Super Micro Unveils SOHO Server/Storage System

Super Micro Computer on Monday introduced a combination server and storage system for small businesses or home offices.

The SuperServer 5035L-IB is a mini-tower built for easy access to internal hardware. In addition, the system comes with a 300-watt power supply that achieves 85% power efficiency, according to the vendor.

User-friendly design includes an easy-to-remove side panel and a 90-degree pivoting hard disk drive cage. The system has RAID support for up to four 3.5-inch SATA internal drives. The computer also supports two external 5.25-inch bays and has four I/O expansion slots.

The hardware is powered by Super Micro's new X7SLM single-processor server board, which comes with up to seven years of chipset availability and support. The board supports both an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 and a PCI-Express x16 graphic connector and also features a PCI-Express x8 slot and two legacy PCI slots, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, and eight USB 2.0 connectors.

The system is available with one of several Intel processors, including a Core 2 Duo, Pentium D, Pentium 4, or Celeron D, and can be configured for up to 2 GB of system memory. The computer is roughly 15 inches high, 7 inches wide, and 16 inches deep, and weighs 16 pounds.

Pricing was not disclosed, but Super Micro is marketing the computer as a low-cost system. Super Micro sells the product through resellers.

Other vendors that have recently shipped servers for small businesses include Dell and Lenovo. Dell in September introduced the sub-$500 PowerEdge T100, which is powered by an Intel quad-core processor and includes an internal locked-down USB 2.0 port, a chassis intrusion switch, and a RAID architecture that can prevent data loss by performing scheduled data backups. In addition, the system has up to 8 GB of memory and I/O technology and internal storage capacity of up to 2 TB. For easy access, the hardware has color-coded internal components.

The same month, Lenovo launched its first servers outside of China with the ThinkServer line for SMBs with up to 500 employees. The new line includes three tower and two rack servers available with Microsoft Windows Server or SUSE Linux Enterprise Server from Novell. The systems are powered by a variety of Intel processors and prices start at $749.