Sources citing new 1U rack-mount server in Apple labs

Industry contacts have recently reported on sightings of a new pre-production Apple 1U rack-mount server residing in Apple's Cupertino-based hardware labs. The tips arrives amongst wide-spread rumors that the company will finally bear the fruits of a G5-based XServe project during the month of January.

One question of concern regarding the rumored revision pertains to form-factor design. With each G5 processor consuming over four times the wattage of a comparable G4 chip, Apple's choice of enclosure will have a critical impact on the success of the project. Speculation that the G5's power consumption might force the company to transition the enterprise-level servers toward a larger 2U or 3U enclosure have been wide-spread. Meanwhile, Apple has declined to acknowledge the mere existence of a G5 XServe project, leaving insiders and analyst to base reports on nothing more than hearsay.

AppleInsider sources could not confirm that the mysterious server represented the next-generation G5 XServe, but did offer a brief description of the unit. According to single account, the 1U-based server encompasses 3 drive bays, as opposed to 4, separated by two circular openings on the front of the chassis. Sources theorize that the openings represent air inlets or ventilation ducts responsible for aiding in the cooling of the dual-chipped G5 server.

Presently, no further information on the project is available.