Sonnet xMac Pro Server PCIe 2.0 Thunderbolt 2 Expansion System

Expand and Enclose Your New Mac Pro
at the Same Time

The new Mac Pro has become the object of desire, but a lustrous finish hides its true beauty—the massive power within. If you're a pro user in the video or audio industries, the Mac Pro offers the power you need, but lacks the built-in expandability you count on. In order to achieve this engineering feat, Apple® designers stripped away components and space to a minimum, taking out PCIe slots and drive bays, and packed the remaining components into a small cylinder. Its compact size makes the new Mac Pro more transportable and rackable, but prevents onboard installation of PCIe expansion cards. In addition, the computer still requires an enclosure to make it road- or rack-ready and provide convenient cable management. Sonnet's xMac Pro Server PCIe expansion system/4U rackmount enclosure addresses these issues and increases a Mac Pro's potential in a big way.

Building on the concept of our award-winning xMac mini Server PCIe 2.0 expansion system/1U rackmount enclosure for Mac® mini, we designed a 4U rackmount enclosure exclusively for the new Mac Pro, and integrated the three PCIe 2.0 slots, 20Gbps Thunderbolt 2 technology, and expandability of Echo Express III-R Thunderbolt 2 expansion chassis for PCIe cards. Like the III-R, xMac Pro Server provides space for you to mount additional equipment, such as storage expansion. To support a wide range of popular mobile racks, carts and portable rack cases, xMac Pro Server is just 16" deep. The xMac Pro Server securely holds the computer and installed cards, making your Mac Pro fully rack- and road-ready.

Connect Up to Three PCIe Cards to Your New Mac Pro

Sonnet's xMac Pro Server supports three full-length PCIe cards. It integrates a universal 300W power supply and includes a 75W PCIe power connector for cards that require supplementary power, such as the Avid® Pro Tools|HDX or the new RED® ROCKET-X. Even with all that power, xMac Pro Server is enviro-friendly; it automatically powers the PCIe expansion system on or off whenever the connected computer powers on or wakes, or powers off or sleeps, respectively.

Key Features

Provides PCIe Card Expansion for Mac Pro—Use high-performance PCIe cards with your new Mac Pro

Makes Your Mac Pro Road-Ready—4U rackmount enclosure securely holds the computer and PCIe cards in place, adding mobility to your Mac

Three PCIe Slots—Supports three full-length, full-height, single-width cards, or one double-width card plus one single-width card

Thunderbolt 2 Interface—Maximum performance with Mac Pro, backward compatible with devices equipped with 10Gbps Thunderbolt technology

Power for High Performance PCIe Cards—Integrated 300W power supply provides plenty of power for any cards you install; 75W auxiliary PCIe power connector enables use of power hungry cards such as the Avid Pro Tools|HDX or the RED ROCKET-X

Provides Space for Installing Additional Devices—Using optional Mobile Rack Device Mounting Kits, you can install HDDs, SSDs, a tape or optical drive, and more inside the xMac Pro Server's enclosure

Remarkably Quiet—Temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans automatically and quietly cool the cards

Front Panel Operation, Rear Panel Connectivity—Front panel power button activates power switch on Mac Pro; USB 3.0 port enables connection of keyboard, mouse, thumb drive, etc.; two Gigabit Ethernet, three USB 3.0, and HDMI ports are mounted at the rear of the chassis for easy connectivity

Energy Efficient—Variable-speed fans automatically adjust to the unique needs of each configuration, and the auto power on/off feature ensures there is no energy wasted with cards powered on when the Mac Pro is sleeping or off

Supports Thunderbolt Expansion—Enables daisy chain connection of additional Thunderbolt technology devices when other Mac Pro Thunderbolt ports are in use

Every Thunderbolt-Compatible Card Supported—Works with every Thunderbolt-compatible PCIe card, regardless of length or height

5-Year Warranty Included at No Additional Cost—No extra charge for a 5-year warranty

Smart Design All Around

The xMac Pro Server has numerous thoughtful design touches. Its front panel mounted power switch turns the computer on and off without the need for you to reach around back. The front panel USB 3.0 port connects to the Mac Pro, enabling you to connect a keyboard, mouse, or thumb drive to the computer without having to access its ports from the back. Other Mac Pro interface ports are extended to the back of the chassis and mounted on the rear panel for convenient interfacing of the remaining connections: Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI, and USB 3.0 cables, as well as the power cord. Holes for cable ties enable you to secure cables inside, keeping them tidy while avoiding accidental disconnects. An included Thunderbolt cable connects your one of the Mac Pro's Thunderbolt 2 port to one of xMac Pro Server's Thunderbolt ports, linking the PCIe slots to the computer. Like the Mac Pro, xMac Pro Server's additional Thunderbolt port supports daisy chaining Thunderbolt peripherals such as additional PCIe expansion (like Sonnet's Echo Express III-R rackmount chassis), pro video breakout boxes, video capture and playback devices, audio I/O devices, and more. The xMac Pro Server includes adjustable and removable rackmount extension rails that allow the enclosure to be installed securely in a variety of racks from 16" to 26" deep.

