Xserve RAID updated: 5.6 TB storage now possible

Apple has updated its 3U rack-storage system the Xserve RAID, which can now store a maximum of 5.6 terabytes (TB) and achieve per-gigabyte costs of just over US$2 per GB.

Fourteen independent 400GB Ultra ATA drive channels provide up to 5.6TB of storage capacity with pricing of $2.32 per gigabyte at the top-end. There are dual independent RAID controllers with 512MB cache per controller, which Apple says provides throughput of over 380MBps- "high enough to support two streams of uncompressed 10-bit HD video editing using protected RAID level 5."

Xserve RAID pricing/storage configurations now stand as follows:

US$5,999 model includes:

• 1TB RAID 0 total available storage;
• four 250GB ATA/100 Apple Drive Modules; and
• 8MB on-drive cache.

US$8,499 model includes:

• 2.8TB RAID 0 total available storage;
• seven 400GB ATA/100 Apple Drive Modules; and
• 8MB on-drive cache.

US$12,999 includes:

• 5.6TB RAID 0 total available storage;
• fourteen 400GB ATA/100 Apple Drive Modules; and
• 8MB on-drive cache.

The Xserve RAID connects to Power Mac G5s and Xserves via a dual-channel 2GB Apple Fibre Channel PCI-X card sold separately for US$499.

For more information on the new Xserves, visit http://www.apple.com/xserve.

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