
Integrated with HP Networking

Devices
Trying to figure out which hardware goes with other hardware isnt something that a small business wants to deal with.
Chapter5 covers how the PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router and
PS1810-8G Switch are designed to integrate seamlessly with
the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8, which means you just buy
the three items together and you have a complete small office
solution without all the worries. PS110 routers and PS1810
switches auto-discover ProLiant Gen8 and Gen9 servers when
plugged in. Getting an integrated solution like this means less
time spent putting a system together and more time spent
actually doing something with it.
The integration goes even further. The router and switch
come with the built-in HP ProLiant Server Management dashboard to make managing server, router, and switch a lot
easier and error free. The dashboard features a user-friendly
interface with a consolidated view of servers, routers, and
switches in the network.
42
Low Power Footprint

Everyone likes to save money. The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8
server has an energy saving 150 or 200 watt power supply
(depending on the region). This is in contrast to a lot of systems that sport power supplies in the 500 watt range (or even
higher). As pointed out in Chapter4, a smaller wattage power
supply means that youre spending less money to run the
server in direct electrical costs.
Businesses also need to consider the indirect costs of running
a server. A smaller power supply also means less heat, so the
server wont add extra heat to your office. Less heat means
lower cooling costs.
The PS1810-8G Switch and PS110 11n Wireless VPN Router also
offer energy efficient designs. The router supports the WMMPower Save mode for wireless, and the switch supports Energy
Efficient Ethernet (EEE) and additional green features. These
green features and energy-efficient designs deliver low TCO.
Easy to Set Up
Chapter5 touches on HP innovations, including the HP
Intelligent Provisioning software that makes it possible to
perform system setup, updates, and configuration as needed
without having to worry about the location of any CDs or
DVDs. What this means is that you can make the server better
meet your needs without a lot of hassle.
You use Intelligent Provisioning to perform the server setup.
The entire process is embedded into the server, which means
that the setup is consistent across all servers and that you
can perform the setup more reliably. Its possible to configure any of these operating systems by using Intelligent
Provisioning:
Microsoft Windows Server
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
VMware
Chapter 6: Ten Benefits of ProLiant MicroServer Gen8
43
Two up-front USB ports are easily accessible should you need
them during deployment to connect a keyboard, mouse or
other device.
Easy to Manage
Management tasks can consume a lot of time when working
with other solutions. In fact, many organizations have to hire
someone full time to perform the management tasks, which
can greatly increase costs. Easy to ready front-panel LEDs
provide a quick, at-a-glance view of your systems status.
HP iLO, discussed in Chapter 5, comes with your server and
helps you manage the server, router, and switch (when your
network has them).
Unlike software, you dont need to install iLO 4; its automatically part of your server, and you can access it at any time. In
general, iLO 4 provides four major levels of support required
by your server:
Initial deployment
Ongoing management
Service alerting
Remote support
The optional iLO Essentials license provides the ability to connect media from your client device to your server and receive
email alerts regarding server events.
Easy to Service
Eventually, youll want to add a new hard drive or perform
other maintenance tasks on your server. When working with
most servers, you need an entire toolkit just to get the box
open. With the ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 Server, you simply
open the front bezel door to access the drives.
No tools are needed to swap out one drive and put in another.
Should you actually require access to the inside of the unit to
add memory, as illustrated in Chapter4, or to perform other
44

maintenance tasks, the system is designed to be toolless so
you dont have to search for just the right tool.
If something should require attention, continuous, proactive
health monitoring enables faster and more accurate problem
resolution.
Access to Superior HP Support

HP provides you with a significant level of support for your
server that both reduces costs and makes it easier to perform
any required tasks. These support options come in two forms:
HP Insight Online
HP Direct Connect
Its possible to manage your server from the cloud using a
combination of HP Insight Control on the server and HP Insight
Online from the remote system. This means that you can
manage your server from anywhere and feel comfortable doing
it because the communication is completely secure. No one
can gain access to the server except you. You can learn more
about Insight Online at www8.hp.com/us/en/products/
servers/solutions.html?compURI=1487547.
Where can I get the combo?

If youd like more information about a
ProLiant MicroServer Gen8, a PS110
11n Wireless VPN Router, and a
PS1810-8G Switch, check out these
websites:
www.hp.com/go/micro
server
www.hp.com/go/ps1810
Also, view the MicroServer
video at w w w . h p . c o m / g o /
microservervideo to see the
server and switch demonstrated in a
real-world environment.
www.hp.com/go/ps110
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

Go to www.wiley.com/go/eula to access Wileys ebook EULA.

HP ProLiantMicroserver For Dummies

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

HP ProLiantMicroserver For Dummies

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

These materials are 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

. Any dissemination, distribution, or unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

by John Paul Mueller

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition

Production Coordinator: Melissa Cossell

Chapter 1: Understanding Why You Need a Server . . . . 3

Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Chapter 3: Defining Network Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer

Chapter 6: Ten Benefits of ProLiant MicroServer

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition__________

he HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 is a small, quiet, and

About This Book

Icons Used in This Book

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Understanding Why You

or a business to thrive, it needs better ways to coordinate

Defining the Benefits of a Server

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

 Chapter 1: Understanding Why You Need a Server

Understanding How Servers

File and print services

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Defining Server Basics

Learning more about DDR3 unbuffered memory

or many people, a server is a dark mysterious box that

Defining a Server as a Physical

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Figure2-1: Modern servers are quiet and relatively small.

Unlike desktop systems, where a user may want to add or

 Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics

Figure2-2: Servers have a

Considering the USB

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

 Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics

Connecting at the correct speed

Monitoring NIC activity

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Defining the PCIe Bus

Understanding SATA Drives

 Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

DDR3 Unbuffered Memory

Defining Network Basics

he two main building blocks of any network are routers

Routers: Your Networks

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

 Chapter 3: Defining Network Basics

Switches: Extending Your

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Introducing the HP Solution

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Why HP Servers Give

Defining the Benefits of the HP

 Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution

Placing the server where

Figure4-1: The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 server with PS110 Wireless

Keeping things quiet

HP ProLiant MicroServer For Dummies, Special Edition __________

Making your work environment

Upgrading your server with ease

 Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution

Chapter 1: Understanding Why You Need a Server

Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics

Figure2-2: Servers have a

Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics

Chapter 2: Defining Server Basics

Chapter 3: Defining Network Basics

Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution

Figure4-1: The ProLiant MicroServer Gen8 server with PS110 Wireless

Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution

Chapter 4: Introducing the HP Solution

Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solution

Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solution

Figure5-2: I ntelligent Provisioning uses a simple UI to guide you through

Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solution

Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solution

Chapter 5: Detailing the HP ProLiant MicroServer Solution

Chapter 6: Ten Benefits of ProLiant MicroServer Gen8

Chapter 6: Ten Benefits of ProLiant MicroServer Gen8