I have written several times before about the benefits of a caching solution while deploying large numbers of client updates and new applications. One of the issues I was having with the multi-workload test and deployment workloads of AC100 was the 8GB of RAM it shipped with. In a non-virtualised world, 8GB is more than enough for the typical Microsoft ForeFront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) deployment, especially considering the way that in memory caching works with TMG.

During the week I was able to take the AC100 out to my favourite supplier for PC components, Altech, to test out some of the different 8GB ECC modules they had in stock, and am pleased to report that we found a winner – KVR1333D3E9S-8G. With two of these, the server is now running with 16GB, which will open up the testing and deployment options, especially with the Exchange on premise requirement of the new Mobile Device Management (MDM) capabilities coming in Windows Intune.

From look of things Altech are looking into the possibility of building out a similar specification device to the AC100, which I will more than happily test drive if given the opportunity. Knowing Altech, it will be maxed out in every way possible, making it a delight for those who are hardware junkies that need to satisfy their desires.