Xserve (2009)

past Xserves, adapters are not included, and must be purchased separately.) The Xserve still does not have a video connector on the front, as is commonplace on other vendors' rackmount servers.

Storage options

The optional solid-state drive, commonly known as an SSD, does not occupy a drive slot, but is tucked inside the Xserve itself. SSDs offer excellent performance for random read operations, such as booting an OS or launching applications. Due to write-aging (a phenomenon endemic to all SSDs whereby their performance declines over time as blocks are written and rewritten several times), Apple recommends using the SSD as a boot drive, where write activity will be restricted to logs, virtual memory (swap), and lightweight housekeeping duties. If your Xserve accesses storage on a SAN or NAS, the SSD offers the enticing vision of a server without moving parts.

Long-time Xserve customers may be confused when configuring disks for their new Xserve: Unlike the prior two generations, with the new Xserve SAS (serial attached SCSI) drives are no longer listed among the configuration options. Indeed, Apple does not sell Apple-branded SAS disks for the new Xserve; customers who need SAS disks must instead purchase Promise-branded SAS disks in the Apple Store or from an Apple reseller. (Promise's SAS disks are available for both the Xserve and the Mac Pro, packaged in the drive carriers used by those respective computers.) These disks are not available as configure-to-order options, but as accessories that arrive in separate boxes and must be installed by the customer.

Apple says that Promise's SAS disks are a "natural fit" for the Xserve, considering the companies' existing partnership on the VTrak RAID system. That may be the case for Apple, but this bifurcated strategy leaves the customer on muddy ground. Apple's marketing discusses the Xserve's use of either SATA or SAS disks, describing how the server can use either type, and its Web site offers performance metrics using both architectures; only the fine print mentions that the SAS drives come from a different manufacturer.

Apple's warranty, including the three-year warranty uplift provided by the AppleCare Premium Service and Support Plan, covers only Apple-branded SATA disks. The Promise SAS disks carry a one-year warranty, and all warranty service or replacement of the SAS disks is performed by Promise. However, Promise does not currently offer any warranty uplift options for individual SAS drives; customers who order Promise SAS drives have no way to protect their investment beyond the default warranty.

In past generations, the Xserve stood out because it included everything you might need in the box with the initial purchase. It's bad enough that Apple no longer includes video adapters; foisting third-party SAS disks without a warranty uplift option is unconscionable.

Macworld's buying advice

Xserve's performance enhancements and improved power and heat efficiency combine for a compelling upgrade over previous models. Given that Leopard Server can't fully utilize the hardware's memory capacity, anyone who plans to use large amounts of RAM might want to wait until Snow Leopard is available this fall. Anyone who needs SAS disks and a long-term warranty should look to external storage solutions. For the rest of us, the 2009 Xserve is that rare upgrade that delivers on all fronts.

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