Internet server appliance manufacturer and the latest hot property net stock Cobalt Networks has appointed Christchurch-based Insite Technology as its distributor in New Zealand.
The 130-employee Californian-based company has pioneered server appliances, which replace conventional multi-purpose servers with devices that are dedicated to a particular task, such as e-mailor web hosting.
A week ago when Cobalt issued an initial public offering (IPO) of shares at $US22 a share, their value rose on the first day of trading by more than five times to just over $128. The IPO raised $US110million for Cobalt, which was 40 per cent more than analysts expected, after an eleventh-hour hike in the issue price from $16 to $22 a share.
"Server appliances are a relatively new concept. The basic premise is to shield the user from unnecessary costs and complications," said Mark Dasent, Auckland branch manager of Insite technology.
Cobalt's range of server appliances start with the $2329 Qube2 - a distinctive blue 17.5cm cubed box - with ready-to-run internet applications and a version of the Linux operating system.
Each server appliance is installed simply by entering an Internet Protocol (IP) address on to a small LCD screen panel on the side of the box.
Other server appliances include the RaQ3i billed as "the foundation for an end-to-end e-commerce box". This server appliance includes 56-bit SSL security technology (shortly to be increased to 128-bit SSL) and has been adopted as a platform by Informix, Sybase and Oracle.
Desa Zraick, Asia-Pacific sales and marketing director, said that the company's RaQ rack-mounted servers were proving attractive to ISPs who were buying them by the hundred in the United States.
Two New Zealand customers were Netlink, which uses RaQ servers to power the Government's web site, and Clearview.
