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Sonnet Announces New 4U Enclosure to Rack Mount Two Mac Pros

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Mounting and organizing options for heavy duty Mac Pro users continue to grow since the new machine's launch at the end of last year, with Sonnet now announcing a new rack mount enclosure capable of holding two Mac Pros. The new enclosure is an additional option to go along with the enclosure and expansion chassis the company announced last week.

rackmacpro.jpg
This time, the Sonnet Rack Mac Pro allows users to rack mount one or two Mac Pro machines in a 4U space. The unit includes a front panel power button with USB 3.0 port for each machine, plus a second USB 3.0 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and an HDMI connector on the back of the rack for each Mac Pro.

There are no rear Thunderbolt ports because, Sonnet says, there are no panel-mount Thunderbolt connectors available. There is, however, room inside the rack for Thunderbolt cables to be attached, and the company says it is "fairly easy" to directly connect Thunderbolt cables and they can be secured to the Mac Pro so they can not be accidentally unplugged.

The Rack Mac Pro also supports the mounting of Thunderbolt to Fibre Channel adapters like the Promise San Link2.

Pricing is expected to be $599 to rack mount a single Mac Pro, with an add-on to mount a second Mac Pro available for $299. Availability is likely to come in June alongside the previously announced combination enclosure and expansion chassis.

Article Link: Sonnet Announces New 4U Enclosure to Rack Mount Two Mac Pros
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/02/sonnet-rack-mount-mac-pro/
Scarpad

Scarpad

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Jan 13, 2005
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Kinda kills the point of them looking unique, No ?

Which begs the question did they ever need to look that way. The individual or company that needs the power of the pro don't need it to look like a work of art, they just need it functional.
 
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Sammilux

macrumors newbie
Jan 8, 2014
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Apple innovates Mac Pro from box shape to cylinder for aesthetics, and you put two of them back in a big box.
Functionality? Maybe.
Aesthetics? Duh.
 
M

mrhick01

macrumors 6502
Sep 22, 2008
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Scarpad said:
Kinda kills the point of them looking unique, No ?

Which begs the question did they ever need to look that way. The individual or company that needs the power of the pro don't need it to look like a work of art, they just need it functional.
Click to expand...

They cannot sell "functional" by the hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even the tens of thousands.

A third party has provided a solution that Apple will allow that provides such functionality. Sonnet can be profitable with this with a lower volume of sales.
 
D

danielsutton

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2011
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mrhick01 said:
They cannot sell "functional" by the hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even the tens of thousands.

A third party has provided a solution that Apple will allow that provides such functionality. Sonnet can be profitable with this with a lower volume of sales.
Click to expand...

It does not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on top of an already pricey machine simply to rack-mount it. Apple needs to release new dedicated rack-mountable hardware.
 
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9947273

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Oct 28, 2012
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I'll be surprised if they can move one of these things of the shelf. I see a very small purpose for the single mount option, but I wouldn't think anyone would have two MP's in a rack, and why does it cost this much?
 
Lucky736

Lucky736

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Jan 18, 2004
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danielsutton said:
It does not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on top of an already pricey machine simply to rack-mount it. Apple needs to release new dedicated rack-mountable hardware.
Click to expand...

So it makes more sense to spend hundreds of millions if not more, when they didn't quite make out the first two times they tried it, designing, setting up manufacturing, marketing, and everything else that goes with selling and SUPPORTING yet another model? :rolleyes:

NEWS FLASH: The market and people who require this setup don't care what the machine looks like, they care what it performs like.
 
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ChrisA

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Jan 5, 2006
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Cali Fornia said:
Hahaha $599/$898 for what exactly? xD
Click to expand...

I'd guess these are NOT mass produced in China. You are paying for a very low volume semi-custom product.

Have you priced an empty general purpose 4U chassis lately? Cutting, bending and assembly of high quality aluminum chassis is not cheap. Try hiring a machine shop to do it for you.
 
NY Guitarist

NY Guitarist

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Mar 21, 2011
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Speaking of aesthetics I would prefer that the lettering on the Mac Pro be parallel with the top/bottom. :D

But for making a Mac Pro suitable for mobile rigs this looks fine.
 
C

cube

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May 10, 2004
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And how many 12-core CPUs could fit in that space if functional computers were used instead?
 
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melendezest

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Jan 28, 2010
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danielsutton said:
It does not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on top of an already pricey machine simply to rack-mount it. Apple needs to release new dedicated rack-mountable hardware.
Click to expand...

I agree.

Apple doesn't. I believe they will never release a rackmount version.

With the new Mac Pro, Apple shows it only cares for a subset of the "Pro" market.

Road warriors have to "suck it" with devices like this.

I just don't understand their mentality sometimes. (Lately, most of the time)
 
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Cali Fornia

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Feb 27, 2012
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ChrisA said:
I'd guess these are NOT mass produced in China. You are paying for a very low volume semi-custom product.

Have you priced an empty general purpose 4U chassis lately? Cutting, bending and assembly of high quality aluminum chassis is not cheap. Try hiring a machine shop to do it for you.
Click to expand...

Are you serious? Still, this is way to expensive. The material input might be quite minimal, so that $300 would still be enough.
My guess is simply that companies, who are going to be the main customers of these products, will not care much anyway. Supply – Demand.
 
laurim

laurim

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Sep 19, 2003
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09sroyal said:
I'll be surprised if they can move one of these things of the shelf. I see a very small purpose for the single mount option, but I wouldn't think anyone would have two MP's in a rack, and why does it cost this much?
Click to expand...

In live show work, we almost always have a "Main" and "Backup" computer. This would be perfect for that. Slips into a rack with the other A/V components and makes the MacPros essentially impossible to steal when we're not on site.

Just because you don't know what pros use MacPros for, doesn't mean a market doesn't exist. For Sonnet to go through the trouble to make this, THEY understand the market.
 
O

Osnabrueck

macrumors member
Feb 9, 2010
71
1
I do motion/video/fx for large productions and travel with my gear all the time.

There's a great practical utility around the MacPro's form factor. For the first time I can easily pack my rig into a carry-on bag. This is a huge deal for me since I'm often asked to render AfterEffects projects on location just hours before showtime.

I'm in the minority, but for me the new Pro has opened up a ton of options for what I can execute while on the road without the hassle of checking in my gear in a tuff case.

Add to that - this rack mount solution is a good approach. We always use redundant machines on location, in case one goes down during a performance.
 
H

H2SO4

macrumors 603
Nov 4, 2008
5,651
6,937
Lucky736 said:
So it makes more sense to spend hundreds of millions if not more, when they didn't quite make out the first two times they tried it, designing, setting up manufacturing, marketing, and everything else that goes with selling and SUPPORTING yet another model? :rolleyes:

NEWS FLASH: The market and people who require this setup don't care what the machine looks like, they care what it performs like.
Click to expand...

So called 'Professionals' are more fickle than you think and so are the consultants that showcase new products for them. Lots of people that need something to enable them to make a living care about aesthetics. I can't fathom why it's thought that these Pros are above mundane things such as what something looks like. It may not be the be all and end all but lets stop the patronising yes?

Looks and basically what someone just wants are often major factors in a lot of purchase decisions, be that consumer or professional.
 
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