IBM eX5 Servers To Offer Workload-Tuned Computing On x86 Platform

IBM today introduced new systems that offer more scalable, workload-tuned computing on the x86 platform. The company’s new eX5 servers are the result of a three-year engineering effort to improve the economics of operating enterprise-sized, x86-based systems.

The eX5 portfolio marks IBM’s second family of 2010 systems designed for a new generation of demanding workloads and to reduce costs of existing IT infrastructure. They are being previewed today at the CeBIT trade show in Germany and will be officially available later this month and throughout the year.

New systems alter economics of x86

IBM engineers have expanded the capabilities of the x86 platform by decoupling memory from its traditional place alongside the server’s processor, thereby eliminating the need to buy another server to support growing memory-intensive workloads.

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The eX5 systems take advantage of integration with IBM middleware to create a highly virtualised environment that can give users a flexible, scalable system that can reduce the number of servers needed while cutting storage costs.

Expanded memory

An IBM silicon innovation allows processors on eX5 systems to access extended memory very quickly. The IBM Enterprise X-Architecture chip is in its fifth generation with eX5 and leverages the IBM experience in integrating microelectronics to create silicon solutions.

Independent memory scaling technology, called MAX 5, offers six times more memory than is available across the industry today, which can allow clients to run 82 percent more ‘virtual servers’ for the same license costs* and reduce middleware and application expenses in the process.

Offerings to meet variety of price points

IBM will introduce three ultra-scalable eX5 systems in 2010 – the four-processor IBM System x3850 X5, the BladeCenter HX5 and the System x3690 X5, an entry-priced server capable of enterprise-class operation.

In addition to MAX5, IBM’s new eX5 systems feature additional breakthroughs that can improve the performance, cost and flexibility for x86 workloads:

O eXFlash -- a next-generation flash-storage technology replaces an older, generation of storage and can slash storage costs by replacing hard-disk drives and wires and cables.

O FlexNode provides physical partitioning capability to change from one system to two distinct systems and back again, allowing clients to run infrastructure applications by day and larger batch jobs by night on the same system for superior asset utilisation.

IBM’s Systems Director software management suite has been upgraded to support eX5 technology and will allow users to pre-configure servers, remotely re-purpose systems and set up automatic updates and recoveries. In addition, IBM is planning to offer simplified Lab Services to help clients migrate to eX5 systems and maximise virtualisation and database performance.

IBM Global Financing, the lending and leasing arm of IBM can help new and existing System x customers step up to the new eX5 technology with flexible financing offerings that include the upgrade, take-out and disposal of existing leased and owned servers regardless of manufacturer.

* _Comparison of a competitive two-socket system with 18 dimms capable of supporting 175 virtual machines vs. an IBM two-socket eX5 system with MAX 5 and 64 dimms capable of supporting 320 virtual machines. Based on sizing information performed in the IBM performance lab.
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