Dell Computer Corp. on Monday rolled out a new server designed for small and mid-sized businesses and corporate workgroups that the company says offers high-end features at an entry-level price.
The PowerEdge 1600SC comes with dual Xeon processors from Intel Corp. It includes up to 438GB of internal SCSI storage, six PCI slots—including two PCI-X slots and two legacy slots—and an embedded Ultra320 SCSI controller.
The server also includes optional hot-plug redundant power supply and hot-plug hard drives, designed to enable users to bulk up performance and scalability as needed, said Russ Ray, senior product manager for PowerEdge servers.
The 1600SC also comes with a key option that will enable users to remotely manage the server, said Dell officials, in Round Rock, Texas. Users can control or diagnose the system with the Dell Remote Access Card III/XT, a feature that until now has only been found in the higher-end servers, said Ray. That capability is complemented by Dells OpenManage software, which enables users to maintain servers via a Web interface. The software also allows for easy installation and setup, according to Dell officials.
“We expect that more corporate users will look at this product as an entry-level offering,” Ray said.
The server, which is available immediately, can come installed with Microsoft Corp.s Windows 2000, Microsoft 2000 Small Business Server and Red Hat Linux. Pricing starts at $999 for a single 1.8GHz Xeon processor, and $1,498 for a dual Xeon configuration.
The 1600SC replaces two other servers, the 1400SC and 1500SC, the former of which was an entry-level server and the latter a step up from that, said Ray.
The upgraded features in the new server also give Dell “a consistency across the entire [PowerEdge] product line. The high-end features become low-end features,” he said.