Xserve RIP
14 March 2011
Back in 2002 Apple released the Xserve - their first server hardware to run OS X. Housed in a neat 1U box (one rack unit is 1.75″ in height) it was designed for small businesses, video post-production, music studios, data centres and anywhere that wanted a compact server to run OS X
The Xserve was the first dedicated server product from Apple since the gigantic Apple Network Servers. Before that they sold versions of desktop machines, some bundled with Retrospect and a tape drive, that ran a primitive server version of System 7. These early AWS servers like the AWS6150 (based on the Quadra 6100) were useful, neat boxes which did their job well. The inclusion of an internal tape drive was a good move, and at that time Retrospect was a robust backup solution, so the combination made for a useful server
As OS X changed the Macintosh, so the Xserve changed Macintosh servers. The original device, powered by one or two G4 processors, was hardly a powerhouse but it did support four internal hard drives and came complete with FireWire, USB and a video output as well as a slot for an optional FibreChannel card
FibreChannel was the link to the Xserve RAID, which is where things got interesting. Launched a year after the Xserve, the 3U RAID had fourteen hard drive bays arranged in two banks of seven and gave capacities up to 10.5 TB using 750 GB drives. Using RAID 5 this resulted in two volumes each of just over 4 TB. The Xserve RAID was a beautifully-constructed device with dual redundant power supplies, memory backup batteries, redundant cooling units and twin (but not redundant) RAID controllers connected via Fibrechannel
The Xserve RAID lasted just five years. It was discontinued in early 2008 and Apple left the storage market to RAID vendors such as Promise. At times during its brief reign the Xserve RAID was the cheapest RAID per-Terabyte in its segment and it was robust and reliable
The Xserve continued but the pace of development slowed. Late models had twin quad-core Intel Nehalem processors. As with the desktop machines, the Intel-based Xserves were conspicuously quicker than previous G4 and G5-based units, but the last Xserves really flew
On January 31st 2011 the Xserve was discontinued. No migration path was outlined by Apple. The Mac Pro and Mac Mini-based servers continue but they’re not suitable for rack mounting and they lack server-grade hardware for 24×7 use. That leaves existing Xserve users with no upgrade path and with a problem. Given time it will possible for most Xserve users to work out how they will replace their hardware. For many a change in server OS seems likely but this brings a host of other issues – issues that have not been planned or budgeted for
An option chosen by one client of ours was to buy three second-hand, late-model, Intel-based Xserves and a spares package. Two will go into service to replace a G5 Xserve and a Mac Pro and the third will be setup as a spare. They are used to getting long life out of their hardware – their G5 Xserve has been in service since 2005 and is three years out of extended warranty. Their existing Intel Xserve replaced a G4 Xserve four years ago. The G4 is redundant but the G5 will live on doing other tasks
Our experience with the Xserve and Xserve RAID has been uniformly good. The hardware was well-constructed and reliable and ongoing costs for maintenance and software updates have been minimal. It’s difficult to compare it to directly competing hardware in other market areas but in terms of total cost of ownership the Xserve has been a big success for our clients
I’d expect to see the new/old Xserves in use, and reliable, for another 3-4 years and would not be surprised to see them there far beyond that. Stability and low ongoing support requirements outweigh performance considerations in most installations so there will be no clamour to upgrade for speed reasons. So why change?
Photos © Pete Welsch & NASA