More models and cheaper models.....
Hi Schaedler, either I'm in one the ten unique companies or I misunderstood your post. We're using a lot of T1 & T2 based boxes for new implementations as well as consolidation of older kit.
In one way your right, the consolidation potential is amazing so sure, T2 is replacing old 440's, 480's & 880's, virtualising the old OS's down onto the newer T2 kit gives a really good support cost saving. However, newer beefier systems are getting implemented onto 5240 and 5440 servers. 8gb dimms are expensive when we need loads of RAM but the 5240 offers very good value IMO.
We've not got a single system company wide using 10g ethernet (yet), we've got front end web and backend monitoring, backup & DB boxes but only aggr'd ethernet where needed. Hence if the newer CPU's make them cheaper still but with the same CPU perf the argument would be even more compelling when weighing up new purchases.
There has to be a cost for Sun to develop this extra CPU variant but I suspect any sale is a good sale at the moment so knocking a few % off to help deals probably benefits Sun more so than holding those few quid from the dev/engineering guys. Lets face it, they were a bit ahead with 10g support on every T chip as far as I can see. Two years time it might be defacto but not now.
Hey ho, gotta dash, Matt will be along soon to speak about other vendors.....