Serious SATA RAID for LP Servers There's no question that SAS controllers are a terrific way for buying into performance drives affordably today while leaving a clear upgrade path to enterprise-level technology in the future. But after running their cost analyses, some buyers decide that SATA suits their low-end server needs just fine. Features such as robust, hardware-driven RAID and strong manageability are important, but drive duty cycles don't need to be quite as heavy.
Enter LSI's MegaRAID SATA 300-8XLP. Know up front that, like most if not all hardware-based 3 Gbps SATA RAID cards, this unit uses the PCI-X slot format. An Intel Xscale IOP331 processor backed by 128MB of onboard memory fuels RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, and 50 configurations. The card sports two x4 latching SATA connectors as well as headers for LED status indicators. LSI's RAID utilities are as sweeping and user-friendly as ever. Additionally, the 300-8XLP is a low-profile card, making it an even better fit for 1U and 2U rack systems.
We expect there to be a sizable market opening up soon for resellers in the "personal server" market. The 300-8XLP is one of the best cards we've seen yet for enabling semi-mobile storage servers with enterprise-class RAID performance.
Network Traffic Manager The experience of sharing an Internet connection can be extremely unpleasant when bandwidth is spread disproportionately. For example, if one user constantly streams video or downloads from a file sharing program, little throughput is left for time-sensitive data such as VoIP or game information. Historically, you'd need to either disconnect the bandwidth-hog or suffer what most folks call lag. On a VoIP call, lag would manifest itself as garbled audio. In a game, you'd see choppy video and untimely pauses.
Hawking's Broadband Booster includes the same Ubicom StreamEngine technology found in D-Link's GamerLounge router family, which prioritizes time-sensitive network traffic, guaranteeing the integrity of voice, video, and game information. Without getting too wrapped up in speeds and feeds, the Booster effectively implements QoS (Quality of Service) provisions, minimizing the effects of data buffers and oversized packets. The result is a smoother user experience.
The Booster has been called an Internet accelerator. That's a somewhat misleading title, though. Rather than enable a faster broadband connection, it evens out the performance of your customer's existing pipeline. Is the result significant? It can be for anyone who makes prodigious use of their broadband connection. Customers who spend time gaming or toying with VoIP will see the most profound improvement.
Installation is a piece of cake since the Broadband Booster sits between your customer's Internet line and router/switch. It's a little pricey at $60, but there really is no rival in the desktop space short of shelling out $150 for D-Link's DGL-4300.
If you're looking for a little icing on the cake, Hawking offers an excellent VAR partner program, complete with special pricing, demo product, quarterly rebates, and marketing assistance. There's nothing like a strong channel presence to complement solid hardware.
Hot Innovation, Cool Tower "Made from recycled fighter jets" jokes Antec on one page for the P160W. Antec crack a joke? Times sure have changed, and the P160W, an upper-mainstream super-mid tower loaded with enthusiast smarts, reflects this. Sturdy construction and plenty of bays are no longer enough. Eye candy is hot in the market, and this unit is a quick, channel-friendly way to deliver satisfying bling without going overboard.
Solid aluminum construction surrounds an almost wall-to-wall side window with two rotating latch rings for releasing the panel. The front bezel is plastic done as faux brushed aluminum with chrome accents—arguably Antec's only tacky touch. But there's ample venting, blue LED accents, three stealthed and three standard external bays, and another four internal 3.5" sliding drive trays with noise-dampening rubber grommet mounts. A whisper-quiet 120mm fan mounts in the rear with silicone plugs, and an optional 120mm fan mount waits up front behind a removable dust filter. The ATX motherboard tray slides smoothly, and Antec cleverly integrates a frame for the I/O shield.
The front I/O port extensions sit at the top of the front panel—why anyone puts them at the bottom of a tower is beyond us—and Antec integrates a two-digit LED readout connected to the two integrated temperature probes. Cooler yet, a little release button in the top-left lets the port panel swivel up to 45 degrees for easier reading. Quiet, solid, sexy, and affordable, the P160W shows again that Antec has the right products for resellers needing that perfect compromise between uniqueness and universal appeal.
A Fragging Good Mouse Let's be honest. Creative is known for amazing sound cards, including the Fatal1ty X-Fi, but not amazing mice. So when the world's top first-person shooter gaming champion puts his name on a Creative mouse, should anyone be impressed? Surprisingly, yes.
The 1010 is strangely short for a desktop mouse, but it remains comfortable over extended use, because precision gaming mostly entails fingertip contact, not palm resting. (A good wrist rest is essential.) You have the requisite scroll wheel, but under this a toggle button that doubles as an indicator light with colors noting which of the 400 (green), 800 (yellow), or 1600 (red) dpi resolution modes the user has selected. Creative includes three different "cores," a cylinder that pops up from the mouse's center, for fine-tuning the device's weight and hence drag on the pad surface.
The thumb button is positioned further back than normal to avoid accidental hits, the "right" button now defaults to being an extra function button, and Creative's driver software is respectably versatile in how the user can customize options. The mouse's action is smooth, and precision is excellent. The overall feel takes some adjusting to, but the end result is fast, lethal play your gaming customers will love.
Quiet Enthusiast Power Quality power supplies are more important now than ever before and it's important that your customers know how much of their computing experience hinges on PSU performance. An underperforming unit could spell frustration for them and support nightmares for you.
Enermax's Liberty 620W is one of the most impressive PSUs we've seen. As its name suggests, the supply offers plenty of juice and in all of the right places. Specifically, a pair of 12V rails, each rated for 22A, is more than capable of handling the latest graphics cards and processors. Plenty of current on the 3.3V and 5V rails further ensures stability even under extreme duress.
Despite such extreme power delivery capabilities, the Liberty 620W turns out to be one of the quietest units on the market. A 120mm cooling fan is dynamically adjusted in response to loading, but even at full speed, it isn't audible over the din of a reference processor fan.
There are also a handful of usability enhancements to go along with the Liberty's stunning good looks. The power cables coming from the supply are modular, for example. And while many resellers see modular plugs as a liability, Enermax employs a locking mechanism to prevent accidental disconnection. Moreover, each cable comes wrapped in sheathing, minimizing tangles and promoting good airflow.
The Liberty 620W is SLI certified and ATI lists it as a compatible CrossFire solution. It's quiet, powerful, and architected for grace. With a glossy black finish enveloping the metal chassis, everything about Enermax's latest effort purrs pure class.
Back to top 
