Apple upgrades Xserve, intros Xserve RAID

Apple Computer on Monday upgraded the company’s Xserve 1U rackmount server adding a dual 1.33GHz Power PC G4 processor. The company also released the long awaited Xserve RAID, a 3U rack storage system with a 2.5TB storage capacity.

“Just six months after we shipped the first Xserve, we’re now offering more power and more storage at an even lower price,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Xserve is already in use at over 100 Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of universities and schools across the country, and we’re making it even better based on their feedback.”

The Xserve now comes equipped with dual 1.33GHz PowerPC G4 processors, 2MB of dedicated L3 cache memory per processor, and up to 2GB of 333 MHz DDR memory. Xserve also has a 167MHz system bus and up to 2GB of PC2700 DDR SDRAM. Two full-length 64-bit, 66MHz PCI slots provide up to 533MB/s throughput and allow expansion to external SCSI and Fibre Channel devices including the new Xserve RAID system. One half-length PCI/AGP slot provides additional PCI expansion or connectivity to a high-performance graphics card. Dual independent Gigabit Ethernet ports and FireWire 800 interfaces are also included.

Xserve comes with the unlimited client edition of Apple’s Mac OS X Server.

The two standard Xserve configurations are:

single 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 256MB DDR 333 RAM, 60GB ATA/133 Apple Drive Module, dual Gigabit Ethernet, CD-ROM and Mac OS X Server with unlimited clients for an estimated retail price of US$2,799; and

dual 1.33 GHz PowerPC G4 processors, 512MB DDR 333 RAM, 60GB ATA/133 Apple Drive Module, dual Gigabit Ethernet, CD-ROM and Mac OS X Server with unlimited clients for an estimated retail price of $3,799.

Originally scheduled to be released by the end of 2002 and then delayed, the Xserve RAID is made up of Fourteen independent ATA/100 drive channels that provide up to 2.5TB of storage. Dual independent RAID controllers with up to 1GB controller cache memory provide redundant storage. The Xserve RAID also provides a dual 2Gb Fibre Channel host interface.

Each 180GB Apple Drive Module uses a dedicated drive channel, maximizing the 400MB/s industry standard Fibre Channel host connection. Xserve RAID scales in capacity and performance by adding more drives, or more Xserve RAID systems. Xserve RAID provides RAID level 5 throughput that supports affordable real-time HD 1080i video editing, an industry first according to Apple.

“Xserve RAID is an industry breakthrough product, offering up to 2.5TB of high-performance redundant storage at just over $4 per gigabyte-a fraction of the cost of storage from Dell, HP, Sun or EMC,” said Schiller. “Xserve RAID features dual independent RAID controllers for redundant storage, a dual 2Gb Fibre Channel interface for ultra-high performance, and dual power supplies for peace of mind, all starting at just $5,999.”

Xserve connects to the newly introduced Xserve RAID storage system using the dual channel 2Gb Apple Fibre Channel PCI Card sold separately for $499.

Xserve RAID will be available in March through the Apple Store and through Apple Authorized Resellers. Xserve RAID comes in three standard configurations, or can be fully customized. Build-to-order options can include additional Apple Drive Modules, additional cache memory and cache battery modules.

Xserve RAID for an estimated retail price of $5,999 includes:

dual independent RAID controllers with 128MB cache per controller and support for up to 512MB cache per controller;

dual 2Gb Fibre Channel ports with 200 MB/s throughput per channel;

four 180GB ATA/100 Apple Drive Modules;

720GB RAID 0 total available storage; and

8MB on-drive cache.

Xserve RAID for an estimated retail price of $7,499 includes:

dual independent RAID controllers with 128MB cache per controller and support for up to 512MB cache per controller;

dual 2Gb Fibre Channel ports with 200 MB/s throughput per channel;

seven 180GB ATA/100 Apple Drive Modules;

1260GB RAID 0 total available storage; and

8MB on-drive cache.

Xserve RAID for an estimated retail price of $10,999 includes:

dual independent RAID controllers with 128MB cache per controller and support for up to 512MB cache per controller;

dual 2Gb Fibre Channel ports with 200MB/s throughput per channel;

fourteen 180GB ATA/100 Apple Drive Modules;

2520GB RAID 0 total available storage; and

8MB on-drive cache.

A study in late 2002 by Gartner Dataquest shows Apple’s servers with a 1.2 percent marketshare or 5,700 units shipped.