Pizza Box Computer
What is a pizza box computer
A pizza box is a rectangular box that houses a computer server. It is a horizontally hosted framework, usually along with several similar servers. The term “pizza box” is used because the server case closely resembles the slim size and shape of a pizza box, hence the name.
Pizza box computer. Pizza Box denotes a desktop PC case design. The shape of the box is reminiscent of this one, which is on the English pizza box. In computing, a pizza box is a type of box for computers or network switches.
History of the Pizza Box computer
The first computer of this style was Sun’s desktop workstations.Other common examples were NeXTstation from NeXT Computer and Macintosh LC from Apple.Over the years, the pizza box design has been superseded by the tower design (with the computer cases positioned vertically under the desk).
In the server realm, the term is colloquially used for 19-inch tech enclosure shapes and a height unit for shelf mounting.
What are the characteristics of the Pizza Box computer
The first computers whose box is generally called a pizza box were state-of-the-art computers. Like the Sun Microsystems workstations sold in the 1980s, especially SPARCstation 1 and SPARCstation 5. Other famous cases are SGI Indy, NeXTstation, Macintosh LC and Commodore Amiga 1000, all considered among the best computers of their generation.
The original design of the SPARCstation 1 includes SBus expansion technology, specially designed for this form factor; Expansion cards are small, especially compared to other expansion cards currently in use. Like VMEbus and are mounted horizontally instead of vertically.
IBM compatible PCs used with this type of PCI bus cage are limited to one or two horizontally mounted using a riser card or low profile cards. The density of computing power and the ability to stack pizza box systems also make them attractive for use in data centers.
The equipment was originally designed for the desk, it was placed on the shelves, which sometimes required cutting a part of the box to fit; The servers in that form factor are now designed to mount the racks.
Similarly, many companies have started developing high-end Ethernet switches in this top rack-mountable form factor.
Pizza box computer Benefits
The use of pizza boxes has decreased primarily due to the increase in desktop computers for ventilation and expansion.What brought the establishment of towers and monitors as a de facto standard.It continues to occupy a market niche in business-oriented branded computers (Dell or Hewlett Packard computers).
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