Xserve RAID is a attachment mass-storage server that was offered byApple Inc.
Xserve RAID held up to 14 hot-swappableUltra-ATA hard drives, and had a capacity of 10.5 TB when filled with 750 GB modules. Xserve RAID supportedRAID levels of 0, 0+1, 1, 3 and 5 in hardware, hybrid RAID levels such as 10 and 50 could be created in software.[1] It wasrack-mountable and was 3U high.[1]
Although the Xserve RAID contained 14 drives, they were split into two independent groups of 7 drives each managed by an identical RAID controller. Importantly, the controllers were independent, but not redundant; each managed seven of the storage array's fourteen drives, given a failure of one of the controllers those 7 drives were not accessible: the other could not take over its duties. Xserve RAID did, however, have redundant cooling units and power supplies. Xserve RAID's ports were twoFibre Channel ports for regular data transfer, a10/100 Ethernet port for remote management, and a serial port forUPS communication via theSimple Signaling Protocol.
Apple marketed Xserve RAID mainly as a companion toXserve infile server andhigh-performance technical computing applications. The storage array is also useful in some environments such asnon-linear video editing. Also, Apple certified Xserve RAID for use with some other vendors' servers, such as those runningWindows Server 2003 orRed Hat Enterprise Linux. Due to the cross-platform support available, users do not need a Mac to administer the Xserve RAID. Apple shipped a CD-ROM with the device containing the Xserve RAID Admin Tools, aJava software application that runs on most operating systems — includingOS X,Windows,Linux, andSolaris.
Xserve RAID was available in models costing betweenUS$5,999 and US$10,999[2][3] (later US$12,999),[4][5] plus configuration and support options.
The Xserve RAID was discontinued on February 19, 2008.[6]