OWC and DIGLLOYD offer ultra-high-performance MPG Pro Workstations

2010-03-31 • SEND FEEDBACK |
Related: backup, hard drive, Lloyd Chambers, Other World Computing, RAID, SSD

I’m pleased to announce a new service relevant to questions I get nearly every day, and of one of keen interest to my consulting clients.

OWC and DIGLLOYD offer ultra-high-performance Photo Workstations

March 31, 2010 — DIGLLOYD MacPerformanceGuide.com (MPG), a leading resource on Mac configuration and performance optimization, and hardware vendor Other World Computing (OWC) are pleased to announce a new computer upgrade service, the MPG Pro Workstation™.

This service, provided by OWC, reconfigures a stock Mac® Pro and delivers a ready-to-use workstation with enhanced performance and reliability features, based on research and testing detailed at Mac Performance Guide. Customers can reconfigure an existing computer they already have, or arrange for a new one (the Apple Mac Pro is the only system supported initially, others to follow). The MPG Pro Workstation targets Photoshop® and Lightroom® users, professional photographers, graphic designers, and audio/video producers, but is suitable for anyone with high performance and reliability requirements.

Not only are these systems specified for top performance, but, in perhaps an industry first, each system ships only after a rigorous 8-hour burn-in test to ferret out and fix faulty components before the customer gets the equipment.

“The MPG Pro Workstation concept embodies the recommendations for enhanced productivity that we’ve been making for years at Mac Performance Guide, but instead of having to figure out how to assemble and configure one of these Macs on your own, set up RAID, etc., now OWC’s turnkey service just gets the job done,” explains MacPerformanceGuide author and researcher Lloyd Chambers. “My consulting clients have been asking for this service for a long time, and I’m delighted to see OWC make this cost-effective service available!”

Performance features of the MPG Pro Workstation include the fastest, high capacity SATA drives on the market, the strategic use of solid state (SSD) drives to enhance the responsiveness and reliability of the computer, the strategic use of RAID to promote efficient work and/or fault-tolerance, the addition of eSATA to speed external backup, rational choices about RAM, and numerous OS X configuration details.
In addition, the MPG Pro Workstation also incorporates key reliability features:

1. System software and applications are cleanly separated from data storage, so that failure of the system drive leaves the main data storage volume unaffected. This separation facilitates backup, data migration and future system upgrades.

2. A pre-configured, dedicated Time Machine backup volume protects against user and software errors as well as drive failure of the system and data volumes.

3. To protect against natural hazards (theft, fire, flood, etc.), a disciplined external backup strategy is also encouraged and facilitated by the design of the MPG Pro Workstation. First, the system is configured so everything that needs to be backed up is centralized in an obvious place. Second, the added eSATA interface makes the actual backup discipline as painless as possible.

4. All MPG Pro Workstations are subjected to a demanding 8-hour burn-in process of the CPU, RAM and hard drives, all under maximum load before being delivered to the customer. This stress test is far more severe than most users will ever demand of their systems in regular use, and any faulty or weak system components are likely to be detected and replaced ahead of time.

“The MPG Pro Workstation concept encapsulates a turn-key, trustworthy computing tool for the most demanding Mac users, whose needs are not well served by the one-size-fits-all configurations found elsewhere. Anyone can order one of these upgrades and save hours of work and aggravation, experiencing a computer that really does what they need it to. Our upgrade service does all the grunt work so customers don’t have to, whether a customer upgrades an existing system, or obtains a new one,” says Larry O’Connor, of OWC.

Three upgrade configurations are offered, based on feedback from hundreds of photographers and other professionals. Each MPG Pro Workstation is configured and tested to-order, and can be fully customized. Optional consulting is also available directly from Mac Performance Guide author Lloyd Chambers to walk customers through choosing the right configuration and backup strategy based on their particular needs.
For details, including technical specifications and ordering process, please visit:

consult
Press contact: Lloyd Chambers (press@diglloyd.com).

About Mac Performance Guide
MacPerformanceGuide.com publishes performance-oriented guides, equipment and software reviews, including the indispensable Optimizing Photoshop guide.
MacPerformanceGuide.com also publishes diglloydTools™, testing and diagnostic software that includes DiskTester, the de factor standard in testing hard drive and RAID performance, MemoryTester for stress testing Macs, and IntegrityChecker™, for verifying file integrity.

About Other World Computing
Other World Computing as been providing quality hardware products and support to the computer industry since 1988 and features one of the largest online catalogs of computer, iPod, and iPhone enhancement products through its e-commerce portal www.macsales.com. As a Premiere Level Apple Developer Connection member, OWC also provides extensive US based technical support for Macintosh users around the world as well as Interest access via www.fastermac.net and www.owc.net.