SEH Technology's Linux-based ISD300 print server runs on 12
watts of power, as opposed to the 100 watts of comparable models.
When it comes to saving IT time, power and space, every bit helps, even the
choice of print servers.
One print server, the ISD300 Intelligent Spooling Device from Germany-based
SEH Technology, is a .5-by-19-inch Linux-based
box, running at a modest 12 watts, rather than the over 100 watts of typical
print servers, suitable for small, medium and large companies and for branch
offices, the company said.
"About three years ago," SEH
Technology CEO Mike Majewski said, "a
customer asked us about creating a print spooling appliance-a stand-alone box
that takes the print spooling functions off a Windows or Linux server. The
original purpose was for small remote offices that don't want to set up a
Windows server and have to maintain it-do security updates, patches, etc.-just
to do spooling."
One unintentional benefit helping the ISD300 garner fresh attention is its
comparatively low power requirement. "The folks in Germany
are real particular about power consumption," Majewski said. "This
comes from the fact that we generally make cards that slip into the back of
printers, so we have low power to work with. So when we designed the ISD box,
one of the goals was to make it as energy-efficient as possible."
Click here to read more about how companies are striving for "greener printing."
He added, "It doesn't even need a cooling fan." Additionally, the
ISD's browser-based administration means that no additional, power-consuming
peripherals are needed to manage it.
The ISD300's power requirements are low enough, in fact, that SEH
also offers a POE (power over Ethernet) 802.3af version of the device, the
ISD300-PoE, which can be powered through the Ethernet LAN
cabling if there is a POE switch or power injector on the segment.
Powering via an 802.3af connection can avoid the need to run power cabling
or install outlets. This factor also enables devices to be put where it may be
inconvenient or unsafe to run AC power.
Majewski conceded that the initial cost of a Windows or Linux box would be
much lower than that of an ISD300. However, he argued, "The real cost is
the ongoing cost and the power consumption, and administrative effort. ... You
eliminate monthly Microsoft patches and the like."
Sue Lyon, a research director at IDC,
said, "The real value of SEH's ISD300 is that it's compatible [with] HP [Hewlett-Packard]
printers, which are the dominant devices on the market, that it will work with
IPv6 and it's a robust print server that's affordable for small and medium business.
Anything that reduces energy and IT administrative overhead in an SMB IT
environment is a priority."
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