Users can still access the remaining storage devices even with the failed system offline. There are numerous thin-server vendors coming from various backgrounds in the industry. Mylex Corp., a familiar n ame in RAID storage, has entered the NAS arena, and industry giant Hewlett-Packard Co. has launched its own line, based on Axis' StorPoint server. In selecting a server, administrators should consider a lengthy list of points, whose importance for their particular needs may vary. Most servers handle NT and Unix protocols, but some do not provide NetWare support, which is not often mentioned in their sales material.
Some vendors even market their devices specifically as intranet Web servers.
This can make a difference in long-term cost. Because a thin server is typically a single board, upgrading a device to faster Ethernet is impossible. Novell networks can take advantage of burst mode if the thin-server device supports it. Burst mode delivers eight or more packets of data for a single request from the client. NT does not have a burst mode and imposes a significant delay in data transfers.