Apple Updates XServe with Nehalem processors

Apple today announced an updated Xserve that delivers up to twice the performance of the previous system.* Using Intel “Nehalem” Xeon processors and a next generation system architecture, the 1U rack-optimized Xserve delivers up to an 89 percent improvement in performance per watt.** Xserve is available with up to two 2.93 GHz Intel Xeon processors and industry-leading storage options that include a low-power solid state drive (SSD) and up to 3TB of internal storage. Starting at US$2,999, Xserve includes an unlimited client license for Mac OS X Server version 10.5 Leopard.

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Cool, the high power Nehalem chips are now in the servers. Next, the laptops. Lately I'm starting to think that Nehalem will be coming to the notebook line sooner than we think. Apple uses the mobile processors in the iMac (Macbook Pro processors which have most likely been overclocked), maybe because it can't take too much heat within it's all-in-one form, so they'll want mobile Nehalem chips as soon as possible. Intel is making smaller, more mobile Nehalem processors as we speak and since Apple is already onboard I think they'll at least be in Macbook Pros around November. If they can fit all that power in a Macbook for the holiday season then that'd be awesome. All the Macbook would need is a Quad-Core 2.0Ghz processor and that'd do fine.

Apple normally has big surprises towards the end of the year with the laptop line so maybe we'll see some new tech in the notebooks for October/November. I can't wait to have all that power in a notebook! It's only a matter of time.

Yes and I can't wait till this all comes to the imac too. A Nehalem powered imac with a good graphics card and that I will buy.

Can I just ask what the heck the Xserve is for.

I am very good with computers and that but don't really know anything at all about servers.

Can you link many xserves together and have a mini supoercomputer, and like run OS X off of like 4 computers.

I think the most useful thing that the server line had was the RAID, which is now dead, to be replaced by a fugly third party thing.

An Xserve is a rack-mounted 1U general purpose server with an internal mirrored RAID1 set. It could potentially be used for any number of different chores. For example, it would be a great web server out of the box. Hooked up to a drive array, it could be used as a file and print server. You name it, you could use an Xserve as the foundation.

Thanks. What are these things called switches and nodes and stuff?

McGrory said:

Thanks. What are these things called switches and nodes and stuff?

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One would plug a bunch of computers, servers and/or other network devices (i.e. network "nodes") into a switch to network them together.