Part of the Hardware glossary:

A tower server is a computer intended for use as a server and built in an upright cabinet that stands alone. The cabinet, called a tower, is similar in size and shape to the cabinet for a tower-style personal computer. This is in contrast to rack server s or blade server s, which are designed to be rack-mounted .

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Advantages of tower servers include:

  • Easier cooling, because the overall component density is fairly low.
  • Scalability, because an unlimited number of servers can be added to an existing network.
Disadvantages:
  • A set of tower servers is bulkier and heavier than an equivalent blade server or set of rack servers.
  • Cabling for a large set of tower servers can be complicated.
  • A group of several air-cooled tower servers in a single location can be noisy because each tower requires a dedicated fan.

This was last updated in May 2006
Posted by: Margaret Rouse

Related Terms

Definitions

  • rack server (rack-mounted server)

    - A rack server, also called a rack-mounted server, is a computer dedicated to use as a server and designed to be installed in a framework called a rack. (WhatIs.com)

  • blade server

    - A blade server is a thin, modular electronic circuit board containing one, two, or more microprocessors and memory, that is intended for a single, dedicated application (such as serving Web pages)... (SearchDataCenter.com)

  • chassis

    - A chassis (pronounced TCHA-see or CHA-see) is the physical frame or structure of an automobile, an airplane, a desktop computer, or other multi-component device. (WhatIs.com)

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