Dell Computer Corp. on Monday introduced a new sub-US$1,000 server for small businesses or corporate workgroups that can be factory configured to run as a file server, print server or application server.
The Dell PowerEdge 1600SC is the new starting point for customers in search of a two-processor server. Dell has replaced its previous 1400SC and 1500SC servers with the new system, said Russ Ray, senior product manager for Dell PowerEdge servers.
The new, slimmer 1600SC ships with higher-performing chips than its predecessors and has more options for bulking the system up into a higher-end server.
“We didn’t want to limit the top-end scalability with this product,” Ray said. “But we did want to make things optional, so the system is not taxed if a customer doesn’t want the other features.”
Dell, in Round Rock, Tex., is battling with IBM Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. in the Intel server space and has managed to gain share against its competitors in a tough economic climate.
The 1600SC has built-in gigabit Ethernet support and can be fitted with dual Intel Corp. Xeon processors at speeds up to 2.8GHz, up to 438GB of internal SCSI (small computer systems interface) storage and up to 4GB of memory, Ray said.
Additionally, the 1600SC offers support for hot-pluggable disks and power supplies for customers requiring high-system uptime. Dell has also made remote management available, bringing this option down from its higher-end systems, Dell said.
Pricing for the 1600SC starts at US$999. The basic system includes a single 1.8GHz Xeon processor, 128MB of memory, and one 18GB SCSI hard drive, according to the Dell Web site. The system is available worldwide.
The new server is available with factory installation of Microsoft Corp.’s Windows 2000 Server, 2000 Small Business Server software, and Red Hat Inc.’s Linux. The 1600SC is also certified and validated for Novell Inc.’s NetWare, Dell said.
