Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 7, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Apple introduced an updated Xserve offering up to twice the performance of its predecessor. Intel Nehalem Xeon processors and a new server architecture delivered up to 89 percent better performance per watt. The rack-mounted 1U server was available with as many as two 2.93 GHz Intel Xeon processors, an optional energy-efficient SSD, and up to 3 TB of internal storage. Prices began at €2,899 including VAT with an unlimited-client Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Server licence.
“Xserve is the best workgroup server for education, business, and creative users,” said Apple Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing David Moody. “With up to twice the performance, better energy efficiency, and an innovative SSD option, this is the best Xserve we have made.”
The Xeon processors ran at up to 2.93 GHz. Each processor included a three-channel memory controller for 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC memory, providing up to 2.4 times the memory bandwidth and reducing latency by as much as 40 percent. Efficient power delivery and thermal management reduced idle power consumption by 19 percent.
Storage options included a 128 GB SSD boot drive using a fraction of a hard drive’s energy and providing up to 48-times-faster random access without occupying a drive bay. Three 3.5-inch bays accepted 7,200 rpm SATA or 15,000 rpm SAS drives for as much as 3 TB of internal storage. Two PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots supported high-bandwidth expansion cards. The Xserve RAID card delivered up to 497 MB/s and supported RAID 0, 1, and 5 with 512 MB of cache without using an expansion slot. A 72-hour backup battery protected data.
Each Xserve included an unlimited-client server licence and cross-platform support for Mac, Linux, and Windows without additional client-licence charges. Leopard Server included Server Assistant and Server Preferences, Podcast Producer, Wiki Server, and iCal Server with CalDAV. UNIX and LDAP compatibility plus Active Directory support integrated Xserve into existing IT environments.
The updated design used PVC-free internal cables and components, contained no brominated flame retardants, and used a power supply with average energy efficiency of 89 percent.
Prices and Availability
The new Xserve was available through the Apple Store and Apple resellers.
The €2,899 standard configuration included:
* One 2.26 GHz quad-core Intel Xeon 5500-series processor with 8 MB shared L3 cache
* 3 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC RAM
* One 160 GB 7,200 rpm Serial ATA Apple drive module
* Integrated dual Gigabit Ethernet
* Two PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion slots
* Bonjour-enabled Lights-Out Management processor and Server Monitor software
* Integrated graphics with Mini DisplayPort output
* Two FireWire 800 and three USB 2.0 ports
* An unlimited-client Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard Server licence
Configuration options included dual 2.26, 2.66, or 2.93 GHz Intel Xeon processors; 160 GB and 1 TB 7,200 rpm SATA Apple drives; 450 GB 15,000 rpm SAS drives as a third-party option; an internal Xserve RAID card; Gigabit Ethernet; 4 Gb Fibre Channel cards; and an additional 750 W power supply.