Marvell has launched a computer server the size of plug
that can be plugged in to power home and small office
networks.
The
Marvell
plug computer connects to an existing network using Gigabit
Ethernet. This type of device eliminates the need for an always-on
PC to power the network.
The Marvell plug computer is designed to be left plugged into a
wall socket at all times. Marvell said it draws less than five
watts under normal operation on average, compared to 25-100 watts
for a PC being used as a home server.
The platform is built using Marvell's Kirkwood series
system-on-chip design with a 1.2GHz Marvell Sheeva CPU processor,
512Mbytes of FLASH and 512Mbytes of DRAM.
The plug also features a 2.0 USB port to allow users to run
applications that require a hard disk or other peripheral.
Users can deploy the plug computer for media sharing or for
backup services, said Marvell.