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Sonnet announces RackMac mini Xserver, makes Apple desktop IT life seem more legit
We're sure a few of you have made that recently revamped Mac mini your office server, but now you can give it the look of a grown-up server room. Thanks to Sonnet, you'll soon be able to rack mount your Thunderbolt sportin' dainty PC within a 1U shell. The company has announced that, upon the system's expected arrival in November, it'll be decked out with a PCIe 2.0 X4 slot, a 75W power supply and a Thunderbolt daisy-chain port. This Apple speed-port adapter will enable use of that massive Thunderbolt display even in server or metadata controller mode. For more use scenarios, hit the full PR below or peruse the product page via the coverage link.
Next-generation Mac Pro rumored to feature rack mount, stackable drives
If a rumor posted on 9 to 5 Mac has any validity, the Mac Pro may be the next member of the Apple family to receive an updated design. The top-of-the-line Mac Pro has been somewhat neglected in the design department, as the current design debuted with the Power Mac G5 in June of 2003. Since then, the Mac Pro has received processor, RAM and storage updates, but the exterior design is basically the same. 9 to 5 Mac is reporting that a Mac Pro prototype is now in testing that features a narrower (just about 5 inches wide) and shorter (about 19 inches) design that could fit into a standard server rack. This makes sense in that a rack-mountable Mac Pro could easily replace the gaping hole in the product line left by the discontinued Xserve. If the rumored design could be placed vertically for "under desk" use or horizontally rack-mounted as a server, the power of the Mac Pro could be harnessed for high-end professional work as well as for organization-wide applications. The rumor says that the new Mac Pro features stacked drives with two drives per sled for a higher storage density than is currently available. The sleds can be configured either with SSDs or conventional hard drives. It's expected that the Mac Pro would be a 3U (5.25 inch) thick device in the rack-mounted configuration. We think 9 to 5 Mac has another good point -- a new Mac Pro with Thunderbolt, Blu-ray and a new design would be a perfect complement to the new version of Final Cut Pro that's arriving in June.
Hang with the 2010 Mac mini racks from Macessity
The new Mac minis are sleek and lovely, but there are times when you simply want to get them out of the way. For example, if you're running a mini server farm, you'd like to get many minis into a small space. How do you do that? A rack mount. What if you'd like to mount a mini under a desk, but still want to have easy access to the ports on the back? Macessity has announced the answer to these storage questions with a new line of products for the 2010 Mac minis. The MX4-V2 is a rack tray (above) that holds up to four Mac minis so you can "rack 'em and stack 'em" in any standard equipment rack. The $79.99 tray has special holes for cable management and comes with the necessary mounting screws (don't laugh -- you can never find mounting hardware when you need it). For those who just want to hide a mini under a desk, there are two Macessity solutions: the $49.99 Mi360, which tucks your mini away in a protective compartment that rotates a full 360 degrees. It also has a theft deterrence locking tab so you can keep your mini from disappearing. If you want a four-port USB hub with your mini mount, you can get the $54.99 MiClassic (below) and add a $19.99 swivel bracket for convenience. Macessity also makes racks and mounts for the original Mac minis as well, as well as desktop mounts for minis old and new that let you put your mini under a monitor.
SnapStream's monster DVR records 50 channels at once, even when nothin's on
Get ready for an acute case of DVR inadequacy courtesy of SnapStream, which has pieced together what it's calling the world's largest DVR, and we're inclined to believe them. Run a coax in the back and, with a fully configured unit, you can record a whopping 50 channels simultaneously onto over 100TB of storage. The trick is it's actually five separate rack-mounted SnapStream DVRs that all join together to share storage, work across tuners, and to fight the evil King Zarkon from the planet Doom -- or at least to record all the Voltron reruns ever aired, ever. No word on the cost of a fully-configured rack, but given the size of that thing (check out the door in the background for comparison) we're thinking it might not fit in our entertainment center anyway. %Gallery-90009%
Okoro debuts new rack-mountable RK Series media servers
Rack-mounted media servers aren't exactly for everybody, but those looking to really go all out with their home theater may want to consider one of Okoro's new RK Series models, which boast some base specs that are sure to make almost anyone a little envious. That includes an Intel Core i7 processor, an 80GB SSD OS drive, a minimum 2TB of additional storage, at least 6GB of RAM, a built-in Blu-ray drive, multiple CableCARD TV tuners, and full support for multi-zone audio controllable from a UMPC or MID, among other equally high-end specs. Naturally, pricing appears to be on a need to know basis, but Okoro will throw in a free Quantum of Solace Blu-ray with each system -- which we're sure will be just the thing to push folks over the edge.
VUDU XL2 brings on-demand films to rack-mountable enclosure
Given just how far VUDU has been getting into the custom install game, it's no shock at all to see it produce a set-top-box that's less STB and more integrator-friendly. The 1U rack-mountable XL2 sports a classic black motif and plays nice with systems from leading control and automation manufacturers such as Crestron, Logitech, Netstreams, Nevo and Philips. You'll be able to enjoy the spoils of integrated IP / IR control, a 1TB internal hard drive, optical / coaxial / RCA audio outputs and an HDMI port. Sadly, the XL2 can't be purchased online, meaning you'll have to coax a local installer to sell you one for $1,299.[Via Electronic House]
Alienware Hangar18:HD Media Server unboxed
We've leered at Alienware's Hangar18:HD Media Server before, but with it finally available -- via custom installer channels only -- we can imagine it finding a place in our own media closet. Until thats the case, check out an unboxing of the unsurprisingly grey, sturdy beast, CableCard slots, hot swappable HDDs and Blu-ray drive splayed open for the world to see.
How-To: Rackmount your gear for cheap
Our simple network rack is an easy project that can really clean up a home network installation. Just a few square feet of floor space now keeps our cable modem firewall, Ethernet switch, server, wireless AP, KVM, monitor, keyboard and UPS neatly tucked away -- in a (decently well ventilated) closet, for example. It's also built to support rack mount hardware of shallow depth, like a router (the real kind) or network switch, so if you want to clear off that folding table in the basement, check out today's how-to.
