NEC debuts higher-end Intel server

Through a partnership with Stratus Technologies, NEC has begun selling in North America an Intel server that can withstand hardware failures.

NEC signed a deal that lets it use Stratus Technologies' server designs, in which backup components such as CPUs run in lockstep with the primary components, able to take over almost immediately if the primary component fails. The systems require the Windows 2000 Advanced Server operating system.

NEC has sold these fault-tolerant servers in Japan but now has begun offering them in North America as well under the Expres5800/ft product name, the company said Tuesday. Available now is a $19,997 model with a single 800MHz Pentium III processor--plus a second CPU for backup. A dual-processor model priced at $21,975 should be available by the end of the year.

Stratus already began selling the NEC server under its own name in September. It also sells a four-processor machine, which arrived months later than hoped.