Sonnet Launches xMac™ Mini Server Thunderbolt™ 3 Edition

Sonnet Technologies has launched the xMac™ mini Server Thunderbolt™ 3 Edition, the updated version of its award-winning Thunderbolt-to-PCIe card expansion system and rackmount enclosure designed exclusively for Apple Mac mini® computers. The xMac mini Server Thunderbolt 3 Edition features a dual-port Thunderbolt 3 interface that enables it to support the latest Mac mini computers, which now feature Thunderbolt 3 technology.

Inside its custom 1U enclosure — designed for use in 19-inch server, equipment, and portable racks — the xMac mini Server Thunderbolt 3 Edition securely mounts a Mac mini computer and connects two PCIe card slots to the computer through one of its Thunderbolt 3 ports. These slots support one full-height, full-length, single-width PCIe card, plus one full-height, half-length card (with space for a daughter card). One USB-A port and a power button mounted on the front panel enable operation of the system without requiring access to the back of the computer. Additional panel-mount cables (HDMI, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and USB-A) connect ports on the computer to ports on the back of the xMac mini Server for convenient external cable connection. A power hub provides a single connection to a power outlet for the computer and the PCIe card expansion system, while a removable top lid provides easy access to the computer and installed cards.

For numerous applications, a Mac mini with Thunderbolt 3 ports has more than ample processing power, but the computer’s compact size limits its potential uses, especially in pro audio and video workflows. The xMac mini Server Thunderbolt 3 Edition was designed to address the computer’s limitations — a lack of PCIe slots for expansion cards that provide additional connectivity and functionality and no easy way to be securely mounted in a rack — and enable it to match the extensibility of a full-sized computer.

With a Mac mini mounted in the xMac mini Server, it can harness the power of professional audio interface cards such as the Avid® Pro Tools | HDX, pro video capture and transcoding cards, as well as SAS and SATA HBA, Fibre Channel, 10Gb Ethernet, and RAID controller PCIe cards, creating a workstation replacement in the process. Mounted in a rack, the xMac mini Server makes the computer road-ready, enveloping it in a rugged steel enclosure and employing firm rubber cushions to hold the computer in place during transport.