It's a simple law of infrastructure – as businesses grow, so do their hardware needs.

And with the trend toward implementing multi-tier server farms, this means that whether it's database, caching or load balancing, more and more enterprises are buying more and more servers. While the individual components that make up a server might be similar from vendor to vendor, the way they're packaged isn't, and neither is the way they're serviced (but more on that later). For anyone familiar with the systems technology segment over the last couple of years, it's obvious that the overwhelming trend in form factors can be summed up in a single word: density.

Density is essentially the ability to get the most processing power from the least amount of space. Originally servers were stripped-down, bare bones PCs, and as such, logically took on the PC's tower form factor. But as enterprises grew and added hardware, it became difficult to store these tower servers as the boxes that housed them took up so much space relative to the power they offered. By mounting a server horizontally and configuring its components so they fit in a 1U or 2U-form factor (a "U" is 1.75 inches), it became possible to mount multiple servers on top of one another in an industry-standard 19-inch rack. This allowed enterprises to get the most power from the least amount of space. Additionally, they were cooled by drawing in air from the front and expelling it from the rear, so they didn't need to be separated on the top or bottom – another factor that allowed the stacking of multiple units in a small space.

The rackmount method offers numerous benefits. Because the 19-inch rack is a standard configuration, it's possible to mount other hardware in the same space such as a firewall, router or telecommunications switching device. This is especially beneficial for growing enterprises where office space is at a premium and there's a need to consolidate IT equipment in a single room.

With Gateway's server technology, you can be assured that the box is built by a company with a well-earned reputation for quality, and that it will fit neatly into a 19-inch rack to save space while maximizing uptime. But as one of only a handful of tier-one system vendors, Gateway understands that leading-edge technology alone won't keep us at the forefront.

The key to Gateway's server technology is the way we take care of you after the purchase. Gateway's account team is in continuous contact with clients to ensure that everything is running smoothly, and to offer new solutions to lower total-cost-of-ownership, and increase efficiency. In short, they are there to help your business run better and to make your job easier.

When it comes down to it, anyone can sell you a box. It's how you're taken care of as a customer after the purchase that counts. As an IT executive, what more could you ask?

For more information on Gateway server technology with ongoing service and support, go to www.gateway.com/work/cp/index.shtml.