Via debuts M'Serv 2100 server with 64-bit Nano CPU
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted January 14th 2010 4:22PM
posted January 14th 2010 4:22PM
If you're a small business customer or very serious about your reality TV habit, you just might want to take a look at Via's newest. The M'Serv S2100 mini server is the first to rock Via's new 64-bit Nano CPU (in this case the 1.3+GHz at 1.6GHz) -- but that ain't all! The case measures only 10.2- by 4.7-inches but includes two 3.5-inch SATA II drive bays (for up to 4TB storage), an integrated and bootable CF card slot, two gigabit Ethernet ports, three USB 2.0 ports, VGA output, and VT virtualization support for network video recording and virtual server applications. OS support includes Windows 7, XP, Vista, Server 2008 Foundation, and various Linux distributions (such as Ubuntu, SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 Service Pack 2, and FreeBSD). Sales are reserved for OEMs and sysadmins for the time being, but who knows? Maybe if you turn up the charm you can get in on the ground floor here. Hit the source link to get started.
So, no computer manufacturers were using their processor so they made a system themselves?
All the Nano needs is a die shrink and a dual core version to really kick some Atom ass.
Make the same thing with 4-8 drive bays and I might take a serious look at it as a server. I don't get why they don't throw in more bays on these types of devices. It would have increase the manufacturing cost by what, $20? Maybe $30.
@RandomGuy
Probably because 4 bay is perfect for raid 10.
@yejun Exactly my point, any business sysadmin in their right mind that is using this thing would want some sort of redundancy (whether it is at the expense of performance or not) and having 2 drive bays means that it is only really viable to mirror the drives. That means 2TB of usable space.
I could see it being somewhat viable as a Windows Home server, in that allows you to add external drives, but even still, I think most people would prefer extra bays to USB or eSATA ports.
@RandomGuy
Hmm, I thought it was a 4 bay device because of its size.
@RandomGuy "I could see it being somewhat viable as a Windows Home server, in that allows you to add external drives, but even still, I think most people would prefer extra bays to USB or eSATA ports."
Not sure about the "Windows Home server" part.
Friend of my ran in past on four similar boxes (under Linux) whole IT of a 120-people company. Plus external RAID 10 in a similar closure.
And all that on top of his desk - he never had to kneel before the servers.
In the end, if you really care about your data, you want to have external NAS for the purpose. Works with Linux like a charm. Because Windows still wants to have internal HDD and if you want trouble-free long run, you better make the C: a RAID 1.
small business customer? do you mean owner?
This looks very nice. But no price and no date.
since when is FreeBSD a Linux ditro?
srsly it's even in the freaking name and in caps -.-
@raidor
FreeBSD is certainly not a Linux distribution. Engadget can probably be forgiven for their mild lack of Unixy knowledge, but a correction would assuage the rage of the FreeBSD brethren a bit too. :)
As an aside, it's pretty damn cool that they explicitly call out FBSD support. That's a rarity (of enormous proportions) in consumer electronics gear.
@SeeonFeeon
because most people honestly don't give a shit.
sorry, i'm a jackass, but it is true, next week when some new shit happens everyone will forget about haiti, just like everyone forgot about new Orleans and the tsunami.
im a dick, i know, but im being realistic.
@SeeonFeeon No it's just that the engadget office in Haiti was heavily damaged.
@SeeonFeeon
I agree. We could all do a lot more to help.
I can't understand why your comment has been down graded, it's pretty pathetic that people feel so strongly about not helping that they can't even tolerate reference to help.
@BrianH well caring for a week is very good, some peoples don't ever care.
@kicky
being someone from a third world Caribbean country, i am of course saddened by it.
but i know exactly what will happen with all the money donated to the country, to bullshit.
the governments of the Caribbean are just as, if not more, curropt that what people say about America.
FreeBSD != Linux.
Other than that kinda looks interesting. Pondering a homebrew media PC / server at the moment. Atom or Nano based is my primary focus.
The Nano line of CPUs were always 64bit so why such a big reference in the topic? :P
Haitians raped mutilated and ate white little children .Just because its been 200 years ago doesn't mean World forgot . Was it really necessary to cut hearts from lil kids and eat it while parents held to there watch?
or gang rape white Plantation owner 5 year old daughter ?!
Sorry I dont feel any compassion for those voodoo losers . And how on earth the managed to breed up to 7 millions ? hello birth control
I'll just take a MacMini Server... Snow Leopard Server with unlimited Users for 1k... I'm sold...
Nothing against via... but they can keep their lackluster chips and everything.