IBM launches eServer p670

IBM has intensified the battle with Sun in the Unix-based server market with

the launch of its mid-range eServer p670.

"eServer p670 with Power4 microprocessor technology provides big system

performance and reliability features at up to 34 percent less cost than

comparable Sun Microsystems’ machines," said Jeffrey Dunn, Brand

Executive, eServer pSeries, IBM ASEAN/South Asia.

According to him, the system can be divided into more than a dozen

"virtual" servers, offering customers the opportunity to consolidate

workloads running on smaller systems.

The battle began last October when IBM introduced the first Power4-based

eServer p690 (Regatta). According to IDC the enterprise-class p690 outshipped

the new Sun Fire 15K by more than three to one in the fourth quarter of 2001.

"We sold 200 system on the very first day Regatta was announced. We sold

out our entire production capability in the first three weeks of December,"

said Jeff. "We were overwhelmed by the response that we received for

Regatta. Even in our very optimistic expectations we didn’t realize that the

uptake would be so dramatic," he added.

Jeff did not disclose the numbers for India, but hinted that "the

interest generated for Regatta has been extraordinary." At the same time,

he revealed that IBM will forge a couple of strategic technology relationships

around Regatta in India within the first half of this year.

Meanwhile, Jeff has divulged that the next big thing coming from IBM in

eServers will be with regard to taking some of the mainframe technologies like

dynamic partitioning and sub-processor partitioning to the market through

eServers.

"We are also creating something called as work load manager and

intelligent resource director inside the machine which can monitor the

performance actively in real time environment," he explains.

According to the company once these technologies are introduced, it will

probably be two years ahead of its competition.

NELSON JOHNY, MUMBAI