Broadberry CyberServe X55-RS500 review

One area where Asus has really picked its feet up is with remote server management and the review system came equipped with the optional ASMB4 IPMI 2.0 controller. This postage stamp sized card plugs into a proprietary socket and activates the third network port at the rear for dedicated management access.

It provides a smart web interface offering full control over the server so as long as it has power supplied you can switch it on and off, cycle power and reset it. Access controls are particularly good as you can create groups of users and administrators, determine levels of access for each one and use AD authentication as well.

A notable feature is support is provided as standard for full KVM-over-IP control and virtual media. These allow you to remotely control the server, access the BIOS and OS and define devices on the host system as virtual boot media. If you want these features in a Dell, HP or IBM server you have to pay extra as these are considered optional upgrades.

The X55-RS500 delivers a good range of features for the price and Asus has clearly made some significant improvements in a number of key areas. If price is critical then it’s well worth considering but if you can afford it we recommend checking out Dell’s PowerEdge R610 as we rate this 1U server as the one to beat.