Francis Chu

Sun Microsystems Inc.s latest server appliance, the Cobalt Raq 550, is an inexpensive and easy-to-use product that provides Web hosting and application services for small to medium-size sites in a compact 1U (1.75-inch) form factor. The Raq 550 is the Cobalt product lines first major new release since Suns acquisition of Cobalt Networks Inc. in […]

I recently had the opportunity to look at Proxy 4.0, the newest client-side remote-control software from Funk Software. I found Proxy 4.0 to be a solid upgrade prospect, providing simple remote support in enterprise help desks or call centers. Networking administrators can also take advantage of these remote-control offerings to trouble-shoot problematic PC clients from […]

OmniCluster Technologies inc.s SlotShield Firewall 3000, the first firewall on a card that eWeek Labs has seen, allows companies to save space and power by providing a complete firewall appliance in the form of a PCI card that easily plugs into installed server systems. Although the SlotShield might not replace high-end Gigabit Ethernet firewall appliances […]

eWeek Labs tests have shown that server blade systems will provide performance scalability, plug-and-play serviceability and management advantages over industry-standard server systems. However, blades are not the only path to these benefits. IT departments considering blade systems should not make a final decision until theyve also evaluated the return on server virtualization investment. Server virtualization […]

Traditional third-party server management solutions are not adequate for handling the headless server blade environment, but F5 Networks Inc. and Jareva Technologies Inc. are readying tools that have the potential to provide better management and provisioning of blades. F5s Big-IP Blade Controller software, released late last month, can bring traffic optimization features to blade implementations. […]

Two New Systems Most IT managers today are still in wait-and-see mode when it comes to implementing server blade systems. However, eWeek Labs tests show that two of the newest blade server systems on the market—the ProLiant BL10e from Hewlett-Packard Co. (formerly from Compaq Computer Corp.) and the ServerBlade 800i, from RLX Technologies Inc.—might coax […]

As my recent tests showed, Caw Networks WebAvalanche 4.0 appliance stands out from competing network stress testers because it can simulate real-world testing scenarios better than the rest. The WebAvalanche appliance creates client profiles that mimic Internet problems such as packet loss, connection resets and bandwidth limitations. In doing so, it provides IT managers with […]

Dell Computer Corp.s latest high-end four-way server, the PowerEdge 6650, packs cutting-edge processor technology into a 4U (7-inch), rack-optimized package. For sites that need the heaviest-duty server their money can buy, the PowerEdge takes some of the pain out of the purchase with a low entry price and robust scalability prospects. The PowerEdge 6650, which […]

SOHO users who need to migrate information from their old PC to a new one have an ally in Detto Technologies IntelliMover 3.0 PC migration software released by Memorex Products Inc. IntelliMover, which will ship this month priced at $49.99, helps users move application settings and files from one PC to another via its proprietary […]

Storserver Appliance Serves Up Net Backup”> Sites looking for a self-contained backup system should consider StorServer Inc.s S Series 10000 appliance, which provides network backup, data archiving and disaster recovery. Although StorServer calls this an appliance, and it does provide appliancelike ease of use and quick rollout, the S10000 is actually a server running backup […]