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Apple's rackmount Mac Pro is now available
If you (or more likely, your company) are pining for the new Mac Pro but don't want anything so gauche as a tower under the desk, Apple has you covered. It started taking orders for the rackmount version of the Mac Pro, with new purchases shipping in three to four weeks. It's the same computer underneath as its desktop-oriented counterpart with options for many-core Xeon CPUs, Radeon Pro Vega II graphics, an Afterburner video accelerator card and gobs of memory and storage -- it's just arriving in a new form factor that's better-suited to render farms, servers and easy-to-move stations.
AMD unveils Open 3.0: an Opteron 6300 platform for the Open Compute Project
The Open Compute Project is pushing hard for servers that are both very scalable and streamlined, and AMD is more than willing to help with the launch of its Open 3.0 server platform. The framework combines two Opteron 6300 processors with a motherboard that contains just the essentials, yet scales to meet just about any need in a rackmount system. Among the many, many expansion options are 24 memory slots, six SATA ports for storage, as many as four PCI Express slots and a mezzanine link for custom components. Open 3.0 isn't as flexible as a decentralized, Intel-based prototype being shown at the same time, but it's also much closer to practical reality -- a handful of companies already have access, and on-the-ground sales should start before the end of March. If all goes well, companies will have a Lego-like server base that solves their problems with precision.
Custom enclosure designs shove 160 Mac minis into a single rackmount tower
When the Xserve joined the great server farm in the sky, Mac-minded datacenters everywhere were left without a true rackmountable computer; even the current Mac mini wasn't designed for those kinds of tight spaces. Enter the purposefully anonymous Steve, who just filled the gap with one of the cleverer solutions we've seen yet. He and vendors have developed custom 1U shelving, cooling from car radiators and four-in-one power cables that, combined, fit 160 Mac minis (and a managing Xserve) into one enclosure without cooking the machines to death. With each Mac mini carrying a quad Core i7 and an SSD, Steve now has twice as many cores (640) as an equivalent Xserve cluster despite lower power consumption and a 45-second, network-controlled reboot -- all big helps to his unnamed employer's software development, even with the lack of built-in redundancy for Apple's tiny desktop. As many gritty details as Steve can share are available at the source.
Supercomputer built from Raspberry Pi and Lego, managed by humans rather than Minifigs
If you're a computational engineer, there's no question about what you do with the Raspberry Pi: you make a supercomputer cluster. Researchers at the University of Southampton have followed their instincts and built Iridis-Pi, a tiny 64-node cluster based on the Raspberry Pi's usual Debian Wheezy distribution and linked through Ethernet. While no one would mistake any one Raspberry Pi for a powerhouse, the sheer number of networked devices gives the design both some computing grunt and 1TB worth of storage in SD cards. Going so small also leads to some truly uncommon rackmounting -- team lead Simon Cox and his son James grouped the entire array in two towers of Lego, which likely makes it the most adorable compute cluster you'll ever see. There's instructions to help build your own Iridis-Pi at the source link, and the best part is that it won't require a university-level budget to run. Crafting the exact system you see here costs under £2,500 ($4,026), or less than a grown-up supercomputer's energy bill.
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.
Apple Xserve sales end January 31st, support will continue
As if you needed any further confirmation that Apple is a consumer company first and foremost, the Cupertino team has decided to discontinue sales of its Xserve enterprise server offering. The rack-mountable processing powerhouses will no longer be available for purchase after January, though full support of those already sold is promised, meaning that all warranties and extended service programs will be honored. To soften the blow for those who might still insist on using OS X in their servers, Apple has put together a "transition guide," advising that users switch over to the Mac Pro or ... the Mac mini, both of which come with the option to have Snow Leopard Server pre-installed. Honestly, the Mac mini! [Thanks, Jakob]
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.
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.
LaCie 1U rack-mountable Ethernet Disk works with Time Machine
LaCie's newest Ethernet Disk isn't for the faint of heart... nor for those with just a few files to backup. Oh no -- this one's for the storage professional. Housed in a 1U rack-mountable enclosure, the NAS device can hold up to 6TB of data and can support up to 100 users on Mac, Windows or Linux platforms. Also of note, it functions just fine with Apple's Time Machine, which is more than Cupertino's own AirPort Disk can say (maybe). It's available this very moment in 2TB, 4TB and 6TB capacities starting at $749.99.[Via Slashgear]
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.
Alienware's Hangar18:HD media server now available
Alienware's Hangar 18:HD 1080p media server -- the rackmountable high end edition of the already impressive Hangar 18 -- has officially launched. The silver beast promises up to 4TB of hard drive space, Blu-ray read/write, 1080p output, CableCard support and Dolby Digital 7.1 sounds. We suggest you don't ask how much it costs, it just shows how woefully far we you are away from being able to afford it. Those ready to jump into the high priced media server market can contact their local authorized reseller and loose themselves of the Benjamins that can so uselessly clog ones bank account. Read - Homes Fall Under Control of New Alienware High Definition Media Server Read - Digital Home Channel Program Resellers
Xserve shipping next month with quad Xeon 64-bit action
Remember that new Apple Xserve we heard about in August? Yeah, the new one with the two dual-cores under the hood? Well, those up to 2TB of storage and up to 32GB of RAM rackmount servers have just gone on sale and will begin shipping next month. Of course, the very barebones configuration is $3,000, while that 32GB of RAM will add an extra $23,700 to your order. Just something to consider.[Thanks, Clint M. and Evan D.]
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.
