The new 12 bay system features an on-board RISC processor combined with 256MB of cache. The Vanguard Elite can accommodate up to 12 160GB hard drive mechanisms, providing up to 1.9TB of storage when used as a RAID Level 0 device. The Vanguard Elite comes in a rackmount system that takes up 4U, and includes a stand so you can mount the unit as a full standing desktop system if you prefer.
The Vanguard Elite 12 also features dual host support, capable of providing storage access to two servers of the same or different operating systems, according to FirewireDirect.com. Each server has its own RAID volumes, and configuration is managed through a front LCD panel. The new system sports support for RAID Levels 0, 1, 3 or 5 depending on your needs. In a two server configuration, each server is attached to one Ultra 3 SCSI channel.
The device works on any operating system and configuration that supports SCSI storage, including Mac OS 9.x, Mac OS X and Apple’s new rack-mounted Xserve server.
What’s more, the Vanguard Elite sports hot swappable redundant power supplies, fans and support for transparent, automatic rebuilding of arrays using hot spares. FirewireDirect.com also offers optional spares kits so you can have all the parts you need to keep the system up and running 24/7.
Prices for the new storage system start at US$4,795 for the basic enclosure to $9,275 for 1,920GB system. More details are available from the Web site.
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