Re: Jeez. What does that mean?
It means Apple thinks you can do everything with a Mac Pro or a collection of Mac mini’s. Your software will continue to run, obviously. But your hardware is becoming obsolete.
Rather than make Enterprise-ready 1U solutions, Apple wants to focus on the Mac Pro. The current Mac Pro is more powerful than the Xserve and has far more configuration options. The Mac Pro is cheaper and stronger and does not require custom parts.
For those of you who need a 1U computer, the Mac mini offers the size if not the strength of a Xserve. You can purchase 3 Mac Minis for the same price as a base-line Xserve. Two Mac Minis can be racked in 1U. Two Mac minis are not as powerful in every respect as a single Xserve.
I think Apple believes two things:
1) Most of its Xserve customers can be services with either a Mac Pro or multiple Mac minis.
2) Those that can’t are not profitable to support.
Short version: No more Enterprise-ready 1U Apple Server solutions.
PS: YVOD is certified to support Xserve. I am glad we did not build a business model around this hardware. This is yet another good reason to focus on software!