Server makes enterprise storage a 'snap'

Large government agencies seeking a cost-effective way to meet their file-serving requirements have a new option from Snap Appliances Inc., which this week unveiled its Snap Server ES12, a mid-range network-attached storage appliance.

The ES12 is an enterprise solution that Snap hopes will entice government agencies that are using expensive Microsoft Corp. Windows NT-class servers and SCSI-attached Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) systems, said Drew Meyer, product manager, speaking at the FOSE trade show in Washington, D.C.

Snap formally unveiled the new server on Monday at the CeBIT show in Hanover, Germany.

Key features of the new server include:

900G total capacity and 750G available in RAID level 5 configuration. Hot-swappable hard drives. Redundant and hot-swappable fans and power supplies. Support for RAID levels 5, 1 and 0. 10/100 BaseT Gigabit Ethernet. Cross-platform file sharing support (Windows, Linux, Unix, Novell Inc. NetWare and Apple Computer Inc. Macintosh). File- and directory-level security integration. Remote monitoring and management through a Web-based graphical user interface or through Simple Network Management Protocol. "This is an extension of our product line upwards," Meyer said. "It features high availability, redundancy and hot swapping with advanced security and reliability. It's raising the ceiling for us and the competition by offering a better price for equivalent features."

Volume shipments of the ES12, which is priced at less than $25,000, are planned for the third quarter of this year. The Snap server product line is available via many federal contracts, as well as through resellers including Ingram Micro, GTSI Corp. and CDW-G Inc.