Question: How are these new Workgroup Servers different from their predecessors?
Answer: Apple's enhanced line of PowerPC-based Workgroup Servers are different from their predecessors (the Workgroup Server 6150, 8150 and 9150) because the new products offer faster processors, high performance CD ROM, larger capacity hard disks, faster AppleShare 4.1 software, new bundled server software, and the new AppleShare Client for Windows.
Question: How much faster are the enhanced Workgroup Servers over their predecessors?
Answer: The enhanced Workgroup Servers offer faster processor speeds than their PowerPC 601 CPU predecessors: The 6150 runs at 66 Mhz, formerly 60 Mhz, the 8150 runs at 110 Mhz, formerly 80 Mhz, and the 9150 runs at 120 Mhz, formerly 80 Mhz. New higher capacity hard disks and quad-speed CD ROM players are available.
Question:What new server software comes with the Workgroup Servers? How much does it cost?
Answer: For Apple customers in the USA, Apple now bundles a server management tools for the network manager and productivity tools for the network user. For the network manager Server Manager from Santorini, Apple RAID, FileWave from Wave Research, and Retrospect Remote are included. For the network user Now Up To Date, Now Contact and Viper from IT Designs are included. The bundled software, included at no additional cost, brings a great deal of added-value to the Workgroup Server.
Question: What is the future of NuBus equipped Workgroup Servers?
Answer: Apple is building Workgroup Servers today to use the NuBus bus architecture to allow Workgroup Server customers to plug-and-play any of the hundreds of NuBus-based expansion options, including network interface adapters, WAN connectivity solutions, and publishing-related peripherals. As part of Apple's commitment to improve the performance of the server line, future Workgroup Servers will come equipped with the new high-performance PCI (Peripheral Connect Interface) bus adaptor. PCI-based expansion options are expected to offer throughput several times faster than equivalent NuBus-based cards. Apple will continue to sell NuBus-based Workgroup Servers as long as customers demand.
Vision Questions
Question: What is the compelling difference between a Workgroup Server and a Macintosh?
Answer: In the early 1990's Apple found that workgroups increasingly needed sophisticated network-based features to get their work done although they did not necessarily have an experienced network manager to run the workgroup's network. Apple Business Systems built a business around the Workgroup Server product family to deliver inexpensive servers that are easy to use and administer while offering high performance processors with high capacity disks, high reliability from bundled hardware (RAID, DAT Tape Backup) and software (Retrospect Remote), lifetime comprehensive customer technical support, and valuable bundled network management and client software. These features offer a compelling difference between a Workgroup Server as a network solution for workgroups and Macintosh for desktop computing.
Question: Will a Workgroup Server support services beyond those running on AppleTalk, such as IPX and TCP/IP?
Answer: Network managers in workgroups needing easy-to-manage network solutions may believe that they have to choose between TCP/IP, IPX or AppleTalk solutions. Ethernet or Token Ring networks allow TCP/IP, IPX and AppleTalk network transport protocols to coexist beautifully on the same network. AppleTalk-based network products and technologies are the easiest to use of any network standard. Apple customers find a whole industry devoted to delivering a wide range of supporting AppleTalk-based network products, such as routers, hubs, and network adapters. Consequently, Apple Workgroup Servers play an important part in providing workgroups with solutions that make use of the AppleTalk, TCP/IP and IPX network transport protocols. Workgroup Servers can speak all of these protocols to enable server applications to serve Macintosh and Windows users using any or all of the network protocols.
Question: How long will it be before you introduce even faster or more powerful Workgroup Servers?
Answer: Although Apple continues today to work towards even faster and more powerful Workgroup Servers, Apple customers need a longer selling cycle - usually up to six months - to evaluate and adopt server products over the rapid introduction of new Macintosh desktop systems. Delivery of the new AppleShare 4.1 demonstrates Apple's continued commitment to increase the value and performance of a Workgroup Server.
Question: How will Workgroup Servers provide more valuable services in the future?
Answer: Apple is building new services that deliver sophisticated network features to workgroups using Workgroup Servers. Apple's commitment to Workgroup Server customers will make these new services available at a nominal cost, sometimes at no cost. For example, the new AppleShare 4.1 server software is available to Workgroup Server 6150, 8150, 9150 customers at no cost to the customer. Apple is also working closely with developers to bring their client/server applications onto the PowerPC processor.
Question: Why will Workgroup Servers performance increase in the future?
Answer: Apple is developing optimized operating system technology and faster network application software to enhance the performance of Workgroup Servers. Apple's commitment to Workgroup Server customers will make these new services available at a nominal cost, sometimes at no cost.
Question: Will Microsoft Windows NT for PowerPC be available for Workgroup Servers?
Answer: Apple has made no announcement that Windows NT for PowerPC will be available for Workgroup Servers. Apple continues to evaluate the needs of customers in its core marketplaces.
Question: What products are entering the end of their lives and how will you support those customers?
