IBM, Sun Intensify Server Rivalry

IBM last week unveiled the eServer p670, a 16-way server based on the same architecture as its p690 Regatta server. The next day, Sun introduced its 52-way Sun Fire 12K server, code-named Starkitty, which the company touted as its "Regatta killer."

The back-to-back product introductions are no coincidence and reflect the escalating rivalry between Sun and IBM in the Unix server space, according to solution providers and other industry executives.

One solution provider executive familiar with IBM's rollout strategy said the p670 introduction originally was scheduled for later this month but was moved up to April 8 to steal the spotlight from Sun's Starkitty debut.

On the same day as IBM's p670 introduction, Sun announced cuts of 11 percent to 41 percent on list prices for its entire Midframe server line. Steve Campbell, senior director of marketing for Sun's enterprise system products, said the cuts stemmed from cost savings that were realized after a year of producing the Midframe server family, which includes the 3800, 4800 and Sun Fire 15K.

"The Uniboard [processor and memory boards are the same for servers from the 3800 to the 15K," Campbell said. "We were able to pass the savings on to our customers."

IBM's p670, slated to ship later this month, allows up to 16 logical partitions, said Jim McGaughn, director of pServer product marketing at IBM. In the second half, IBM plans to release a new version of the operating system that allows dynamic partitioning, he said. The new server also runs the AIX 5L operating system and can support 64-bit Linux. Its list price ranges from $178,270 for a four-way unit to $545,522 for a 16-way configuration.

Sun's Starkitty can be configured with up to 52 900MHz UltraSPARC III processors and 288 Gbytes of memory, placing it squarely between the company's 24-way 6800 and 104-way Sun Fire 15K servers. Starkitty carries a list price of about $1 million, according to Sun.+