Talk:Apple Network Server

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[edit] ANS vs. IBM?

Is it not the case that the ANS machines are simply re-badge IBM workgroup servers? Maury 14:50, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

No, that does not seem to be the case. Do you have any source that states that? -- grm_wnr Esc 21:22, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

I highly doubt either of you is still watching this page several years later, but for the record:

- The Apple Network Server is not a re-badged workgroup server. While much of the architecture is similar, IBM never manufactured an RS6000 that matches the ANS. - The architectural similarities are a consequence of the fact that the hardware platforms of both Apple and IBM at the time were based around CHRP (the common hardware reference platform), used PowerPC processors, industry-standard buses (e.g. PCI, SCSI) and Open Firmware. This was the case even with regular Macs of the era. - Apple also had designed the hardware to be compatible with IBM's AIX operating system, which they ported to run on the ANS. This was the only officially supported OS. - I don't have sources for any of the above; in fact, sources for all things ANS are kind of hard to come by. I've learned much of this from IRC discussions on IRC (including with some people who were Apple employees at the time), from meeting Apple employees directly, and from first-hand observation (I own four ANSen myself) - I plan to revive my shiner.info site at some point, and will try to include some of this information there. -Stian (talk) 01:48, 9 June 2008 (UTC)