Spotlight searching should come from OS X Server as it has a Spotlight Server in the forthcoming Leopard version.

I can't see why XSAN would need to support Spotlight itself. I would like to see iSCSI support. Fibre is just too expensive (although a good performer) and many companies want to rip it out and wait for 10G ethernet.

ZFS support would be nice in a future update as well. Since XSAN is based on Quantum's StorNext I think these features may show up.

-- Distributed LAN Client enables applications on the LAN to access a
shared pool of storage faster, and with a higher level of resiliency,
than most traditional network sharing methods can provide. Using
clustered gateways for access and an optimized communication protocol
for performance, LAN Client not only extends data sharing but also
delivers enterprise features such as load balancing and transparent I/O
failover.

-- Data Reduction Storage is a specialized tier of disk that uses data
de-duplication to reduce a customer's data footprint, saving money by
lowering capacity requirements and enabling data to be retained on fast
recovery disk for a much longer period of time. Quantum has pioneering
data de-duplication technology, a fundamental enabler for storage
applications in backup and archive. StorNext is the first product of
its kind to include such intuitive, user-specific data reduction
technology.

-- Dynamic Resource Allocation increases uptime by enabling online service
operations. It allows customers to scale their storage -- adding new
storage capacity or transparently swapping out disk arrays during
hardware upgrades -- while the system is active.

Apple will certainly add in some Apple flavored goodness but the de-dupe features are welcome (Windows Server equivalent is called Single Instance Storage) and I suppose the distributed LAN could be melded with Bonjour since Bonjour now works across subnets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hmurchison

Fibre is just too expensive (although a good performer) ...

Oslo, Norway - June 13 2007 - Tandberg Data ASA
has entered into an agreement with Apple adding
four new products for Mac OS X. The Magnum 224 LTO-
4 Fibre Channel Tape Library, The Magnum 448 LTO-4
Fibre Channel Tape Library, the VXA-320 Firewire
Tape Drive, and the VXA-320 Firewire 1U Tape
Autoloader are designed to work seamlessly on the
Mac OS X platform. The new products will be
available this summer and will include backup and
recovery software, providing Apple customers a
variety of feature-rich data protection solutions
at industry-leading prices. In addition
StorageLoader LTO-3 for the Mac OS X platform is
made available through the Apple Store.

Yes, this rings true. They are looking to hire Storage QA personnel.

I think that Fibre will hold on until the price of 10G bottoms out which may coincide with Intel adding it to a future workstation chipset (ICH10 is rumored)

I heard a rumor that it now supports wireless streaming to your iPhone...

Couldn't resist, sorry