Auspex Systems Inc, Santa Clara, California this week launches its new family of Unix Network File System servers, the NS 7000 NetServers. The range comprises two sub-groups, the entry-level Series 200, which is aimed at workgroups and small departments, and the high-end Series 500, which is targeted at enterprise-wide environments and supports up to 300 […]
Auspex Systems Inc, Santa Clara, California this week launches its new family of Unix Network File System servers, the NS 7000 NetServers. The range comprises two sub-groups, the entry-level Series 200, which is aimed at workgroups and small departments, and the high-end Series 500, which is targeted at enterprise-wide environments and supports up to 300 users. The Series 200 includes three models, the entry-level system base unit, which costs #65,000; the Model 210, which includes a base unit and one expansion cabinet for $75,000; and the Model 220, which includes the base unit and two expansion cabinets for $84,000. These range in capacity from 1.75Gb of disk storage to 61Gb, support up to 12 Ethernets and two FDDI or MLT3 connections. Each box incorporates three processor boards – a 55MHz Ross Technology Inc HyperSparc acts as the host processor, runs Solaris, and processes files; dual-CPU 40MHz Sparcs act as network processors and deal with input-output functions – they run Auspex’s own Functional Multiprocessing Kernel; while a 40MHz Motorola Inc 68030 deals with disk storage. The network and storage processors are linked via a backplane, and can swap data from the network to disks and vice versa without needing to call on the resources of the host processor. The Series 500 machines, meanwhile, support 24 Ethernets, have two FDDI ports, five dual-Sparc network processors and 180Gb of storage capacity. The NS 7000 Model 500 base unit costs $113,000, the Model 502, which comes with base unit and redundant power supplies is $138,000, the Model 510, which comes with the base unit and one expansion cabinet, costs $145,000; and the Model 512, which comes with a base unit, expansion cabinet, and redundant power supplies for both, costs $186,000. They will all be available after June 25, and all existing NetServers can be upgraded by simply swapping processor boards, the company promises.
