Infrastructure briefs

News and notes from the world of infrastructure.

MicronPC has launched a new series of Netframe servers that use Intel’s Xeon processors. The Netframe 1600, 2600 and 3600 servers replace earlier boxes, the 1500, 2500 and 3600, which used Pentium III processors. The Netframe 1600 and 2600 servers are 1U- and 2U- (1.75- to 3.5-inch, respectively) servers suitable for space-constrained enterprise-size businesses. The 3600 server is aimed at small to midsize businesses or workgroups of larger organizations. The Netframe 1600 has dual Intel processors, up to 12 G-bytes of SD-RAM, dual Gigabit Ethernet adapters and up to three hot-swappable SCSI drives. The Netframe 2600, also a dual-processor server, differs from the 1600 – it has up to seven drive bays. The Netframe 3600, available in pedestal or rack form, has dual Gigabit Ethernet adapters and up to 10 hot-swappable drives capable of handling more than 1.4 terabytes of data. Available now, the servers run Windows. The Netframe 1600 starts at $2,300; the 2600 starts at $2,500; the 3600 starts at $2,000.

Microsoft’s Bluetooth-compatible keyboard and mouse will be available across the U.S. by November, the company announced last week. Microsoft’s Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth includes a keyboard, mouse and transceiver. A more advanced and ergonomic mouse, the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer for Bluetooth, will be available separately. The transceiver connects to the PC via a USB connection and can link it to other Bluetooth devices such as PDAs and printers. Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology that lets devices interact without cables. A Bluetooth mobile phone could be used as a modem for a laptop or a desktop PC linked wirelessly to a printer in another room, Microsoft said. The transceiver has a range of up to 30 feet.