Compact networking appliance targets small-office UTM

By Eric Brown
2010-03-30

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Acrosser is shipping a low-power UTM (unified threat management) networking appliance that measures only 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches (210 x 150 x 33mm). The AR-N8601 is equipped with a Via Eden ULV 500MHz CPU, up to 1GB DDR2 system memory, three PCI-based 10/100 Ethernet ports, two USB ports, and CF and SATA connections.

The latest in Acrosser's line of "Micro Box Networking" appliances, the AR-N8601 is designed primarily for small-office networking security applications such as UTM, says Acrosser. Other suitable applications are said to include WAS (web access management), VPN, and anti-spam functions.

Acrosser AR-N8601, front and back

The AR-N8601 ships with the mature, low-power Via Eden ULV CPU, clocked at 500MHz, as well as a Via CN700 chipset, says Acrosser. The device comes standard with 512MB, but can handle up to 1GB of DDR2 system memory, says the company.

Equipped with a CompactFlash socket and a 2.5-inch SATA hard disk drive (HDD) bracket for storage, the AR-N8601 is said to offer three PCI-based 10/100 Ethernet ports, with PXE boot-via-LAN capability. Additional I/O consists of two USB ports, a serial port, and pinheader connections for VGA and PS/2 capability, says Acrosser.

The DC 12V-powered system is claimed to offer low power consumption. While we assume this to be true based on its Via Eden ULV basis, the company offers no typical consumption figures.

The AR-N8601 operates in temperatures from 32 to 104 deg. F (0 to 40 deg. C), and ships with a low-speed system fan, with "minimal noise," says Acrosser. A fanless version due in April is said to be optimized for extreme environments and supports CompactFlash storage only.

Specifications listed for the AR-N8601 include:

Processor -- Via Eden ULV @ 500MHz
Chipsets -- Via CN700 + 8237R plus
Memory -- 512MB DDR2 SDRAM (expandable to 1GB) via single 200-pin SODIMM @ 400/533MHz
Flash expansion -- 1 x CompactFlash socket
Storage -- 1 x 2.5-inch HDD bracket; 1 x SATA port
Display -- 1 x VGA onboard pinheader
Networking -- 3 x 10/100 Ethernet (Realtek RTL8100C); PXE boot from LAN
Other I/O:
- 2 x USB 2.0 ports
- 1 x RS-232 (DB9)
- 1 x KB/MS (pinhead)
Operating temperature -- 32 to 104 deg. F (0 to 40 deg. C)
Power -- DC 12V input
Operating system -- Linux 2.6.11 and 2.6.18; Fedora Linux 5/6/7/8; Windows XP

Availability

The AR-N8601 is available now, supporting Linux and Windows XP, says Acrosser, which did not list a price. The fanless, CF-only version will be available in April, says the company. More information may be found here.

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