Apple XServe RAID Review

Good Points
Rack mounted, easy setup, user-friendly simple admin tools. Very reliable. Works on the fly

Bad Points
Very, very heavy

General Comments
The Apple XServe RAID is rightly seen as another step forward into the server market for Apple. It is a great looking piece of kit but the cost is significantly less than the PC equivalent of the same specs. The Xserve is a 3UP device which will take up to 2.52 Terrabytes of storage with up to 14 hot swappable drives. The unit itself has full redundant parts setups so with 2 PSUs if one fails the other keeps the unit functioning likewise network access and controller card. It connects to the XServe or other host as command module using 2GB fibre channel for speed and reliability. The Admin utility is really worth a mention, you can setup a RAID 5 within 3 minutes and have it mounted and working immeadiately. Written in Java means it can be administered from any java based web browser over a LAN/WAN if you wish. This really puts RAID storage in the field of even smaller companies as for cost and ease of use I do not believe there is another alternative that comes even close to it.