Sun Cobalt Qube 3

Acquired by Sun Microsystems at the end of 2000, Cobalt Networks has always been a major player in the server appliance market and its products stand out thanks to an innovative signature design. The distinctive Cobalt Qube 3 is no exception and offers a complete intranet and Internet server solution in a compact cube measuring a modest 190mm to a side.

It certainly packs in a wealth of features, as the Qube 3 not only provides shared Internet access over cable, DSL, ISDN or analog modem links, but also adds SMB and AppleTalk file sharing, email, FTP as well as Web server services and basic firewall security. A number of optional extras are also available, depending on the model selected. The manual indicates that the Qube 3 accepts upgrades, and releasing a single screw at the rear allows the top cover and metal lid to be removed.

The basic Qube 3 is on review here and inside you'll find a 300MHz AMD processor teamed up with 32Mb of RAM, while a single 10Gb IDE Seagate hard disk looks after the Linux OS, Apache Web server and shared storage. A spare DIMM socket on the processor daughterboard accepts PC100 SDRAM memory, PCI cards less than 5.5in long can be fitted in the extra expansion slot and there's room for a second hard disk. Sun is vague about precisely what PCI cards can be installed, so it may be a safer bet to opt for the Qube 3 Professional Edition (£1,617 exc VAT) if you need extra facilities. This has a faster 450MHz AMD processor, 128Mb of RAM and a pair of 20Gb hard disks configured as a RAID-1 mirrored array implemented in software. This model also adds Web cacheing and Web access control.

There's plenty of action at the rear of the Qube 3, as it uses a neat LCD panel and control keypad for basic configuration and displaying network settings. Below is a 10/100BaseTX Ethernet network port and an RJ-45 WAN port for connecting a cable or DSL modem. A serial port is provided for adding a modem or ISDN TA (terminal adaptor) and there's even a USB port, although the documentation doesn't provide any enlightenment as to its uses.

Installation is a simple process and I had the Qube 3 up and running in a few minutes. If you're not using a DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) server, enter an IP address manually using the control panel and then the unit can be accessed remotely using a Web browser. The main administrator account is password protected, but if further protection is required you can request a SSL (secure sockets layer) encrypted link to the Qube 3.

Any number of user accounts can be created with a limit set on the amount of disk space they're allowed to use. Email aliases can be applied and users are able to modify their own accounts to forward messages to other accounts and to create an auto-reply message. The email server can be used for internal mail and for sending and receiving mail over the Internet. A schedule determines how often email is delivered, and it's possible to set limits on the maximum message size.

Once a suitable communications device has been attached, shared Internet access is only a few minutes away, and I tested this feature using a 56K WaveCom modem. Select your connection method from a drop-down menu, add your ISP details and the Qube 3 will run a quick test to check that all is well. Simple enough, but the facilities provided for controlling a dial-up connection are woefully inadequate, making the Qube 3 a good choice only if PSTN or ISDN is used as a backup support link to a LAN gateway or broadband connection.