Silicon Systems has launched a server aimed at the print and pre-press market, which it claims smashes the price performance barrier by using the Linux operating system and standard PC hardware.


"Our aim was to build a graphics server with the features of an SGI Origin for a fraction of the price," said managing director Robin Horsley. "It wasnt possible until very recently. The main barrier was the need to use Unix," he said.


The Wokingham firm, which specialises in servers for the graphic arts market, has been supplying SGI servers to large repro houses and printers since it was founded in 1997.


"It has gone from 25,000 to under 2,000 for an entry level price," said Horsley.


"Until now, there has been no way that smaller print companies could get this performance."


The SSL-1225 competes on price with Mac OS X and Windows NT servers but is claimed to have higher performance and reliability.


It comes in a secure ventilated cabinet. A typical configuration would include a 100BaseT or Gigabit Ethernet router, uninterruptable power supply, RAID and tape back-up.


Contact: 0118 377 6060.