At the COMMON User Group Conference today in Nashville, IBM (NYSE: IBM) introduced the first of a new generation of IBM® Power(TM) Systems that will provide IBM System i TM and System p TM clients a single, unified line of servers with simplified pricing, increased application choice and reduced energy and administration costs.
The new Power Systems servers from IBM will incorporate industry-leading POWER6TM processors, and support UNIX®, Linux® and i applications simultaneously on a single server system. Existing System i customers can easily increase both performance and energy efficiency by moving their mission-critical applications to new systems - including cost effective new blade options - using the same i applications and operating system they have depended on for two decades.
Clients will also have access to POWER6 EnergyScale TM Technology, which offers advanced energy control features to help manage energy costs. The new Power Systems also feature PowerVM TM virtualization technology that enables clients to create up to 80 virtual partitions in a single system, which can dramatically improve the utilization of the servers. Additionally, IBM s secure and integrated operating system, i5/OS®, will now be called "i" - signifying a simplified, streamlined experience for all "i" customers across the Power Systems portfolio. The Power servers announced today are available as i Editions, AIX editions or Linux editions. Each edition includes the server, packaged components and the operating systems. These editions offer customers a preconfigured offering which enables quick deployment.. Customers can also order a-la-carte and mix and match i, AIX and Linux on a single Power server for the ultimate in flexibility and asset utilization and reuse.
With today s announcement, it will be increasingly easier for IBM Business Partners to sell and manage a combination of solutions across multiple operating systems on the Power server platform. IBM recognizes and values the investments that IBM Business Partners have made to certify sales and technical staff to sell System i and System p. These certifications will enable Business Partners from both platforms to sell the new unified platform with the operating systems for which they have skills and authorization.
The new Power platform will also provide IBM Independent Software Vendors ("ISVs") a single platform for i, UNIX and Linux solutions, making it simpler than ever before for ISVs to help customers choose the right solution for their business. The new Power platform offers IBM ISVs new potential for a wider audience and new products, especially if they have a portfolio of solutions that run on multiple operating systems.
"The newly unified IBM Power Systems product line brings tremendous value and investment protection to our clients. Over the last few years we have been sharing more and more technology between System i and System p in preparation to enable clients to leverage the same platform," said Ross Mauri, General Manager of IBM Power Systems. "This unification, embodied in the first in a new generation of power systems will create additional opportunities for our clients to optimize their IT infrastructures."
The first products to debut from this new line are designed for small and medium businesses (SMBs). The i Edition Express for BladeCenter S, IBM Power 520 Express, Power 550 Express deliver value and performance in a package that is suitable for the budget constraints and limited administrative assets of SMBs:
- i Edition Express for BladeCenter® S offers an extremely attractive option for existing AS/400 ®, iSeries® and System i 515, 520 and 525 customers - both financially and to simplify the integration of their i applications with existing x86 servers. With prices starting at about half the price of non-blade configurations with the same processing capacity, the economic value proposition will be particularly attractive to i customers, IBM Business Partners and IBM ISVs. And with 3-years maintenance included, the lease price will often be less than what many i customers pay today. Customers can achieve even higher value by moving existing x86 servers onto x86 blades in the same BladeCenter chassis for increased simplicity, more integration, common leasing and 3-year maintenance terms.
- The IBM Power 520 Express is an affordable server for businesses running distributed applications, databases and core business solutions. The Power 520 Express is available in AIX, Linux and i Editions.
- The IBM Power 550 Express demonstrates outstanding performance in a mid-sized database server, delivering outstanding capacity and continuous application availability. The Power 550 is also available in AIX, Linux and i Editions.
IBM Global Financing, the lending and leasing business segment of IBM has developed a suite of IBM Power(TM) Systems product line financing offerings to help make it easier for customers to acquire the new technology. For more information on IBM Global Financing monthly leasing packages, simplified financing, mid-lease upgradeability or asset recovery and buyback services of older equipment visit http://www.ibm.com/....
About IBM
For more information about IBM, visit ibm.com.
The new Power Systems servers from IBM will incorporate industry-leading POWER6TM processors, and support UNIX®, Linux® and i applications simultaneously on a single server system. Existing System i customers can easily increase both performance and energy efficiency by moving their mission-critical applications to new systems - including cost effective new blade options - using the same i applications and operating system they have depended on for two decades.
Clients will also have access to POWER6 EnergyScale TM Technology, which offers advanced energy control features to help manage energy costs. The new Power Systems also feature PowerVM TM virtualization technology that enables clients to create up to 80 virtual partitions in a single system, which can dramatically improve the utilization of the servers. Additionally, IBM s secure and integrated operating system, i5/OS®, will now be called "i" - signifying a simplified, streamlined experience for all "i" customers across the Power Systems portfolio. The Power servers announced today are available as i Editions, AIX editions or Linux editions. Each edition includes the server, packaged components and the operating systems. These editions offer customers a preconfigured offering which enables quick deployment.. Customers can also order a-la-carte and mix and match i, AIX and Linux on a single Power server for the ultimate in flexibility and asset utilization and reuse.
With today s announcement, it will be increasingly easier for IBM Business Partners to sell and manage a combination of solutions across multiple operating systems on the Power server platform. IBM recognizes and values the investments that IBM Business Partners have made to certify sales and technical staff to sell System i and System p. These certifications will enable Business Partners from both platforms to sell the new unified platform with the operating systems for which they have skills and authorization.
The new Power platform will also provide IBM Independent Software Vendors ("ISVs") a single platform for i, UNIX and Linux solutions, making it simpler than ever before for ISVs to help customers choose the right solution for their business. The new Power platform offers IBM ISVs new potential for a wider audience and new products, especially if they have a portfolio of solutions that run on multiple operating systems.
"The newly unified IBM Power Systems product line brings tremendous value and investment protection to our clients. Over the last few years we have been sharing more and more technology between System i and System p in preparation to enable clients to leverage the same platform," said Ross Mauri, General Manager of IBM Power Systems. "This unification, embodied in the first in a new generation of power systems will create additional opportunities for our clients to optimize their IT infrastructures."
The first products to debut from this new line are designed for small and medium businesses (SMBs). The i Edition Express for BladeCenter S, IBM Power 520 Express, Power 550 Express deliver value and performance in a package that is suitable for the budget constraints and limited administrative assets of SMBs:
- i Edition Express for BladeCenter® S offers an extremely attractive option for existing AS/400 ®, iSeries® and System i 515, 520 and 525 customers - both financially and to simplify the integration of their i applications with existing x86 servers. With prices starting at about half the price of non-blade configurations with the same processing capacity, the economic value proposition will be particularly attractive to i customers, IBM Business Partners and IBM ISVs. And with 3-years maintenance included, the lease price will often be less than what many i customers pay today. Customers can achieve even higher value by moving existing x86 servers onto x86 blades in the same BladeCenter chassis for increased simplicity, more integration, common leasing and 3-year maintenance terms.
- The IBM Power 520 Express is an affordable server for businesses running distributed applications, databases and core business solutions. The Power 520 Express is available in AIX, Linux and i Editions.
- The IBM Power 550 Express demonstrates outstanding performance in a mid-sized database server, delivering outstanding capacity and continuous application availability. The Power 550 is also available in AIX, Linux and i Editions.
IBM Global Financing, the lending and leasing business segment of IBM has developed a suite of IBM Power(TM) Systems product line financing offerings to help make it easier for customers to acquire the new technology. For more information on IBM Global Financing monthly leasing packages, simplified financing, mid-lease upgradeability or asset recovery and buyback services of older equipment visit http://www.ibm.com/....
About IBM
For more information about IBM, visit ibm.com.
