IBM Extends X86 Product Portfolio With Next-Generation AMD Opteron Processors

IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today the availability of new BladeCenter and System x servers based on Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors. Previewed on August 1, 2006 with AMD (NYSE: AMD) in New York City, the new systems from IBM are optimized to deliver energy-smart business performance computing.

IBM was the first major vendor to market with AMD Opteron processor-based systems in 2003 and is now one of the first vendors to ship Next-Generation AMD Opteron processor-based platforms.

IBM is broadening its x86 portfolio with servers that not only embrace the new processor technology but also include unique IBM innovation, such as IBM's CoolBlue portfolio of hardware and systems-management tools for computing environments, enabling clients to better optimize the power consumption, management and cooling of infrastructure at the system, rack and datacenter levels. The CoolBlue portfolio includes:

• IBM PowerExecutive, an industry-first tool to help clients control
  actual power usage and heat emissions;


• IBM Thermal Diagnostics, an industry-first tool to pinpoint and
  automatically take action on heat-related issues in the datacenter; and


• IBM Rear Door Heat eXchanger, that uses existing chilled water supply for air conditioning systems already located in the majority of customer datacenters to reduce server heat emissions by up to 55 percent
     

IBM's expanded AMD Opteron processor-based system portfolio will also provide customers with key innovations to help meet IT managers' most pressing challenges from datacenter management costs to infrastructure cooling technology, including:

• Snap-in scalable blade: innovative HyperTransport technology
  
  implementation for quick and easy blade scalability, with "pay as you grow" investment protection.


• Xcelerated Memory Technology: providing the largest fastest memory subsystem and optimized system performance at large memory levels


• Near linear scalability: innovative IBM CPU interconnection that
  delivers best of breed scalability and price performance advantages


• eXtended I/O: I/O innovation delivering high performance and the
  flexibility of choice of HTX, PCI Express or PCI-X interconnects
  

"With IBM's new systems based on Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors, customers will have the ability to manage performance, power consumption and total cost of ownership while benefiting from value-add innovations only IBM can deliver," said James Gargan, vice president, IBM System x.

"We commend IBM for delivering innovative, energy-efficient server solutions based on Next-Generation AMD Opteron processors to address escalating power and cooling concerns in today's datacenters," said Randy Allen, corporate vice president, Server and Workstation Division, AMD. "Ideal for business performance computing, this expanded portfolio of servers and blade systems provides exceptional performance today and is quad-core ready for easy upgrades in the future."

Pricing and Availability

The five new rack-mount servers and blade systems available today have been optimized for business performance computing by leveraging IBM's X-Architecture innovation to bring mainframe-inspired capabilities and sophisticated high-end technology to the company's x86 portfolio. Each of these systems is designed to be upgradeable to planned future generation AMD Opteron processors with four cores.

• BladeCenter LS21: for memory bandwidth-intensive workloads in the areas of financial services, government/university research and HPC clusters. Expected to be available September 2006 starting at $2,699.*


• BladeCenter LS41: ideal for ERP, data warehouses, and scalable enterprise workloads.  Expected to be available September 2006 starting at $8,099.*


• System x3455: for technical and financial applications. Available
  September 2006 starting at $2,118.*


• System x3655: for database/ERP, business intelligence, IPTV and Video on Demand applications. Expected to be available October 2006 starting at $2,809.*


• System x3755: for scientific and technical computing.  Expected to be available September 2006 starting at $6,999.*
  
     

For more information about IBM, go to: www.ibm.com

 For more information about AMD and IBM, go to: www.amd.com/enterpriseevent