“Apple nibbles at new markets with its upgraded server and RAID systems as well as new clustering and grid technologies. What’s stunning isn’t that Apple Computer Inc.’s engineers can, say, design a server with two 2-GHz G5 processors, 1GB of memory, storage capacity of 80 to 750GB and loads of other goodies all in a slim 1U package (a mere 1.75-in. thick). No, what’s stunning is that Apple’s marketers will price the Xserve system at $3,999. That makes the long-reputed price-gouging Macintosh maker the price leader for dual-CPU serversby a couple of bucks,” Mark Hall writes for ComputerWorld.
“But when you add in Windows per-client pricing, the savings become huge. Apple sells its systems with no per-client fees for Mac OS X. In contrast, a 25-user enterprise license for Windows adds $2,495 to the price of a dual-processor PowerEdge 1750 server from Dell Inc. Apple’s approach has won it a few small bites of business among penny-pinching Internet service providers, cheapskates in the scientific and technology communities, and even the money-grubbers on Wall Street,” Hall writes.
“Well, maybe not exactly Wall Street. But one CIO in the financial industry, Jon Moog at St. Cloud, Minn.-based RiskWise LLC, which runs credit checks for large financial institutions, uses more than 250 Xserve systems in his data center and is more than pleased. ‘We get tremendous performance from them,’ he says. Tom Goguen, Apple’s director of product management for server software, claims that Moog and others in markets outside his company’s bailiwicks of publishing and education buy the Xserve systems because of Apple’s slavish support of industry standards. Moog agrees. But he’s also enamored with the Xserve’s pricing. ‘Dollar for dollar, the systems are cheaper than Windows machines,’ Moog points out. Will he upgrade to the new G5 Xserve? ‘Without a doubt.’ Savings begin next month, when shipments start,” Hall writes.
Full article here.
Does someone need a new ISP?
When Steve introduced the Xserve for the first time, he mentioned this but no one paid any attention. Including the server software, an Xserve is HALF the price of anything from Microsoft… with better speed, reliability, NO viruses, and awesome management software that isn’t available on Microsoft at ANY price.
As someone who has run two (one large, one smallish) business networks with an XServe (both Dual 1Ghz) in a critical role, I can say I was wholly pleased with the performance of the XServe in both roles.
Cheapskates!? Is that how they characterize [B]ALL[/B] Dell users? Why do they have to choose such negativity when reporting on positive Apple press? I will never get used to it or accept it.
And the 970 will really shine when doing database stuff, thanks to 64bit
I’m waiting for this to come out in some industry freebie paper, so that I can accidentally leave it under a few client’s noses.
egarc: Truth hurts. Suck it up.
You see, egarc, Mac users are better than you. Anyone who chooses some other computer in favor of any apple product is already in the axis of evil.
So remember
Cheap Fruit= Expensive Computers = Better than everyone else.
Megatron,
The article calls potential Xserve buyers cheapskates. The point of my post was that the media does not call Dell users cheapskates when they choose the cheapest alternative, but suddenly potential Mac users are now cheapskates if they choose Xserve. What does Apple have to do to gain a little respect? And yes, I am better than wintel users.
Ah. Well then, egarc, ignore my dismissive post. Carry on.
egarc:
I *SO* agree.
Can you sense the bitterness? Apple products are always slagged off by Wintel drones as too expensive, but what happens when Apple comes up with a cheaper but superior alternative? Well, then anyone who invests in said alternative is a “cheapskate”, or “penny-pinching”. Incredible!
And no, I’ve checked for humour/irony in that statement and it’s not apparent. If it was meant to be funny then…well. Haha, Or something.
Of course, if this guy makes part of his living from servicing Microsoft-based trash, he’s bound to feel annoyed at the prospect of a cheaper, faster, and above all more reliable server. So what is his only course of action? To insult those who threaten his livelihood.
Tosser.
Grrr!
Well, I am just going to take it as a compliment. There are many worthwile projects in the scientific community that do not get better funding. The cheapskates actually are careful with their limited budget since they can’t afford to spend it frivolously. If one can buy a good quality server like Xserve ‘cheaply’, so much is the better. I can’t say this for everybody, but there are many of us who think science is as important as making money, if not more.
Well, you can almost by a new Xserve just using the Windows tax ($2,495). People start to realize how much money that is during bad economy.