[Juan Madrigal]

The issue is that it will be harder to justify Apple based server solutions and desktops without the Xserve.
The Mac Pro and Mini “Servers” are not adequate solutions, they were not designed for the server room.

There’s a great write up on Macworld: https://www.macworld.com/article/155501/2010/11/xserve.html

As far as the times being tough, Apple is doing pretty well and can easily support the Xserve. If they refocused on making out of the box solutions built on Final Cut Server, Quicktime Server, Podcast producer and other server tech along with proper marketing and support they can do very well.

Out of the box solutions for the following come to mind:
– Video on demand/Web Streaming (with a web front end/CMS)
– Final Cut Server/XSAN (node based workflows to push to other services aside from mentioned; think Vantage)
– Lecture Capture/Learning Management System integration
– Digital Signage
– Easy to use Render farms
– Going after Exchange Server and Active Directory
– Improved Mac Desktop Management
– Xgrid
– Smart Classroom design/Room Control
– Complete solution for Point of Sales with a web front end

[Juan Madrigal]

A new order of 50 is waiting to go through in the purchasing department. They might be cancelled with news though.

[Juan Madrigal]

That’s one of the biggest misperceptions. The ones that depend on the Xserves are the clients who connect to it.

10,000 may be sold per quarter but, the figure that should be looked at is the amount of clients that connect to each Xserve that is sold.

Why is this important? Well in order to support a large deployment of Mac desktops you need Xserves to properly manage them and provide vital services.

Large deployments of Mac desktops depend on the Xserve. Without an Xserve it is difficult to justify purchasing large amounts if Mac desktops which will hurt Apple sales.

Apple needs to develop more complete solutions around the Xserve an properly market them in order to take advantage of this halo effect in the enterprise. So yea many DO depend on the Xserve. Instead if counting Xserve sales count the clients that each Xserve supports.