04
Mon, Nov
1 New Articles

IBM Brings More POWER to the pSeries

Analysis of News Events
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Last Tuesday, IBM put the world on notice that its 64-bit POWER servers will compete directly with systems running Intel's IA-64 chips. The notice came in the form of some attractively priced entry-level pSeries servers running IBM's fastest POWER processors.

The new servers are one-, two-, and four-way versions of the pSeries 630 that utilize IBM's 1.45 GHz POWER4+ processor. This is the same processor that IBM first shipped last December in the eight-way pSeries 650. IBM has already sold over 2,000 p650s and is reporting a healthy backlog of orders for the server. It intends to sell even more p630s in the months to come.

The new p630 models extend rather than replace the existing p630 lineup, which comes standard with POWER4 chips running at 1.0 GHz. IBM will continue to sell these models while offering the POWER4+ models to customers who need greater performance. According to Big Blue's internal benchmarks, greater performance is exactly what those customers will get. While the one-way p630 running at 1.0 GHz has an rPerf rating of 1.69, the 1.45 GHz version clocks in at 2.39 for a 41% performance increase. The two- and four-way models also offer a horsepower boost, with rPerf ratings that are 34% greater than their 1.0 GHz predecessors.

When it came to pricing the new models, IBM treated the n-way configurations differently than the uniprocessor version. For the two- and four-way models, IBM priced the Express Configurations--the preconfigured, discounted packages that most customers choose--so that they cost about 35% more than the same Express Configurations running at 1.0 GHz. Since these models offer 34% greater performance, their price/performance is roughly the same as the 1.0 GHz models. By contrast, the Express Configurations of the new one-way p630 cost only 16% to 18% more than their 1.0 GHz counterparts. This gives the new one-way model significantly better price/performance than its predecessor; at a list price of $19,025 for the Linux-only Express Configuration and $20,525 for the AIX version, it is particularly attractive.

Taking Aim at Itanium

These prices will help to keep the pSeries competitive with servers from Sun Microsystems, IBM's chief competitor in the Unix market. In its particular product category, the p630 compares well against Sun's four-way offering, the V480. For instance, while a four-way Express Configuration of the 1.45 GHz p630 costs $39,595, a comparably configured V480 carries a list price of $43,995.

At the same time, IBM is targeting the p630 at servers running on Intel's IA-64 "Itanium" processors. Among them, IBM rightfully considers Hewlett-Packard's four-way RX5760 to be the p630's primary competitor. While I cannot yet discuss some unpublished benchmarks that IBM has shown me, it appears that the 1.45 GHz p630 will match or exceed the performance of a comparably configured RX5760 running on Intel's 1.0 GHz "McKinley" processors. Moreover, it will do so at a significantly lower price. As I mentioned earlier, a four-way Express Configuration of the p630 costs $39,995; a comparably configured RX5760 costs around $64,400.

The fact that IBM is making these comparisons speaks volumes about its stance on Itanium. While IBM publicly touts its close relationship with Intel and enthusiastically supports its IA-32 standard, it is privately advising customers that IA-64 may never gain momentum in data centers. In line with its own advice, IBM has no plans to ship IA-64 processor blades in its Blade Center server. Instead, the computer giant intends to ship four-way Intel Xeon blades and (you guessed it) POWER blades during the second half of this year.

IBM has good reasons for dismissing IA-64 in favor of POWER for 64-bit computing. First and most obviously, IBM's POWER servers bring IBM more revenue and profit per box than its Intel-based xSeries. More importantly, however, IBM knows that if IA-64 fails to gain traction, it will limit the ability of HP and Dell--who depend on Intel for their processors--to compete with IBM in the 64-bit computing market. This would particularly hurt HP, which is migrating its Unix server customers from servers running on PA-RISC processors to IA-64 servers. If Intel fails to ramp up its IA-64 production volumes, HP's processor costs will rise, making both its 64-bit Windows and Unix servers more expensive.

IBM also knows that a sputtering IA-64 market would give its pSeries and iSeries servers a continued edge over Windows servers for the kinds of mission-critical applications that require 64-bit performance and capacity. As long as the IA-64 market remains limited, IBM will have the time it needs to establish its POWER servers as the preferred platforms for 64-bit applications running not only on AIX and OS/400, but also on Linux. Shutting Microsoft out of the high-end enterprise applications market would suit IBM just fine.

In short, IBM's p630 is one more brick in a wall that IBM is erecting to keep Sun and HP out of its pSeries accounts. However, IBM is also tossing that brick through the windows (and Windows, for that matter) of Intel, Microsoft, and Dell. It looks like the market for 64-bit enterprise servers is about to get very interesting.

Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LEE KROON
Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: