The BrontaStor 822R-E4 promises an alternative to both rack-based servers and traditional NAS offerings, being a server designed for SME customers inside self contained NAS-style housing.

It carries an Intel Xeon E3-1200v3 processor, up to 32GB DDR3L memory, 12 hot-swap storage bays (8 RAID, 2 backup or expansion, 2 SSD), 4 PCIe expansion slots and IPMI 2.0 out-of-ounds management.

Power comes through single or dual redundant gold efficiency 460W power supplies.

The rack power distribution unit (PDU) market will not shift towards Open Compute Project product specifications IHS reports, but customisable data centre infrastructure might grow in popularity, even in the mainstream market.

IHS attributes 15% of 2012 rack PDU revenues to customised product sales, and expects the number to grow during 2013.

The Open Compute Project suggests "open source" is the most efficient and economical way of building data centre infrastructure-- meaning all hardware designs should be publically available in the hopes of creating a platform for open dialogue and innovation.

First results for the project can be seen in the custom-designed servers, racks, power supplies and battery systems found in Facebook's Prineville, Oregon data centre.

The Digitus Wall-Housing-Series by Assmann allows for storing of IT equipment, even in the smallest spaces.

The series comprises practical housings for networks, sub-distribution and floor-distributors, suitable for all common IT- and telecommunication hardware components. For particularly flexible handling and space saving, the housings can also be operated from the sides and are easily mounted to the wall by the especially solid rear panels.

The compact wall-mounted housings are available in sizes ranging from 7 to 16 rack units (RU). A 7 RU housing, for example, is only 15.82" high, 23.62" wide and 17.71" deep. Neat and space-saving storage for switches, patch panels and other 19" - components. Read more...

It might be arguably late to the software-defined networking (SDN) party, but Cisco is bullish as it reveals Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI), and the Nexus switch lineup supporting it.   

The technology comes from SDN-focused "spin-in" Insieme Networks, one Cisco now wholly owns following the acquisition of the 15% it didn't. The price for Insieme acquisition could reach up to $863 million. 

Anyway, back to ACI. Cisco promises the technology will unify all IT components (networking, storage, compute, network services, applications, security) within a shared architecture. So far so SDN, even if Cisco promises it goes "beyond" mere networks. It consists of the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), the Nexus 9000 switch portfolio and an enhanced version of the NX-OS operating system.  Read more...