Article from Technology Notes from Kintronics

A CD server attaches to the network so that many discs can be shared by everyone on the network at virtually the same time. It consists of CD/DVD-ROM drives, hard drives for caching (in some models), a special computer with operating system and a built-in Ethernet network connection, assembled in a tower or rack cabinet. Kintronics offers three types of CD Servers. The Turbo server uses the Axis Storpoint thin server. The TurboPlus uses the Allion thin server and the SuperTurbo uses the Avantis server technology.

By the way, does anyone remember the first thin server type CD Server? If you know the answer write us a "Letter to the Editor" and we'll share this information with all our readers.

All the CD Servers provide the following functions:

The CD servers also have unique features.

The SuperTurbo Server uses an Intel type processor and runs at over one GHz, making it the fastest CD Server available. Its major feature is its ability to allow almost any type of CD or DVD disc to be shared on the network. Special software is used to emulate a set of local CD-ROM drives in the workstation so that even discs that only work in the local CD-ROM disc drive will work with this server.

It is fast enough to provide concurrent video streams to a many users on the network and can even contain an optional Gb network card. The SuperTurbo contains CD/DVD-ROM drives and IDE or SCSI hard drives. It uses an embedded Windows NT (and soon Windows 2000) operating system and only works on Windows networks. This server can also be configured so that some of the storage is used for general file storage (NAS) as well as Read-only CD/DVD-ROM storage.

The SuperTurbo can hold up to 1,000 discs, and supports ISO 9660 format CD and DVD discs, CD/DVD Audio and CD/DVD-Video discs. It does not support published video discs that are encrypted, nor Apple HFS or UNIX discs.

The TurboPlus server, which uses the Allion thin server, includes an Intel type processor that runs at 450 MHz and uses the Linux operating system. The major feature is its ability to configure the hard drives in a RAID configuration. Besides acting as a CD Server the TurboPlus server can also be configured to provide general file storage. You can arrange some of the hard drives as Read-Only (CD/DVD-ROM emulation storage), and some as Network Attached Storage (NAS). Up to eight IDE type drives can be used in this model. You can select CD/DVD-ROM drives, hard drives, CD/RW-Recorders and DVD/RW-Recorders. The server will operate in Windows NT/2000, Apple and UNIX networks. It can operate in a Novell network, but doesn’t comply with the Novell 4.x and above Netware functions. It does not appear in the NDS tree. The TurboPlus can hold up to 1,000 discs and supports High Sierra (HSF), ISO 9660, Apple discs, Rock Ridge or Joliet extensions as well as CD/DVD-Audio. It does not support some non-networkable or discs that are required to be inserted in the local workstation disc drive.

The Turbo Server provides the most universal connection to various networks; working with Windows, Novell, Apple and UNIX network. The downside is that it doesn’t work with all types of CD-Discs, especially older children’s discs that need to be a local CD-ROM drive to operate correctly. The Turbo uses the Axis Storpoint thin server which contains a 32-bit RISC processor. RISC stands for Reduced Instruction Set Computer. This is a very fast and efficient type processor that executes instructions much faster than a standard Intel type processor. It uses the Linux operating system. It runs on a 100 MHz clock yet it is as fast as a 350 MHZ Intel type processor. A standard Storpoint contains 32 MB of RAM and can be expanded to 256 MB of RAM. The CD Server requires less RAM than a standard computer because it doesn’t perform all the functions of a general purpose server. It only has one job, to provide access to CD-ROM discs. The more RAM, the more users can access the Server at the same time. We usually ship CD Servers with 128 MB of RAM. This server supports CD discs with the following formats - High Sierra (HSF), ISO 9660, Apple discs, Rock Ridge or Joliet extensions. It does not support CD/DVD-Audio, CD/DVD-Video discs or some non-networkable discs.

To load a set of discs the user inserts a CD or DVD disc into the CD/DVD-ROM drive. As soon as the disc is inserted the server automatically copies the data to the built-in hard drive. When the copy process is completed the disc is ejected. You keep inserting discs until they are all stored on the hard drives. The Turbo server can hold up to 255 discs.

To learn more about CD/DVD Servers please contact us at 1-800-431-1658 or 914-347-2530 (outside the US). We can also be reached by email.