Toshiba Serves Up a Small-Biz Appliance

LAS VEGAS -- Toshiba believes no business is too small to need a server, so it's targeting small and home-based businesses with a new server appliance announced here at Comdex.

The Magnia SG10 is Toshiba's first stab at the multifunction server appliance market. The company didn't announce a price for the base unit yet, but it will "be very competitive" with similar products from Cobalt and IBM, says Brian Foster, senior product manager. Toshiba plans to ship the first units in early 2001, he says.

Geared for businesses with as few as 10 employees or as many as 25, the unit will include the features most small businesses require--right out of the box, Foster says.

Toshiba won't release details on the unit's hardware set, but its planned features include e-mail and printer management, an Internet connection (via modem or broadband and an existing Internet service provider), a firewall, local network management tools, Intranet, cross-platform data sharing, Web caching, and advanced data backup.

Despite all those capabilities the unit will be very easy to use, because it's targeted at someone "more concerned about running their business than a server," Foster says.

Simple Setup

Business owners who want to set up the server on their own can do so through a simple Web-based interface, Foster says. It will be a straightforward procedure.

For small business owners who prefer to leave server setup to others, Toshiba will offer fee-based services to set up and run the server, Foster says.

Using Toshiba technologies and services combined with local resellers, a new owner will be able to arrange installation services, remote administration, and health monitoring, he says.

Toshiba will also offer fee-based access to a variety of Internet-based services such as Web hosting, domain name registration, e-mail services, Internet-based backup, and online training, Foster says.

Don't Forget the Wireless

Of course, Toshiba would be remiss to announce a product at Comdex and not mention this year's favorite theme: wireless connectivity.

The company plans to offer either Bluetooth or 802.11B functions in the appliance by launch. Right now it appears base-level technology issues will prevent the unit from using both wireless technologies at once, he says.

The appliance's Bluetooth software, from Red-M, will let you connect your notebook PC or other wireless devices seamlessly with the server, he says. (See "What in the World Is Bluetooth?")

Toshiba was among the first notebook companies to offer an optional Bluetooth PC Card to work with its popular notebook lines (see "Toshiba Brings Bluetooth To Market.")

Using the wireless technologies will also be a simple process, Foster says. "You'll be able to pull it out of the box and have the server recognize the wireless notebook, too," he says.