Despite the obvious need for a server-specific system in a business network environment it’s surprising how many small companies are still relying on a standard PC for these functions. IBM’s latest xSeries 100 Express is aimed directly as these users as it’s designed to provide an entry-level server solution at price they can afford. The system is offered in either Pentium 4 or D processor variants with prices starting as low as £360 (ex VAT).
These very same companies won’t want any hassle when installing the server and the 100 comes with plenty of help to get it up and running straight from the box. With IBM’s ServerGuide at the helm operating system (OS) installation couldn’t be easier as this bootable CD-ROM takes you through the entire process and helps set up the hard disks, create a system partition, install drivers and load your chosen OS. It’s a smooth process that can be left largely unattended after all the questions have been answered and if you have an IBM ServeRAID installed as we had, then the utility will also update its firmware and offer access to the ServeRAID Manager utility allowing you to set up arrays during this phase as well. Alternatively, if this is too much hassle IBM also offers an option with Windows Small Business Server 2003 preinstalled.
At this level of the server market you wouldn’t expect any server management tools but IBM includes its Director software suite. This is IBM’s standard management tool for all its servers, blade servers, workstations and laptops and it requires an agent loaded locally for the system to be remotely managed. For storing inventory details on the selected management system it can use existing DB2, SQL Server and Oracle databases or will install its own copy of Apache Derby. The main interface is reasonably well designed and provides plenty of information about monitored servers and details on critical system components such as processors, memory and cooling fans. You can link errors or failures to an impressive selection of event actions including email, network broadcast and SNMP traps.
Graphically, Director has always looked a tad unsophisticated when compared with the likes of HP’s Insight Manager and Dell’s OpenManage but the new v5.1 addresses this to some degree and also provides more alerting facilities. One feature we did like was the option to expand the main interface to include two more windows showing the various groups of managed systems and available tasks. From the centre pane you select a server and drag and drop its icon on a task which will automatically fire it up. It’s true that many SMBs won’t need this level of server management but Director is optional and available as a free download.
IBM reckons this server is built to last and we can’t disagree although it’s nowhere near as good as the company’s larger servers as the chassis isn’t as heavy or solid. There’s no physical security as the chunky sloping front panel can’t be locked in place and neither can the side panel. You get the customary DVD player in one 5.25in bay with a spare bay underneath. Note that the system isn’t fitted with a floppy drive so you’ll need to source a USB model if you want to use one.
Internally, the server presents a slightly cluttered landscape but access to all key components is generally unhindered. An easily removable disk cage has room for up to two drives and the system came supplied with a brace of 80GB Western Digital Caviar Serial ATA (SATA) hard disks. The motherboard has a couple of embedded SATA ports but these lie idle as the review system came equipped with IBM’s ServeRAID-7t controller card. This is actually a rebadged Adaptec AAR-2410SA four-port card which comes with 64MB of embedded cache memory. RAID-5 is supported but with room for only two drives you’re limited to mirrored or striped arrays.
For your money your getting a reasonable hardware specification as the motherboard is fitted with a 2.8GHz Pentium D dual-core processor. This is teamed up with 512MB of PC-4200 memory which can be upgraded to a maximum of 8GB. There aren’t a lot of expansion options as the board has a couple of 32-bit PCI slots, one of which is occupied by the RAID controller. The two PCI Express slots are likely to go unused as there’s nothing other than RAID cards that the target market is likely to want to install in these.
Thanks to a simple but efficient cooling system the 100 will be seen but most definitely not heard in a small office. The processor has a very solid active heatsink which pulls air across the hard disks and towards a large fan on the rear panel which shunts it out the back. The end result is a whisper quiet server.
”’Verdict”’
For an entry-level server IBM is offering the SMB a reasonable proposition. Build quality isn’t up there with its bigger xServer brethren and expansion is more limited but the xServer 100 Express comes with a good specification for the price and particularly good remote server management tools.
The freely available Director software is designed to manage any IBM system with the appropriate agent installed.
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The main interface can be expanded and jobs initiated simply by dragging and dropping the server’s icon onto the selected task.
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Providing they have the remote control agent installed remote systems can be controlled from the Director console.
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The ServeRAID controller is Adaptec based and comes with its own management software.
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