Apple upgrades Xserve, ships Xsan

Apple today upgraded its 1U Mac OS X server, the Xserve, with faster processors and an improved system bus. The company also began shipping the Xsan, the long-awaited storage area network (SAN) file system.

The new Xserves now max out with dual 2.3 GHz PowerPC G5 processors and up to 8GB of 400 MHz DDR memory. Other standard features include support for up to three 7200 rpm 400GB Serial ATA Apple Drive modules; and two full-length 64-bit, 133 MHz PCI-X slots.

The top-level Xserve G5 now sports the following specifications: dual 2.3 GHz PowerPC G5 processors with 1GB of PC3200 ECC RAM, a single 80GB Apple Drive Module with expandability for up to 1.2TB, dual Gigabit Ethernet on-board, a Combo (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) drive, FireWire 800 and USB 2.0, and an unlimited client license of Mac OS X Server for a suggested retail price of US $3,999.

For more information, visit http://www.apple.com/xserve.

The Xsan is priced at US$999 per client and per server and provides concurrent file-level read/write access to shared volumes over Fibre Channel. It is certified with Apple's suite of professional applications, including Final Cut Pro HD.

A press release states "For the first time on Mac OS X, up to 64 video professionals can simultaneously access a single storage volume that supports multiple high-bandwidth video streams for efficient workflow in video and film editing, broadcast, visual effects and motion graphics creation."

Among the primary features of the Xsan system are:

• metadata controller failover and Fibre Channel multipathing ensure high availability;
• file-level locking, which allows multiple systems to read and write concurrently to the same volume which is ideal for complex workflows
• sophisticated volume management
• interoperability with ADIC's StorNext File System, so it can be used in heterogeneous environments including Windows, UNIX and Linux operating system platforms.

For more information, visit http://www.apple.com/xsan/.

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