Apple has introduced an updated Xserve that reportedly delivers up to twice the performance of the previous system.
Apple claims that using Intel ‘Nehalem’ Xeon processors and a next-generation system architecture, the 1U rack-optimized Xserve delivers up to an 89% improvement in performance per watt.
According to Apple, the new Xserve includes Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 2.93GHz, each with an integrated memory controller with three channels of 1066MHz DDR3 ECC memory that delivers up to 2.4 times the memory bandwidth while cutting memory latency up to 40%.
Apple said that Xserve’s storage capabilities include a 128Gb solid state drive (SSD) boot-drive option that requires a fraction of the power of a hard disk and delivers up to 48 times faster random access times without occupying a drive bay. Xserve’s three 3.5 inch drive bays support both 7,200rpm SATA and 15,000rpm SAS drives and can be configured with up to 3Tb of internal storage. Two PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion slots provide massive I/O bandwidth to support the latest high-bandwidth expansion cards, added Apple.
David Moody, Apple’s vice president of worldwide Mac product marketing, said: The Xserve is the best workgroup server for our education, business and creative customers. With up to twice the performance, better power efficiency and an innovative SSD drive option, this is the best Xserve we’ve ever made.
