Apple is will no longer sell its Xserve server after the end
of January 2011, instead giving customers new configurations of its Mac Pro
systems powered by Intel's latest Xeon processors or Mac mini line.
In a message posted on its Website Nov. 5, Apple officials said they are "transitioning away from Xserve,"
which will not be available after Jan. 31, 2011, and instead directing customers to their
new options, both of which run the Mac OS X "Server Snow Leopard."
Apple also is offering customers a transition guide.
The 160GB, 1TB and 2TB versions of the Xserve will be available to order up to
the end of January, and those systems will be supported via Apple's full
one-year warranty.
Apple has never been a significant player in the data
center, and with the runaway success of such devices as the iPod, iPad and
iPhone, the company continues to focus much of its efforts on the consumer
market. The Mac Pro desktop PCs, armed with Intel's Xeon "Westmere"
processors that offer up to six cores, can handle the tasks the Xserve
currently does, according to the company. The Xserve is powered by Intel's
older "Nehalem" Xeon chips, and the Mac Pro also can be configured
with the older processors.
"Apple's desktop tower systems have long been utilized
as servers," the company says in its transition guide, pointing to the
latest configuration that not only offers the new Xeons but also a 512GB SSD
(solid-state drive). "The most recent Mac Pro … now surpasses Xserve in
processor performance."
Overall, the Mac Pro tower system will offer up to 12
processing cores and 64GB of memory. The four storage bays will offer up to 2TB
of storage on a hard drive or the SSD. The
new configuration, which launched in August, starts at $2,999. Apple said the
tower could be used as a solid alternative to the Xserve except where a
high-density 1U (1.75-inch) rack-mount system is needed.
The Mac mini, first introduced a year ago, has become Apple's
most popular server, the company said. Not as powerful as the Mac Pro, it works
well in small businesses and workgroups of up to 50 people, or can be used for
single applications for larger numbers of users, according to Apple. Company
officials said that, depending on the workload, a single Xserve can be replaced
by one or more Mac minis.
Apple upgraded the Mac mini family in June, not only with
the Snow Leopard Server operating system, but also with a 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo
chip from Intel.
Apple made a move to
expand its presence in the enterprise Oct. 25 when it announced a partnership
with Unisys.
Under the agreement, Unisys will support and service Apple products used by an
enterprise and reportedly build more Apple apps for business use. Such devices
as the iPhone and iPad have targeted consumers, but are making their way into
the enterprise as customers look to use their Apple mobile devices within the
work environment. Supporting the flood of new devices coming into the
enterprise has been a struggle for IT departments in recent years. Partnerships
such as the one with Unisys can help Apple smooth the path for their devices
into the enterprise.
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