Answer: Apple supports its customers with logic-board upgrades to Workgroup Servers that are entering the end of their life, including an upgrade from the Workgroup Server 9150/80 (or Quadra 950) to the 9150/120, from the Workgroup Server 8150 to the 8150/110, and from the Workgroup Server 60 or 80 (both 680x0-based servers) to the 6150/66 and 8150/110 respectively. Apple will offer System 7.5 and Apple RAID to Workgroup Server customers wanting to upgrade their system software for the existing Workgroup Server 6150, 8150 and 9150.
Apple will provide Workgroup Server 60 customers upgrades to the Workgroup Server 6150/60 until demand wanes. There is no upgrade from the Workgroup Server 6150/60 to the 6150/66 because Apple found it was not cost effective considering the small incremental difference in processor performance. However, Workgroup Server 6150/60 customers will see a tremendous performance increase when running the new AppleShare 4.1 software.
Question: What is happening to the Workgroup Server 95? Are you abandoning Unix?
Answer: Apple continues selling and supporting the Workgroup Server 95, the Workgroup Server that runs the A/UX UNIX-based operating system. Apple found that customers purchase the Workgroup Server 95 either as a fast platform to run AppleShare or as a Unix platform running applications such as Oracle7. AppleShare 4.1 on a Locomotion server is now the fastest AppleShare server. In 1994, Apple announced a strategic alliance with IBM under which Apple intends to offer AIX-based servers in the future.
Compatible Equipment Questions
Question: Which Windows machines are compatible with the AppleShare Client for Windows?
Answer: The AppleShare Client for Windows software is designed to run on any IBM PC 100% compatible with 80386, 80486 or Pentium processor and 4 MB of RAM, running Windows 3.1, 3.11, and Windows for Workgroups 3.11, equipped with network adaptor cards with NDIS 3.0 and ODI network drivers on ISA, MC, VISA, PCI, PCMCIA and EISA internal buses.
Question: Will the AppleShare Client for Windows run under Windows 95?
Answer: The Windows client software will not install on PCs running prerelease versions of Windows 95. Apple is planning to release a Windows 95 update after Windows 95 finally ships.
Question: Are previous AppleShare clients for Macintosh compatible with the new AppleShare 4.1 server software?
Answer: The new AppleShare 4.1 server software is backwardly compatible with previous versions of the AppleShare client for Macintosh. However, only the new AppleShare 4.1 client used with the new 4.1 server will provide increased performance. The AppleShare 4.1 server software is compatible with the AppleShare Client for Windows 1.0.
Question: Can I run AppleTalk-based network software on the same network as Netware applications?
Answer: You can run AppleShare using the AppleTalk-protocol, NetWare using the IPX-protocol, Internet services using the TCP/IP-protocol, and others using the same physical network if you are using the Ethernet or Token Ring standards. Modern networks like these let all protocols and services coexist beautifully.
Server Software Bundle Questions
Question: What software is now bundled with the Workgroup Servers?
Answer: Although the bundled software will vary by configuration, geography, market, and reseller, Apple USA customers will find a library of network software for the network manager and the network user. For the network manager Server Manager from Santorini, Apple RAID, FileWave from Wave Research, and Retrospect Remote (bundled only with DAT equipped Workgroup Servers) are included. For the network user Now Up To Date, Now Contact and Viper from IT Designs are included. The software is included at no additional cost.
Question: Is Apple bundling the complete version of each software product? What do these bundled software products offer to customer?
Answer: The bundled software is feature complete, as if the Workgroup Server customer purchased the stand-alone software product, with the following notes:
Apple RAID now provides software RAID level 0 and level 1. RAID level 0 is disk striping does not protect data but will improve disk performance in certain applications by writing data across two or more disks. RAID level 1 protects data by mirroring data to another disk drive. Since disks are vulnerable components, RAID can save customers from disk crashes.
Retrospect Remote supports Macintosh clients. Dantz is working towards a Windows client.
Santorini Server Manager, formerly GraceLan Server Manager from Techworks, comes bundled with AppleShare-based configurations. Server Manager allows a customer to manage their server locally or remotely. Server Manager includes automatic notification via beeper/QuickMail and tools to manage users and groups.
FileWave automates software distribution across the network and helps manage compliance with software license agreements. The bundled FileWave includes a license for 10 clients. Additional client packs are available from Wave Research.
Now Up-To-Date is a server-based calendar that provides scheduling and to-do list management. Now Contact provides network access to contact database and is integrated with Up-To-Date. These products ship with 10 user licenses. Additional client packs are available from Now.
Viper is a client/server application (similar to Apple's internal employee information DA Directory), that provides easy delivery of customer business information from a database on the server to clients across the network. For example, Viper could provide users with a common directory of employee phone numbers and addresses. The bundled Viper includes a license for 10 clients. Additional client packs are available from IT Designs.
Adobe Acrobat enables platform and application independent document publishing.
Question: How will Apple deliver documentation for the bundled software?
Answer: Apple will deliver the software and product documentation on a CD-ROM with the Workgroup Server. Adobe Acrobat reader will give access to on line documentation such as the Server User Guide and the Apple RAID user guide.