More on the IBM x360. I'm not sure how much more detail adds to what has already been posted here.
Monday November 26, 12:01 am Eastern Time
IBM launches Intel-based computer for large users
NEW YORK, Nov 26 (Reuters) - International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM - news) on Monday unveiled a faster, smaller, low-cost computer for large businesses that incorporates high-end IBM technology while being based on a new commodity microchip made by Intel Corp. (NasdaqNM:INTC - news)
The computer competes against others that use Intel microprocessors, which are the brains of the computer, and are made by competitors including Dell Computer Corp. (NasdaqNM:DELL - news), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE:HWP - news) and Compaq Computer Corp. (NYSE:CPQ - news)
It is aimed at use in e-mail and e-commerce as well as enterprise resource planning, or ERP, applications, said IBM's Deep Advani, a vice president for the company's line of Intel-based servers.
``Some Intel server vendors may say that technology doesn't really matter. It's commodity-based and it doesn't matter where you get the server ... because it's based on Intel and the software is Microsoft and Linux, which everyone has access to,'' Advani said.
``But customers don't agree with that point of view that technology doesn't matter,'' he said. Customers want scalable, robust, reliable and easily managed servers, he said, which is what a higher-end computer usually delivers.
The x360 computers, which start at about $16,000, use 1.6 gigahertz Xeon MP processors, which run at 1.6 billion cycles per second. That is faster than the previous version of the computer, called the x350, which ran at 900 megahertz, or 900 million cycles per second.
In addition, IBM said that the computers take up about 40 percent less space than the x350. In part that's because they use some technology that IBM has typically incorporated in its powerful mainframe computers to cool the circuitry, enabling the components to be placed closer together, Advani said.
The system uses four microprocessors and next year will be able to incorporate up to 16 processors, Advani said.
The server uses technology that runs with Intel's new ``Foster'' chip and that is the basis for computers running on the long-awaited next generation of Intel chips for servers. That processor, called McKinley, is due for release in 2002.
biz.yahoo.com |
