What is the difference between server hardware and desktop hardware?

Question

Iron

On the net, you can find opinions that server hardware is more reliable (at the same time, it is not disclosed how this reliability is ensured). Often, the next message is a counterargument that server hardware is manufactured on the same assembly line as desktop hardware and its greater reliability is purely marketing. In addition, the element base itself does not differ, and at the "electronic" level, the reliability is approximately the same.
Support for multiple processors, hot-swap CPU and memory, support for ECC memory are typical only for server hardware. As well as the presence of several network interfaces and a SAS controller (for example).
Is this the only difference?

Answer 1

in fact, yes, but don’t you think that the ability to change the hardware to a hot one without allowing downtime is cool?

Answer 2

Also, the server hardware usually has an IPMI interface that provides remote reboot, KVM, and so on.
Also, for example, not all desktop processors support VT-d VT-x technologies (virtualization from Intel), also branded hardware from Dell is not only the hardware itself, but also service packages - for example, replacing everything that is possible in 1 working day.

Answer 3

In short, EVERYONE!
First of all - fault tolerance or time between failures.

Answer 4

For some purposes (such as virtualization) it can be convenient to use HCL.
Desktop iron is not there, of course. So here's another plus - proven performance in some scenarios.

Answer 5

"there is dinner jackets and dinner jackets"
believe me, at first glance, the apparent overpayment for a server machine, unlike a seemingly similar desktop one, is very justified