Apple also released benchmark data that it claims shows Xserve's merits over servers from Dell Computer, IBM and Sun Microsystems. Apple claims that running the Apache server, Xserve can support 60 percent more connections--4,051 per second vs. 2,547 per second--than the IBM eServer x330. Apple also claims that using the four-drive configuration, Xserve provides sustained throughput of 110MB vs. 70MB for Dell's PowerEdge 1650.

"The results of the benchmark tests indicate that the product has some competitive position with IBM, Sun and Dell," Technology Business Research analyst Tim Deal said. "It…adds credibility for any market Apple wants to get into--but certainly the corporate market."

Xserve's most important role for Apple could be bolstering the company's position in digital media streaming.

"The majority of (digital) content is created using QuickTime," said Gartner analyst Paul-Jon McNealy. QuickTime is Apple's media creation-and-playback technology that competes with RealOne from RealNetworks and Windows Media from Microsoft.

But most of that content is then converted to the competing formats, which have more market share than QuickTime. The competing formats mean that consumers must use multiple players if they want full access to all the streaming content on the Web.