Atom-powered network appliance offers PCI and PCIe expansion

By Eric Brown
2011-06-24

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Norco announced a barebone, 1U rackmount network security appliance that supports Intel's "Pineview" generation of Atom processors. The FW-7874 offers up to 2GB DDR3 memory, PCI and mini-PCIe expansion, CompactFlash and SATA storage, and four gigabit Ethernet ports with LAN bypass, among other I/O.

The FW-7874 is designed for network security, firewall, intrusion detection system (IDS), and intelligent network terminals, says Norco. The device is said to support "Intel Pinveview-M/D" processors, an apparent reference to the mobile-oriented N450, plus the desktop-oriented D410 (single core) and D510 (dual core); it's unclear whether later Pineview-derived Atom processors may also be used.

Norco FW-7874

The FW-7874 is sold in a 1U rackmount box, but is based on a Norco FWMB-7874 motherboard, which does not appear to be available separately as of yet. The case is touted for its high-strength structural steel case treated with sand blasting and oxidation. The system offers shock resistance and a redundant power supply, says the company.

FW-7874, rear view

The appliance ships with up to 2GB of DDR3 memory, and features a CompactFlash socket for flash expansion. Although the figures in the spec table, description, and PDF manual don't always match up exactly, it appears that the system offers dual SATA ports, but only one is available via an external port.

Four gigabit Ethernet ports are available, with LAN1 and LAN2 both supporting bypass functionality, says Norco. A VGA port is provided as well as dual RS232 ports, although one of the latter appears to be on an internal header. Similarly one USB 2.0 port is provided, but five more USB connections appear to be available via headers.

The system offers both PCI and Mini PCI Express slots, as well as a PS/2 port, says Norco. Operating system support is said to include Linux, FreeBSD, Unix 5.0.5, and Windows 98/2000/XP.

Features and specifications listed for the FW-7874 include:

Processor -- Intel Pineview-M/D
Chipset -- ICH8M
Memory -- up to 2GB DDR3 RAM via 1 x DIMM
Storage -- 1 x CompactFlash socket
Expansion -- 1 x PCI; 1 x mini-PCIe
Networking -- 4 x gigabit Ethernet (Intel 82574L) with 2 x supporting bypass
Other I/O:
- 2 x SATA
- 1 x VGA
- 2 x RS232 (1 via header)
- 6 x USB 2.0 (5 via headers)
- PS/2
Other features -- power and storage LEDs; sand-blasted and oxidized steel case
Power -- 1U ATX-250W with five system fans; reduandant power supply
Operating temperature (preliminary) -- 32 to 140 deg. F (0 to 60 deg. C)
Shock resistance -- 0.5g rms/5~500Hz/ random operating
Dimensions -- 17.16 x 12.46 x 1.81 inches (436 × 316.5 × 46mm); 1U rackmount

Availability

The FW-7874 is available now, with pricing undisclosed. More information may be found on Norco's FW-7874 web-page.

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