Intel shows storage server for SMEs
Intel has previewed a new storage server aimed at the lower end of the market.
The SS4000-E, which boasts capacities of up to 2TB in a very small box, is suitable for the desktop and has the option to expand beyond that.
The SS4000-E is "NAS in a box," said Dennis Stutterheim, head of Intel's storage division in Europe. "It is for the small business and we have set the price for that market at around €1 per gigabyte."
At that price, a fully configured SS4000-E would cost around €2,300 (£1,600) for the full 2TB of storage.
Like all Intel storage devices, the new array's system software runs on Linux. It supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5 and 10, and up to four "hot swappable", 3.5-inch SATA drives.
Other features include two Gigabit Ethernet links, client CIFS and NFS support and what Intel describes as an "easy to use, single click volume configuration tool".
"We have simplified the administration for this," said Stutterheim, "so this is really easy to use. This is not just for small businesses; you can see some home users wanting this. Storage is growing so quickly that people will want somewhere where they can keep things securely and safely."
The device was previewed last week in in Garmisch in Germany, at the NetEvents conference, and will be announced officially in early March.