RE: [cobalt-users] RE: Alternative Server Appliance Q&A

[Matt Godden <matt-cobalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jalon and all;

> also, aside from the current ruminations of a Cobalt implosion, can we
hear your pitch of cost/feature benefits over a Raq?

Here are some quick features that I think everyone can agree surpass the
Cobalt line:
- Build your own user levels, there isn't a system admin, admin, etc., you
decide what the user groups can do (5 emails, 6 auto responders, 2 websites,
3 FTP accounts = define these parameters yourself)
- Server hardware with appliance software... We're gearing up for 3.06ghz (I
even have someone from the list asking for it already) with a ton of
advancements that include things like 533mhz system bus, gigabit onboard,
and support for 200GB+ hardware RAID AT a medium-cobalt price point. When we
say you can put 1,000 hosting customers on this box, we mean it. 
- Virus Scan, Open API to integrate with various billing software’s (tight
integration with BillMax and a few others for you ISPs), Content
Acceleration, Clustering, Integrated IP Firewall, and the list goes on
- Customers receive dedicated support resources
- Spare in the air, included

One feature that I know will be of interest to many of you is our planned
Instant Messaging Integration. The client will be very similar to MSN
Messenger, AOL, etc. You will define which users in an e-mail domain have
access to IM, upon logging in the user will be provided a list of the other
IM users in the same domain name currently signed on. Your sign on name is
your e-mail address and password, your buddy list is your co-workers. This
feature will be available in approximately 90-days. Interoperability with
AIM, Messenger, and Yahoo will follow shortly after.

Here is a tiny screen shot of the beta client:
http://www.xoasisnetworks.com/products/turnkey.appliance-KTX2/presentation.p
hp?slide=11 (sorry for those of you in 800x600 desktop browsers, it is all
the way on the far right)

> what is the productivity/performance benefit of a voice-based setup?

It is our belief that the voice based setup probably has a brighter future
than the long-term LCD plans. LCDs are small and provide a somewhat tedious
method of entering information. Voice integration provides an unlimited
resource in terms of data entry, data report, and operational ability. For
example, the voice based configuration could report bandwidth usage on a
given site with the voice command "report ABC Corporation bandwidth usage
for the last 30 days", where as the LCD you might need to scroll down 20
different LCD entries before finding the information you're looking for. 

> How does it make money for me?

For one, the advanced productivity to the customer listed above. As I am
sure most can agree, there is a certain something about the twinkle in a new
users eye when he sees something space-age like voice integration, I’ve been
plugging data into tiny LCD panels for too many years. New technology
creates value for customers.

Thanks,
Matt Godden
Xoasis Networks
206-255-6343