Intel today introduced a 2U storage server that can house up to twelve hard drives. Processing power is provided one quad-core or up to two dual-core Xeon processors. The storage server SSR212MC2 comes as a rack-mount system that is aiming to attract customers in the Network-Attached Storage (NAS), Storage Area Network (SAN) and application server segment. Besides the fact that the device can integrate a quad-core Xeon 5300 processor, Intel claims that it is unique because of the fact that it can support twelve 3.5” drives in a relatively dense 2U space.

With 750 GB currently the highest capacity available, the SSR212MC2 tops out at 9 TB capacity - which, however, will soon increase to 12 TB with 1 TB hard drives already knocking on our doors. The storage server supports both Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS, up to 300 GB per drive)) or Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives. Other features of the system include support for up to 32 GB of DDR2-533/667 memory, dual Gb Ethernet ports and an 850 watt power supply. Pricing, without hard drives, starts at $2800 with no RAID controller and $3600 with an available SRCSAS144e RAID Controller. Twelve 750 GB drives will more than double that cost and the addition of a quad-core processor and a memory upgrade will take the SSR212MC2 into the low five-figure range.