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Digital makes servers available

Digital rolls out a server clustering technology and new servers with the 333-, 400-, and 500-MHz Alpha processors.

2 min read
Digital Equipment (DEC) rolled out a variety of offerings today, including server clustering technology and new servers with the 333-, 400-, and 500-MHz Alpha processors.

Digital says the new products allow customers to set up Web server and database applications requiring a high degree of backup capability, referred to as "availability," more quickly than before.

The company announced the AlphaServer TruCluster Program, which will make it easier for servers with the Unix operating system to be set up with clustering capabilities. Clustering technology essentially allows a number of servers to be hooked together so that if one server goes down, the others can serve as backup systems. Applications on a server automatically start running on a second live server within seconds if a problem causes it to shut down.

Digital says it will ship a factory-configured and tested system according to each customer's specification, saving some of the time and expense of doing configuration and testing onsite.

The computer maker also announced new server computers aimed at companies using applications such as group collaboration software. The new AlphaServer 800 5/333 and 5/400 server use an Alpha 21164 processor in 333- and 400-MHz versions. The company says the AlphaServer 1000A 5/500, which uses a 500-MHz Alpha 21164 processor, is intended for companies with large databases or other critical applications that require the use of clustering technology.

AlphaServer 800 systems are priced starting at $8,600, while prices for the 500-MHz AlphaServer 1000A models start at approximately $24,000. Prices for the AlphaServer 1000A with TruCluster begin at $66,000.

New Windows NT servers bundled with special software packages will also be available, according to Digital.

The Intranet Search server includes the AltaVista Search Intranet Private Extension software that helps index an organization's Web pages and allows users to search for information more easily. Based on a AlphaServer 800 5/400 system, the price of the Intranet Search server starts at $31,370. Additionally, Digital's clustering technology for both Windows NT AlphaServers and the company's Intel-based Prioris servers has added support for a number of popular business applications, the company said.