Extensis unveils digital server

Extensis has unveiled Portfolio Server 9.5, a version of its digital asset management software, designed to help small businesses and corporate teams locate and access large collections of photographs, graphics, documents, and videos, says PC World.

Portfolio Server 9.5 provides a central place to find and use files with consistent metadata information, either via a Web browser or with desktop software.

This new version offers simplified set-up options and new Web client features for viewing and selecting files.

Mainframes will continue to be favoured by new and existing users as vendors such as IBM listen to their feedback and integrate solutions into the platform, notes ZDNet.

A Gartner analyst reckons that mainframes are likely to face increasing pressure from x86-based servers in the next five to 10 years.

Errol Rasit, principal research analyst at the research firm, says in the case of dominant mainframe vendor Big Blue, its System z revenues "have been stable over the last decade" despite products such as x86-based servers coming into the market.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has unveiled a low-cost, entry-level server for small businesses that bundles advanced features in a small package, writes Network World.

HP's ProLiant MicroServer is targeted at small businesses and is an inexpensive alternative or even complementary product to blade or rack servers, said McLeod Glass, director of marketing at HP.

The server bundles a number of server-specific features into a micro tower with dimensions of 10.5 by 10.2 by 8.3 inches.