Editing Blade server (section)

== History ==

Developers first placed complete [[microcomputers]] on cards and packaged them in standard [[19-inch rack]]s in the 1970s, soon after the introduction of 8-bit [[microprocessors]]. This architecture was used in the industrial [[process control]] industry as an alternative to [[minicomputer]]-based control systems. Early models stored programs in [[EPROM]] and were limited to a single function with a small [[Real-time operating system|real-time executive]].

The [[VMEbus]] architecture ({{circa|1981}}) defined a computer interface that included implementation of a board-level computer installed in a chassis backplane with multiple slots for pluggable boards to provide I/O, memory, or additional computing.

In the 1990s, the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group [[PICMG]] developed a chassis/blade structure for the then emerging Peripheral Component Interconnect bus [[Peripheral Component Interconnect|PCI]] called [[CompactPCI]]. CompactPCI was actually invented by Ziatech Corp of San Luis Obispo, CA and developed into an industry standard. Common among these chassis-based computers was the fact that the entire chassis was a single system. While a chassis might include multiple computing elements to provide the desired level of performance and redundancy, there was always one master board in charge, or two redundant fail-over masters coordinating the operation of the entire system.  Moreover, this system architecture provided management capabilities not present in typical rack mount computers, much more like in ultra-high reliability systems, managing power supplies, cooling fans as well as monitoring health of other internal components.

Demands for managing hundreds and thousands of servers in the emerging Internet Data Centers where the manpower simply didn't exist to keep pace a new server architecture was needed.  In 1998 and 1999 this new Blade Server Architecture was developed at Ziatech based on their Compact PCI platform to house as many as 14 "blade servers" in a standard 19" 9U high rack mounted chassis, allowing in this configuration as many as 84 servers in a standard 84 Rack Unit 19" rack.  What this new architecture brought to the table was a set of new interfaces to the hardware specifically to provide the capability to remotely monitor the health and performance of all major replaceable modules that could be changed/replaced while the system was in operation. The ability to change/replace or add modules within the system while it is in operation is known as Hot-Swap.  Unique to any other server system the Ketris Blade servers routed Ethernet across the backplane (where server blades would plug-in) eliminating more than 160 cables in a single  84 Rack Unit high 19" rack.  For a large data center tens of thousands of Ethernet cables, prone to failure would be eliminated. Further this architecture provided the capabilities to inventory modules installed in the system remotely in each system chassis without the blade servers operating.  This architecture enabled the ability to provision (power up, install operating systems and applications software) (e.g. a Web Servers) remotely from a Network Operations Center (NOC).  The system architecture when this system was announced was called Ketris, named after the [[Kris|Ketri Sword]], worn by nomads in such a way as to be drawn very quickly as needed.  First envisioned by Dave Bottom and developed by an engineering team at Ziatech Corp in 1999 and demonstrated at the Networld+Interop show in May 2000.  Patents were awarded for the Ketris blade server architecture{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}.  In October 2000 Ziatech was acquired by Intel Corp and the Ketris Blade Server systems would become a product of the Intel Network Products Group.{{citation needed|reason=84U would be over twelve feet high.|date=December 2020}}

PICMG expanded the CompactPCI specification with the use of standard Ethernet connectivity between boards across the backplane. The PICMG 2.16 CompactPCI Packet Switching Backplane specification was adopted in Sept 2001.<ref>[http://www.picmg.org/v2internal/specifications.htm PICMG specifications] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109180448/http://www.picmg.org/v2internal/specifications.htm |date=2007-01-09 }}</ref> This provided the first [[open architecture]] for a multi-server chassis.

The Second generation of Ketris would be developed at Intel as an architecture for the telecommunications industry to support the build out of IP base telecom services and in particular the LTE (Long Term Evolution) Cellular Network build-out. PICMG followed with this larger and more feature-rich [[AdvancedTCA]] specification, targeting the telecom industry's need for a [[high availability]] and dense computing platform with extended product life (10+ years). While AdvancedTCA system and boards typically sell for higher prices than blade servers, the operating cost (manpower to manage and maintain) are dramatically lower, where operating cost often dwarf the acquisition cost for traditional servers.  AdvancedTCA promote them for [[telecommunications]] customers, however in the real world implementation in Internet Data Centers where thermal as well as other maintenance and operating cost had become prohibitively expensive, this blade server architecture with remote automated provisioning, health and performance monitoring and management would be a significantly less expensive operating cost.{{clarify|date=December 2020}}

The first commercialized blade-server architecture{{Citation needed|date=July 2009}} was invented by [[Christopher Hipp]] and [[David Kirkeby]], and their patent was assigned to Houston-based [[RLX Technologies]].<ref>{{Cite patent|country=US|number=6411506|title=High density web server chassis system and method|pubdate=2002-06-25|inventor1-last=Hipp|inventor1-first=Christopher|inventorlink1=Christopher_Hipp|inventor2-first=David|inventor2-last=Kirkeby|assign1=[[RLX Technologies]]}}</ref> RLX, which consisted primarily of former [[Compaq Computer Corporation]] employees, including Hipp and Kirkeby, shipped its first commercial blade server in 2001.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = RLX helps data centres with switch to blades
  | publisher = ARN
  | date = October 8, 2001
  | url = http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/38556/rlx_helps_data_centres_switch_blades/
  | access-date = 2011-07-30}}
</ref> RLX was acquired by [[Hewlett-Packard]] in 2005.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = HP Will Acquire RLX To Bolster Blades
  | publisher = www.informationweek.com
  | date = October 3, 2005
  | url = http://www.informationweek.com/news/global-cio/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=171202558
  | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130103121323/http://www.informationweek.com/news/global-cio/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=171202558
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = January 3, 2013
  | access-date = 2009-07-24
  }}
</ref>

The name ''blade server'' appeared when a card included the processor, memory, I/O and non-volatile program storage ([[flash memory]] or small [[hard disk]](s)). This allowed manufacturers to package a complete server, with its operating system and applications, on a single card/board/blade. These blades could then operate independently within a common chassis, doing the work of multiple separate server boxes more efficiently. In addition to the most obvious benefit of this packaging (less space consumption), additional efficiency benefits have become clear in power, cooling, management, and networking due to the pooling or sharing of common infrastructure to support the entire chassis, rather than providing each of these on a per server box basis.

In 2011, research firm [[International Data Corporation|IDC]] identified the major players in the blade market as [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]], [[IBM]], [[Cisco]], and [[Dell]].<ref name=idcpressrelease>{{cite press release
  |url = http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS22841411
  |title = Worldwide Server Market Revenues Increase 12.1% in First Quarter as Market Demand Continues to Improve, According to IDC
  |access-date = 2015-03-20
  |date = 2011-05-24
  |publisher = IDC
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110526025655/http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS22841411
  | archive-date = 2011-05-26
}}</ref> Other companies selling blade servers include [[Supermicro]], [[Hitachi]].