For years, Intel has supplied server building blocks to integrators and companies that build their own systems. In the months following the delivery of its new Xeon, Pentium III, and Itanium processors, Intel will distribute a new line of motherboards and chassis with features that match or exceed OEMs’ best efforts. The new motherboards boast unrivaled expandability along with integrated health monitoring and system management features that can keep a gang of servers running smoothly. If the motherboard senses trouble, it can dial a pager, send an alert to a LAN-based management console (e.g. Unicenter or OpenView), or notify an administrator via e-mail. It can reboot itself to recover from a software lockup or component failure. An administrator can manage the system remotely through the LAN or serial port, performing firmware updates, changing hardware settings, reviewing error logs, or cycling system power even if the system’s OS won’t boot. A new Intel software tool, dubbed SMaRT, works with motherboard hardware to diagnose common problems. When a part needs replacing, the software displays photographs and descriptive text matched precisely to the hardware being used, and it walks the user through the repair. The motherboards mount in pedestal (free-standing) and low-profile to high-profile rackmount chassis. The new cabinets are loaded with enterprise-friendly features. Each front panel includes bootable USB ports, a serial management port, and hot-swappable hard drive bays. An ID button at the front lights an LED at the system’s rear so you can identify a machine in a crowded rack. You can disassemble every system in minutes without tools — everything is secured by snaps or thumbscrews. Wherever possible, components can be replaced while the machine is running. Intel’s new server building blocks meet enterprise requirements while providing a reduced cost alternative to big-ticket hardware from IBM and Sun. Technology IndustrySoftware Development