• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

New IBM High-End, Intel-Processor-Based Server Provides Customers With Choice and Flexibility

Posted on: Monday, 10 November 2003, 06:00 CST

IBM today announced a new Intel(R)-based server and released the results of crucial benchmarks that solidify IBM's leadership in providing value and choice to customers in the high-end, Intel-processor-based server market. The new IBM eServer xSeries 455(R) offers customers the capability to run transaction-intensive workloads with Intel-processor-based, 64-bit performance.

The IBM eServer xSeries 455 is based on industry-leading Enterprise X-Architecture(TM) (EXA), the IBM technology that helps enable Intel-processor-based servers to scale to new levels with mainframe-inspired technologies. IBM is the first major server vendor to manufacture a system that scales from 4-way Intel Itanium(R) 2 processors to 8-way, on up to 16-way by adding affordable building blocks of 4-way nodes. Those building blocks of 4-way nodes include processors, I/O expansion and up to 56 GB of memory to help maintain a balanced system. In this way, the eServer x455 can double or quadruple processing capacity, allowing customers to easily increase capacity within the 64-bit environment as business demands require.

"Today's expansion of IBM's eServer line exemplifies our commitment to customer choice and to delivering server technology matched to customers' critical business needs," said Doug Oathout, director, IBM eServer xSeries Products. "Our 'pay-as-you-grow' model for server scalability is perfectly aligned with the customer mandate to do more with less as they optimize and consolidate their server infrastructures. The x455 is the right choice for IT administrators seeking a reliable solution when performance levels are variable or unknown, helping prevent costly mistakes and protecting investments."

The eServer x455 leverages all features associated with the proven Intel Xeon(TM) processor-MP-based eServer x440, including IBM's EXA, rack-dense packaging and storage drives. The system also adds the benefit of 64-bit data addressing for transaction-intensive database and enterprise resource planning (ERP) application workloads. The eServer x455 complements existing Microsoft Windows and Linux server environments with top performance in a small, scalable package.

"IBM continues to deliver enterprise-level performance and reliability using its eServer technology built upon Intel Xeon processors MP and Intel Itanium 2 processors," said Richard Dracott, general manager, Enterprise Marketing & Planning, Intel Corporation. "The new xSeries 455 and the Enterprise X-Architecture technology will help accelerate the adoption of Intel Itanium 2-based servers for Windows and Linux environments."

Benchmark leadership from IBM

IBM reinforces its leadership in the high-end, Intel-processor-based server market with new results on leading industry-standard benchmarks:

 --  The fastest 4-way performance for an Intel Xeon processor-MP-based 
 server on the TPC-C online transaction processing benchmark. The eServer 
 x445 performance result is 7 percent higher than results posted by HP and 
 Dell. (1) 
 --  The best 16-way SAP Standard Application SD two-tier result on 
 Microsoft Windows, running SAP(R) Standard Application Sales and Distribution 
 (SD) Benchmark, using SAP R/3(R) Enterprise Release 4.70 (2) 
 --  Strong performance for a 4-way Intel Itanium 2 processor-based server 
 on the two-tier SAP SD Benchmark, SAP R/3 Enterprise 4.70 (3) 

Additional Product Features for the IBM eServer x445

IBM also announced a new option kit for the eServer x445 that upgrades its remote management capabilities. The Remote Supervisor Adapter II now supports servers based on the IBM XA-32 chip set architecture, delivering up to five times the graphics redirection capabilities of the first-generation offering and allowing remote control from any standard Web browser. The faster performance, virtual CD and virtual floppy disk-drive capabilities mean systems administrators can truly run "lights out" data centers, managing their servers through local graphics consoles and storage devices.

General availability of the eServer x455 begins December 9. Price starts at $21,999. The Remote Supervisor Adapter II is available as an upgrade of the eServer x445 as of December 5 in all geographies. Price starts at $995.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology company, with 80 years of leadership in helping businesses innovate. Drawing on resources from across IBM and key Business Partners, IBM offers a wide range of services, solutions and technologies that enable customers, large and small, to take full advantage of the new era of e-business. For more information about IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com.

Endnotes:

(1) Results referenced are current as of Nov. 10, 2003. For all TPC-C benchmark results, visit www.tpc.org. The comparison is based on the best results for servers using four Intel Xeon processors MP: IBM x445 with four Intel Xeon processors MP at 2.8GHz/2MB, 90,271.76 tpmC (transactions per minute), price/performance of $3.97/tpmC, with total solution availability of December 31, 2003; Dell PowerEdge 6600 with four Intel Xeon processors MP at 2.8GHz/2MB, 84,595.22 tpmC, $3.58/tpmC, availability of December 30, 2003; and HP ProLiant DL580-G2 with four Intel Xeon processors MP at 2.8GHz/2MB, 84,712.94 tpmC, $3.83/tpmC, availability of September 26, 2003.

(2) Results referenced are current as of Nov. 10, 2003. For all SAP results, visit www.sap.com/benchmark. The x445, using 16 Intel Xeon processors MP at 2.8GHz/2MB, IBM DB2 UDB 8.1 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition, achieved 1,520 SAP SD Benchmark users with 1.98 seconds average dialog response time, measured throughput of 457,000 dialog steps per hour (or 152,330 fully processed line items per hour), and an average CPU utilization of 99 percent for the central server. This benchmark fully complies with the SAP Benchmark Council regulations and has been audited and certified by SAP AG (certification number 2003056). Details can be obtained from IBM and SAP. The benchmark was performed at Research Triangle Park, N.C., USA, by IBM engineers.

(3) Results referenced are current as of Nov. 10, 2003. The x455, using four Intel Itanium 2 processors at 1.5GHz, IBM DB2 UDB 8.1 and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, achieved 655 SAP SD Benchmark users with 1.86 seconds average dialog response time, measured throughput of 199,000 dialog steps per hour (or 66,330 fully processed line items per hour), and an average CPU utilization of 99 percent for the central server. This benchmark fully complies with the SAP Benchmark Council regulations and has been audited and certified by SAP AG (certification number 2003057). Details can be obtained from IBM and SAP. The benchmark was performed at Toronto, Canada, by IBM engineers.

The IBM eServer brand consists of the established IBM e-business logo with the following descriptive term "server" following it. The following are either trademarks or registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States or other countries or both: IBM, the IBM e-business logo, eServer, xSeries and Enterprise X Architecture. All other company, product or service names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of others. Statements concerning IBM's future development plans and schedules are made for planning purposes only, and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Prices are subject to change without notice. Reseller prices may vary.

SAP, R/3 and all other SAP product and service names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries. TPC-C, tpmC and $/tpmC are trademarks of the Transaction Processing Performance Council. Intel, Intel Xeon and Itanium are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

 Contact: Colleen Haikes IBM (415) 545-4003 chaikes@us.ibm.com

SOURCE: IBM

More News in this Category