Technically Speaking

Apple announces that their version of the rack mount Xserve with two 2.3GHz processors is now available to all that wants it. They were originally custom made for the System X supercomputer at Virginia Tech but Apple has decided to increase their product line by making both versions of Xserve.

“Now we have it available to our entire customer base,” said Alex Grossman, director of server and storage hardware for Apple’s product marketing group. Apple’s Xserve line had topped out with dual-2.0GHz processors.

Apple is keeping pricing for the Xserve line the same while also improving the optical drive from a CD burner to one that can both burn CDs and read DVD discs. While servers aren’t often used to play movies, Grossman said more companies are distributing software on DVDs. Customers will also now be able to pay extra for a SuperDrive that can burn DVDs.

“If they want to do any kind of archive or backup, they can now do that,” Grossman said.

The system with two 2.3GHz processors will sell for $3,999, while a machine with one 2.0GHz will sell for $2,999. Both include an unlimited client version of Mac OS X Server. Apple also offers a version of Xserve for clustered computers that includes the speedier processor and a 10-user Mac OS X license for $2,999. The 2.3GHz machines also include a faster 1.15GHz system bus.

In addition to the Xserve changes, Apple on Tuesday released version 1.0 of Xsan, a file system for storage gear, which had been in testing for much of last year. Apple had planned to release it by mid-December but last month said it would delay the launch until early this year. Apple declined both then and on Tuesday to state the reason for the delay.

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