IBM Throws An Opteron Party
IBM has unveiled its second Advanced Micro Devices Opteron-based server.
September 9, 2004
![Network Computing logo Network Computing logo](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltde8121fc52c5c8f3/blt3f3d0318f746b1c2/65a530e4187606040a1d8b8c/placeholder.png?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=95&format=jpg&disable=upscale)
IBM on Thursday unveiled its second Advanced Micro Devices Opteron-based server, which the company hopes is ready for when AMD releases its dual-core processors. Big Blue also introduced a line of pretested, preconfigured Opteron-based clustered solutions.
Tracy Barney, vice president of IBM business development at Computer Tech, a Houston-based solution provider, said she is glad to see IBM commit to the Opteron platform by extending its Opteron-based server offerings.
"We really, really liked the initial offering," Barney said. "As an Itanium alternative, it is a great server. Especially how IBM competitively priced it and positioned it as a low-end edge server. Put that together with all the issues with Itanium, and it [fills] the gap."
IBM's new eServer 326 is scheduled to replace the older e325 Opteron server and has been improved with support for dual-core Opteron processors. Industry reports say the processors are expected in mid-2005, said Alex Yost, director of product marketing for eServers at IBM, Armonk, N.Y.
Yost refused to discuss IBM support for dual-core Intel processors. "This is a day to celebrate a lot of great Opteron news," he said.The eServer 326 will also include support for up to 16 Gbytes of high-speed PC3200/2700 DDR1 memory, two 100MHz PCI-X slots, and up to two SCSI or Serial ATA hard drives, Yost said.
IBM's new pretested, preconfigured Model 1350 cluster solutions include a rack with servers, management console, cables and power supplies, allowing for immediate deployment by solution providers, Yost said.
The 1350 can be purchased as a set SKU or configured to specific customer requirements, he said.
Computer Tech's Barney said configuring a clustering solution is difficult for smaller customers, which makes a preconfigured clustering solution suitable for many of them. And while the solution may decrease traditional service opportunities, it also opens the door to new ones, she said.
You May Also Like
Maximizing cloud potential: Building and operating an effective Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE)
September 10, 2024Radical Automation of ITSM
September 19, 2024Unleash the power of the browser to secure any device in minutes
September 24, 2024