Gateway launched five network attached storage devices this week that feature Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 and a choice of Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron processors.

The new rack-mounted storage servers are the E-9422R; E-9425R, E-9522R, E-9525R and the E-9520T. They can act as file servers hosting files, or as local print servers.

Customers include the Poway Unified School District in California, which is using a Gateway storage system for disaster recovery for its elementary and middle schools, as well as its administrative center.

The servers cover both rack-mounted and tower designs, and include hot swappable, high-capacity SATA or SAS hard drives, and cooling and power options. The servers are equipped with Gateway Lights Out system management, which allows servers to be remotely shut down, re-started, and managed.

Pricing for the new products start at $2,549.

A relative newcomer to storage, Gateway is best known for its home PCs. Though Hewlett-Packard and Dell sell more units overall, a recent study by national market research firm MetaFacts found that Gateway led other computer makers in the 18- to 24-year-old category.