RAID is an “unadvertised” feature of IBM Lotus Foundations Start Server Appliance

Posted on by rgesteland Posted in Lotus Domino server, Lotus Foundations Start, Lotus Notes, SMB Server Appliance — 2 Comments ↓

A potential customer for IBM Lotus Foundations Start (LFS) server recently inquired whether the server appliance is able to support a RAID configuration.   At first, I thought that a RAID configuration was not supported.  However, after some research this is what I found out.

First of all, you may already know that the LFS server appliance advertises its inclusion of Intelligent Disk Backup (IDB) for true disaster recovery by taking incremental backups, as often as every 15 minutes, of all data and operating system and software settings.  However,  if the very unlikely event that the main hard drive fails for whatever reason, the server is only available in minimal operational mode until a full restore is possible.  Of course, a full restore can occur in minutes with a push of a button, but this can still be an inconvenience for a business in the middle of a business day.

If the LFS server appliance could also support a RAID configuration, then downtime could be drastically minimized with a hard drive failure.  After looking over the LFS administration manual, I was able to verify that a RAID configuration is possible.  In fact, with only a few clicks, LFS can put a RAID configuration into place quickly and easily. RAID 1 is supported if you 2 main drives of the same type, and RAID 5 is supported if you have 3 or more.  So, from the software standpoint, RAID is obviously supported.

If you look at the server appliance hardware specifications neither the Entry Level or Advanced Level servers from IBM make any mention of RAID.  Both server types come with one 250Gb main drive and a 500Gb (Entry) or 1Tb (Advanced) hard drive for IDB backups.  This is not a supported RAID hardware configuration.  So I inquired further.  What I found out was that you can add additional 250Gb hard drives to the standard server configuration to achieve RAID through the software configuration process.  You just need to specifically request the extra hard drives be added.

So, it appears, that RAID is an “unadvertised” feature of the LFS server appliance that will make this an even more appealing all-in-one-it-solution for SMBs!

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Computer Architechs adds IBM Lotus Foundations Start server into its growing portfolio of services

Posted on by rgesteland Posted in What's New — No Comments ↓

Computer Architechs International Corporation has added IBM Lotus Foundations Start server into its growing portfolio of services. Computer Architechs joins IBM in recognizing that small and medium-sized business from 5-500 users spent entirely too much time maintaining and supporting their IT environments rather than focusing on their businesses.

IBM Lotus Foundations Start (LFS) server helps solve an SMB’s IT support dilemma by being an affordable, easy-to-administer, all-in-one-IT-solution. LFS marries IBM’s proven track record with world class, reliable server technology along with state-of-the-art software to provide a software and hardware appliance that you just have to literally “drop” into a customer’s site.

The hardware that IBM supplies is an xSeries server that is part of their x3200 and x3400 family. However, the similarities end there. To make this a server that is truly easy to use, IBM has added an LCD panel that allows you to manage the server without a keyboard or monitor. Furthermore, IBM has integrated its Intelligent Disk Backup (IDB) technology right into the hardware allowing even the smallest of companies to benefit from true, disaster recovery backups and restores. To round out the hardware package, IBM has added one more technological innovation: a flash ROM drive that contains LFS’s operating system already pre-installed. This means that, even if the main hard drive fails, the server can still boot to the operating system to allow a one-button restore from the most recent backup to restore the server back to exactly where it was when the last backup was taken. In the event the most recent backup media is not readily available, since the server is booted, LFS can still function as file and print server and provide access to the Internet until a full restore can be accomplished.

The software that IBM provides combines email, calendar, contacts, firewall, anti-spam, anti-virus, file sharing, print sharing, vpn (office remote connectivity), office tools (that rival Microsoft Office), disaster recovery backup, website hosting into a neat and small business friendly interface. No more do all of the above-mentioned functions need to be managed separately by an internal IT person or an external IT consultant costing your company time and money. Once the appliance is turned on for the first time, it take just 30 minutes to install and configure all of the components. You are up and running in less than hour and can go back to focusing on your business.

If your office has two Internet connections, LFS will automatically failover from one connection to the other, if necessary. This way your office is always up and running on the Internet seamlessly. In most cases you won’t even know that one of your connections was down.

Finally, IBM has incorporated its self-healing, self-managing and self-configuring technology right into the operating system. You no longer have to be concerned about whether the anti-virus was updated or not, whether the OS has the latest patches, or if the backups are current. This is all managed by the LFS appliance automatically and behind-the-scenes.

If you are interested in the IBM Lotus Foundations Start server appliance for your business please contact us at 888-614-2197, e-mail us at lfs@www.caicorp.com, or leave us a request at the following URL: http://www.caicorp.com/contact-us

Computer Architechs approved to resell IBM xSeries servers

Posted on by rgesteland Posted in What's New — No Comments ↓

On September 11, 2009, IBM approved Computer Architechs International Corporation as an IBM xSeries server reseller. Now, Computer Architechs is able to resell IBM xSeries servers along with the IBM software we sell. This allows us to provide a more packaged solution to our customers seeking both hardware and software solutions. It also gives us the opportunity to provide IBM xSeries servers to those customers who may be seeking only a hardware purchase at any given time. This further enhances the portfolio of services we can offer our current and future clientele.

In addition, IBM’s approval to resell IBM xSeries servers rounds out our ability to introduce IBM’s newest software and hardware appliance, IBM Lotus Foundations Start server, to SMBs all over Southern California. IBM Lotus Foundations Start server combines a leading edge IBM xSeries server with a variety of crucial software components aimed at reducing the amount of time and money small and medium-sized companies spend on their IT infrastructure. These software components include email, calendar, contacts, file sharing, print sharing, disaster recovery backups, vpn, firewall, antivirus, antispam, office tools, website and more in a stable, reliable and easy-to-administer appliance.

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