IBM Unveils 16-way Xeon Servers Aimed At Server Consolidation

IBM

The eServer x440 scales to up to 16 Intel IA-32 Xeon processors. It supports the Windows and Linux operating systems and can be partitioned into up to four physical partitions or up to 64 virtual partitions. The partitioning capability makes server consolidation one key target of the x440, company executives said.

The x440 supports several mainframe features, said Jim Gargan, vice president and business line executive for IBM's xSeries servers. Such features include the ability to scale the server by adding four-processor modules, workload consolidation via the physical or virtual partitions, remote I/O capability via external PCI/PCI-X adapter slots, and self-healing capabilities, he said. "We are the only vendor in the Intel space with access to mainframe technology," he said.

Gargan expects the vast majority of x440 sales to come from channel. IBM is currently evaluating several high-value-add partners and expects to select an initial 40 to 50 solution partners in North America, he said. This is because the vast majority of partners are experienced in eight-way servers, he said.

"Because we are moving up in the [Intel food chain, we are developing a new channel," Gargan said. "We will certify and train the 40 to 50 VARs in the architecture. We will roll it out to other partners over time, but we want to get the programming running. This is rocket science."

Todd Bowling, president of Solutions-II, an Englewood, Colo.-based IBM solution provider, said he hopes his company is one of the initial partners to be certified for the product.

Solutions-II specializes in storage consolidation but is now increasing its emphasis on servers as part of a bundled solution, Bowling said. "We have been very storage consolidation-focused, and now every place I go into has a server-consolidation issue as well," he said.

Customers may have 1,500 or more servers and are finding it more and more difficult to manage them, making the x440 a first step for them to consolidate their servers, Bowling said. "We need bundled solutions to get the margins," he said. "This is a big change for us. In the past, we focused on storage, which meant we pushed a lot of business away. We can't afford to do that anymore."

One of IBM's main competitors in this space is Unisys. That vendor's ES7000 server scales to up to 32 Intel processors, with eight-way versions starting at around $100,000.

In response to the introduction of IBM's new server, Unisys executives said the ES7000 offers a 100 percent uptime guarantee while supporting the highest number of users of any similar server.

Gargan dismissed Unisys' objections, noting that Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, and Dell have all cancelled OEM deals to resell the 7000. IBM never signed a similar agreement with Unisys because of its plans to offer servers like the x440, he said.

The x440 is expected to ship this month in configurations of up to 16 processors, Gargan said. Pricing for two-way versions with one hard drive start at $18,500, while a 16-way with 16 Gbytes of SDRAM costs just over $100,000. And 32-way models are expected to be available in July.