ISPPlanet Cache Review Series - Compaq TaskSmart

Product Support
The TaskSmart includes a three year limited warranty with toll-free technical support and software maintenance updates at no extra cost. A CarePaq extended support option provides one-time hardware installation, extends the warranty duration, and promises 4-hour on-site problem response. We found Compaq's support staff quick to respond, proactive, and persistent. But Compaq must ultimately rely on Novell for NICS problem diagnosis and correction, and this can lengthen problem resolution.

Final Words
The TaskSmart C-Series tries to meet the needs of both novice and expert cache administrators. Newcomers will find its "appliance" packaging and configuration comfortable, but a little pricey. Experienced admins will appreciate the TaskSmart's extensive management features, particularly in large networks. It is comforting that the problems we encountered have already been resolved, but disappointing that they were not immediately identified from a "known issues" list. Overall, we believe Compaq has successfully leveraged its server market pedigree to differentiate the TaskSmart from other NICS-based products.

 

TaskSmart C2000R $20,750 (as tested) Compaq Computer Corp. Houston, Texas http://www.compaq.com/tasksmart

Introduction/Under the Hood	Tuning Cache Behavior
Getting Started	NICS Monitoring
Where to Use the TaskSmart	Integrated Management
Configuring the TaskSmart	Compaq Insight Manager <
Defining Cache Services	Product Support/Final Thoughts