Lenovo brings ThinkPad design to small servers and desktops

Updates to ThinkServer and ThinkCentre lines due in July

Lenovo has announced new servers and desktops for small and medium sized businesses built around the design principles used in the company's ThinkPad laptops.

Lenovo will release the entry-level TS130 and TS430 ThinkServer models and the ThinkCentre M71e desktop system at the end of June through the channel and via direct sales.

The new systems have been reengineered to be simple, robust and easy to use along lines suggested by the ThinkPad, the firm said.

"When someone buys a ThinkServer, the Think heritage is quickly visible in the design and engineering," Andrew Jeffries, worldwide product marketing manager for ThinkServer, told V3.co.uk.

"The systems are nicely configured, with tool-less features and better usability. A small business owner, without the luxury of a dedicated IT department, can open it up and get it running very quickly."

The new servers are built around Intel's second-generation Xeon E3-1200 processors. The $499 single-socket TS130 is designed as an entry-level server with RAID storage and a small footprint, allowing its use in retail and small office sectors.

The $699 dual-socket TS140 is designed for larger companies, or those running database applications or e-commerce software with high uptime requirements. The server has a dual power supply for redundancy and up to 16TB of hot-swappable storage in eight drive bays.

The servers have full integration with Intel's AMT 7.0 manageability tools, which allow remote support, patch management, remote operating start up and other features to allow outsourced IT departments or channel partners to keep the systems running.

"This takes manageability into areas it has not reached before," said Jeffries.

The $529 ThinkCentre M71e desktop system is built around Intel's second-generation Core i3,5 and 7 processors and is designed for general enterprise use with low power usage and password management tools.