While mainly a workstation board, the new ASUS P8C WS
motherboard also incorporates server readiness, and can
be used in high end standard desktop builds.
The P8C WS utilizes the workstation-specific Intel C216
chipset, and supports Socket LGA1155 Intel Xeon
E3-1200/12?5 v2 processors. These features allow for
accelerated OpenGL performance. The board is Independent
Software Vendor (ISV) certified, and enables optimized
output with Intel integrated graphics. Popular
workstation applications such as AutoDesk AutoCAD 2013
and Inventor 2012 all tap the performance of the P8C WS.
Users get more flexibility and choice with the P8C WS,
which natively accommodates both Intel Xeon E3-1200
series server and workstation processors and mainstream
Core i3 2nd/3rd generation processors. Additionally,
users can opt for unbuffered non-ECC DDR3 memory or
server-grade unbuffered ECC (or error-correcting)
memory.
The P8C WS ships with four USB 3.0 ports - two on the
front panel, and two on the back. To make the most of
the advantages offered by USB 3.0, ASUS USB 3.0 Boost
technology supports the newer UASP (USB-Attached SCSI
Protocol), increasing maximum USB 3.0 speeds by up to
170%. USB 3.0 Boost also automatically detects the best
USB protocol for every connected device, ensuring
optimal data performance.
Twin Intel Ethernet ports cut down on CPU utilization
while increasing bandwidth and packet transmission
rates. This hardware LAN configuration works with
several operating systems, including Windows, CenOS, and
Ubuntu. The onboard Intel 82574L controller features
VMware certification for native virtualization
technology support, allowing users to more readily
create virtual systems.