Dell computer rack

Network Attached Storage (NAS) has been touted as an ideal storage system for Windows NT/2000 administrators since it scales quickly with minimal fuss. Dell Computer decided to use Microsoft's Windows 2000 Server Appliance Kit for its forthcoming line of PowerVault NAS devices. Bruce Kornfeld, product manager for PowerEdge, believes Windows 2000 is the appropriate product for the middle to high end of Dell's NAS line.

Deanne Hoppe, lead product manager for embedded and wireless products at Microsoft, says all of the relevant functionality from Windows 2000 is available on NAS devices created with the Server Appliance Toolkit. But to make the devices lightweight and secure, Microsoft and its OEMs remove unnecessary portions of the operating system: "We turn off the services that are irrelevant," Hoppe Dell and Micro-soft believe the streamlined appliance makes an ideal storage appliance.

Remote access features are crucial to future Windows 2000 NAS appliances. Rather than attaching a monitor and keyboard to the device, administrators will be able to access the device through remote access windows or through a browser-based administration page.

Microsoft offers a toolkit to develop network appliances for a variety of tools. The Server Appliance Toolkit offer GEMS operating system modules fox assembling the functionality necessary fox dedicated devices. In addition to NAS devices, Microsoft promotes the toolkit or creating dedicated Web server appliances, simplified servers for small business, and backup and recovery appliances for workgroups.

Hoppe says partnering with OEMs for the NAS space is a strategic opportunity for Microsoft. "We have seen a great deal of demand for Windows 2000 in fixed function devices," Hoppe says.

Appliance vendors often target administrators with mid-level skill sets or too many responsibilities to spend valuable time configuring dedicated servers. Windows 2000, with its user-friendly GUI, fits perfectly into a space where devices come preloaded and preconfigured. Windows 2000, of course, is not the only operating systems in me NAS market.

Microsoft's nemesis Sun Microsystems has also acknowledged the importance of NAS. In September, Sun announced that it would buy Cobalt Networks, a creator of Linux-based, entry-level NAS and file server appliances.

Dell also offers a Linux-based NAS device for the low end of the market. Its Powervault 705N is a 1U rack-mountable NAS that can hold 120 GB to 240 GB. Dell's Kornfeld believes Windows 2000 is more appropriate for the middle and high end of the market.

Steve Duplessie, senior analyst at Enterprise Storage Group, is not sure Windows 2000 is the best fit for NAS appliances. "Windows has never proven to be a good embedded appliance operating system," he says. "There's just way too much baggage." Although Dell and Microsoft will turn off many features of Windows 2000. Duplessie believes that it is too big and clumsy for an appliance.

On the other hand, Duplessie says Windows 2000 may be attractive to OEMs such as Dell who have many product lines focused on Windows. The NAS option expands current product lines and reinforce the vendor's relationship with Redmond.

One advantage Windows 2000-based NAS devices may have over devices using Linux or proprietary operating systems is the familiarity of the operating system and attendant services. Dell and Microsoft have not finalized what services will be enabled on the line, but OEMs can deploy much of Windows 2000's advanced functionality, including IIS 5.0, Network Load Balancing, and Microsoft Cluster Server.

PowerVault is not Dell's first implementation of the Server Appliance Kit. In April, Dell and Microsoft announced that the toolkit would be used for a Web server appliance. The PowerApp.web appliance server allows simplified management of midlevel Web infrastructures. IBM announced a similar device.

Dell ioins Compaq in the Windows 2000-based NAS space. Compaq announced its product, the TaskSmart N-Series, in August.