Apple courts workgroups

Struggling Apple Computer (AAPL) has launched two new servers that offer Web services aimed at the workgroup marketplace.

Apple made itself into a multibillion-dollar computing giant with desktops, but the company has long believed it could develop a significant server business by selling the computers that link desktops into the same accounts. The latest models, a 180-MHz 7350 and a 233-MHz 9650, are both based on the PowerPC 604e processor and run the Mac OS operating system. The new servers can include software for conducting Web-based file sharing and electronic mail, the company said.

The 7350 model includes 256K of L2 cache, 48MB of expandable RAM, and a 4GB hard drive. The 9650 offers 512K L2 cache, 64MB of expandable RAM, and three SCSI channels. Customers can choose from three server software bundles as well: an application server, AppleTalk server, or Web server suite of tools. Prices for the 7350 and 9650 start at $2,899 and $5,799, respectively.

The company also announced an updated suite of software for networks based largely on TCP/IP. AppleShare IP 5.0 includes IP and AppleTalk file sharing features, with support for FTP (file transfer protocol), a POP3/SMTP mail server, a Web server, and an AppleTalk print server.

The suite is included in the AppleTalk server software bundle that comes with the two new server models and also is sold separately at prices starting at $499.