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It's Hip to Be Square! Just Look at the QubeBy Laura Jean Does the mere suggestion of setting up a networking device make you feel boxed in and drawn out? Well, relax! Just as networking is becoming crucial for businesses and desirable in the home, Cobalt, thinking outside of the box, has come up with the Qube 3. And while using it requires more skill than the average bearer possesses, it manages to simplify networking matters considerably.
The Qube 3 family consists of three different models from which to choose: the base Qube 3 model, the Business Edition, or the fully loaded Professional Edition. Not surprisingly, the Qube is housed in a stylish cobalt blue cube measuring an almost symmetrical 7.5 x 7.63 x 7.75 inches. It weighs 8.3 pounds with one hard drive and 9.5 pounds with two. It comes equipped with:
 The small LCD and menu buttons, located somewhat inconveniently on the rear, are used during the setup process, in changing network configurations, and to power down the Qube.
Under the hood, the Qube is equipped with a 300 or 400 MHz Intel-compatible processor. It comes with 32 to 128 MB of memory depending on the model, and supports up to 512 MB using two DIMM modules of 256 MB each. The Professional Edition boasts dual hard drives enabling RAID-1 disk mirroring, while the other models contain single hard drives. A PCI expansion card slot is also included in all Qube 3 models. The Qube runs on the Linux operating system; however, there is no need to be a Linux expert to use the Qube because Cobalt has integrated a slick Web interface, the Cobalt Server Desktop, for communications between the user and the appliance. Developers can create custom Web-based applications for the Qube using Sausalito. Sausalito is Sun's software architecture that runs on top of Linux and provide developers with the tools to customize, modularize, and implement services quickly and deliver them to many users simultaneously through the Cobalt Server Desktop Web interface. The Qube 3 offers organizations an extensive array of services including:
The Qube 3 also includes standard maintenance (backup and restore), reporting (Web and disk usage), and active monitoring tools. Using the Qube 3 To use the Qube, you need a:
To set up the Qube, the primary network Ethernet interface connects to a LAN. The Qube can connect directly to the Internet either by way of a cable or DSL modem connected to the Qube's secondary network interface or an analog modem or ISDN connected to the serial port. Once you power on the Qube, you have the option of having the appliance configure itself automatically or manually entering the network settings. If there is a DHCP server on the network, it will assign the Qube network settings automatically. Otherwise, you can have the Qube auto-configure itself, in which case, the Qube 3 will establish itself as the DHCP server. Auto-configuration, however, cannot be used if there is already a network set up; in that case, you will have to manually assign the network settings. Once configured, the host name and domain name will be displayed on the top line of the LCD with the IP address on the second line. The rest of the setup process is completed online by typing in the IP address in the URL line and using a setup wizard that takes you through several easy steps, including entering users and groups if desired.
Once up and running, the Cobalt Server Desktop is used for entering network setting; enabling or disabling services; adding or deleting users, groups, and mailing lists; performing maintenance; or receiving system alerts. The administrator simply logs on, points, and clicks. While providing a simplistic interface, setting up the network and services correctly did require the knowledge-base of a network administrator, especially when integrating the Qube into an existing network. The normal day-to-day administrative functions, like adding new users, groups, and mailing lists; changing passwords; and reporting, however, are accomplished rather easily. From the user's point of view, the Cobalt Server Desktop also provides a simple way to access Web-based email, address books, email forwarding, vacation notification, and any other custom application that may be loaded on the Qube. Pricing Appliance Spotlight |
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The Qube 3 is a complete three-in one appliance that functions as an Internet server, intranet server, and secured shared gateway. It provides all the tools and applications a business needs to turn itself into a connected workplace. Out of the box, the Qube 3 has the ability to share files and documents across a network, handle email, launch Websites, and serve as a secure gateway to the Internet. The Qube 3 is targeted to meet the needs of small and medium size businesses, work groups, or even home networks. It supports up to 150 network users and can handle more than 35 million Web objects and 400,000 emails in a single day.