Built for Speed

The Mac Pro includes six high-bandwidth Thunderbolt 2 ports to compensate for its lack of internal expansion. The original 10Gbps Thunderbolt on older computers interface provided breakthrough bandwidth for external expansion, more than sufficient to support the maximum performance of most PCIe cards. However, some high-bandwidth cards such as the RED ROCKET™, 16Gb Fibre Channel, multi-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and other bandwidth-hungry adapters require more than 10Gbps. Thunderbolt 2 technology removes this barrier by providing more bandwidth for demanding applications. The xMac Pro Server's 20Gbps Thunderbolt 2 interface takes full advantage of this increased bandwidth to ensure optimum performance from installed cards connected to the Mac Pro. If you need to connect a peripheral equipped with 10Gbps Thunderbolt, there's no problem—xMac Pro Server is fully compatible with earlier generation Thunderbolt devices as well.

Securely Enclose Your New Mac Pro and PCIe Cards

Constructed of heavy-duty steel, xMac Pro Server's outer enclosure provides secure mounting and protection for the computer and PCIe cards installed inside. Hidden behind a handsome front panel, both the computer and PCIe card expansion system reside in separate modules to simplify setup and maintenance, allowing you to work with the computer or cards individually. We know that your Mac Pro is a beautiful, gleaming cylinder, so we constructed a protective cocoon for the computer out of steel, and covered it with soft touch padding to hold the Mac Pro firmly in place while protecting its mirror finish. There is leftover space in the enclosure, perfect for mounting additional equipment such as HDDs and SSDs, a tape drive, optical drive, or even a Qio MR pro media reader.

Cool, Quiet Operator

The new Mac Pro's cylindrical core is topped with a single large fan that quietly and efficiently cools the computer, drawing in cool air through the bottom and expelling warm air through the top. Mounted on its side inside xMac Pro server, the computer's airflow path remains unchanged and unobstructed—full, independent airflow through the computer is maintained according to Apple's guidelines. The xMac Pro Server was designed to be remarkably quiet so that it can be comfortably used in noise-sensitive environments. The PCIe card expansion system is cooled separately with dual, ultra-quiet, temperature-controlled fans. Its fans vent warm air through custom Venturi openings with low form-drag grills, resulting in reduced air velocity, turbulence, and, consequently, fan noise. The fans are variable-speed, and the computer-modeled airflow management ensures that even hot-running cards and the chassis' components remain reliably cool without the need to install an extra PCIe blower card that would prevent the use of one of the three slots.

Every Thunderbolt-Compatible Card Supported

The xMac Pro Server supports three full-length PCIe cards, or one double-width, full-length card plus one single-width card, enabling it to support every Thunderbolt-compatible card available. PCIe 1.1, PCIe 2.0, and PCIe 3.0 cards are supported.

RED ROCKET Supporter

If you're a RED ROCKET, or RED ROCKET-X user, you already know that the card normally takes up two PCIe slots—one for the card itself and another for the BNC connector bracket (for HD-SDI output). Sonnet designed xMac Pro Server to accommodate the card/bracket pair in a single slot. The xMac Pro Server includes mounting holes designed specifically for the installation of two BNC connectors, enabling you to install the RED ROCKET card in one slot and its BNC connectors in the Echo chassis' mounting holes, leaving the two remaining slots open. The extra bandwidth afforded by the Thunderbolt 2 interface significantly increases the ROCKET's throughput, too.

Do you have a card in mind but aren't sure it's compatible with Thunderbolt? We've worked closely with PCIe card manufacturers to provide a list of compatible PCIe cards on our PCIe Card Thunderbolt Compatibility Chart. The chart provides an up-to-date list of cards that have been tested to be recognized over a Thunderbolt connection and compatible with Thunderbolt technology requirements.

Thunderbolt Cable Lock Included

Sonnet includes a lock that secures the Thunderbolt cable connectors in place when plugged into xMac Pro Server. It is easy to install and prevents accidental cable disconnections.

5-Year Warranty Included at No Extra Cost

There's no need for you to pay an additional 10–20% on top of the purchase price to extend the warranty period beyond one year—Sonnet backs xMac Pro Server with its Pro 5-year warranty.