Small Tree Communications has introduced three new fiber optic-based Gigabit Ethernet PCI cards. Their advantages over the Ethernet interfacecs that come standard in Power Macs lie in the fact that fiber optic cables can cover distances up to 550 meters without repeaters and are resistant to outside RF and electro-magnetic interference. Small Tree’s new product also supports jumbo frames for higher data transfer rates and can improve networking performance when used with the company’s 802.3ad load balancing software.
The cards come with single (US$599), dual ($899) or quad ports (no price available) and are 133MHz, 64-bit capable. The single- and dual-port cards, which are available for pre-order now and will ship in mid-August, are compatible with all Power Mac G4 and G5 computers as well as all Xserves. The quad-port card, which will ship later this year, is compatible with all Power Mac G5 computers and Xserve G4. All three require Mac OS X v10.2.7 or higher.