INTEL
SSR212MC2R Barebones Platform: $3,625
www.intel.com

A STORAGE SERVER IS A PLATFORM LOADED WITH HARD DRIVE BAYS AND designed to make plenty of capacity available over a network. The server could be a NAS, functioning as a file repository for workstations, a SAN, providing terabytes of storage to a handful of 1U boxes in the same rack, or a DAS device, providing backup services to the other machines in an enclosure. Intel’s SSR212MC2R gives you the hardware to address any of those usage models. Simply configure according to the client’s applications and budget.

The barebones system features an Intel chassis, motherboard, backplane, redundant-ready power supply, and SAS storage controller all wired up and ready to go. You simply add the dual- or quad-core processors, memory, an ideal mix of 12 SAS or SATA hard drives, and add-in cards. Intel validates the platform to work with mainstream operating systems like Windows Server and storage specific solutions from companies like Wasabi, Open-E, and FalconStor.

TREND MICRO
Client Server Messaging Security for SMBs (10-User, 1Yr.): $516
www.trendmicro.com

FROM THE SERVERS TO CLIENTS to remote systems logging in across the country, it’s important to block malicious information while protecting your customer’s critical data. Naturally,the easiest way to cover an entire network is with a software package designed to install on each PC. Trend Micro’s Client Server Messaging Security 3.6 is an all-in-one solution that safeguards servers, desktops, and notebooks alike. The suite’s extensive threat protection covers spyware, spam, viruses, phishing attempts, and content filtering.

Because CSM is so well integrated, administration is minimal. A single Web-based console facilitates installation of the entire infrastructure. A red/yellow/green “traffic signal”-style dashboard keeps you abreast of network health. And the ability to automatically detect vulnerabilities helps keep you in the know when it’s time to update Windows. This latest version is the first to receive official Vista certification, keeping your customers safe as they transition away from Windows XP.

SUPERMICRO
SuperServer 7045B-TR+B: $1,509
www.supermicro.com

THE BEAUTY OF A PEDESTAL server is that it doesn’t require the heavy infrastructure of a rackmount box. And yet, once your customers start expanding beyond two or three machines, racks simply make the most logistic sense. Selling a system like Supermicro’s SuperServer 7045B-TR+B offers the best of both worlds. Not only does the box stand on its own four feet, but as soon as your customer switches over to a rack-based environment, the chassis flips over on its side and occupies 4U worth of space.

More than a pretty face, the Super-Server houses two quad core Xeon 5300s or a pair of dual core 5100s on its 1,333 MHz front-side buses. No less than 16 memory slots give you the flexibility to install a maximum of 64GB of RAM, while a host of traditional PCI-X and more modern PCI Express slots deliver plenty of expansion potential.

EMULEX
LPe11000 Fibre Channel HBA: $999
www.emulex.com

FOR SMALL BUSINESS STORAGE NETWORKS, ETHERNET IS FAST, affordable, and easy to deploy. As you ascend the hierarchy of enterprise datacenters, though, there are still clear performance advantages to be had from Fibre Channel. The technology’s latency is much lower. Moreover, compare the Gigabit performance of most Ethernet controllers to the 4 Gbps signaling speed of a card like Emulex’s LPe11000 and it’s clear that Fibre Channel is going to yield better bandwidth as well.

Another of the Emulex card’s benefits is data security. Information can travel at high speeds over much greater distances using the LPe11000’s optical interface versus copper Ethernet controllers. Gigabit over copper gives you 1 Gbps at up to about 100 meters. The LPe1100 is rated for 4 Gbps at up to 150 meters. Installation of the HBA is simple. Just drop the card into one of your server’s spare PCI Express x4 slots and it’s ready to go.

IOMEGA
Storcenter Pro 450R 2TB: $4,999
www.iomega.com

THERE’S VALUE IN SELLING YOUR CUSTOMER AN ELEGANT BACKUP solution packed into 1U of rack space. Iomega’s Storcenter Pro 450R leverages the efficiency of a 3000-series Xeon, 1GB of memory, and Gigabit Ethernet to accelerate storage. The server features a quartet of hot-swappable SATA 3 Gbps hard drives and an onboard controller that supports RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10.

Hardware is only one facet of the Storcenter, though. The appliance also comes with Windows Storage Server 2003 R2, EMC’s Retrospect Express with five client licenses, Computer Associates’ BrightStor ARCServe Backup with Disaster Recovery, and eTrust Antivirus. Iomega gives you the flexibility to configure its Storcenter as a network-attached central data repository or backup target for client machines. Nimbus’ MySAN iSCSI initiator software enables SAN functionality as well. Best of all, Iomega handles support with one year of next-day, on-site support and a three-year parts/labor guarantee.