IBM adds mainframe technology to x86 servers

X3 architecture promises 38 per cent performance gain

Tom Sanders in California, vnunet.com 23 Feb 2005

IBM has unveiled its new X3 architecture for servers using Intel's Xeon processor, providing a 38 per cent performance gain in four-way servers relative to its previous X2 technology, according to Big Blue.

The main feature of X3 is a newly developed Hurricane chipset. By integrating the processor and memory controller, the chipset provides a significant reduction in memory latency, which reduces responses times.

IBM said that it has drawn on technology developed for its mainframe systems in the production of X3.

"X3 draws from our mainframe expertise and provides unprecedented benefits for customers seeking the most sophisticated capabilities and performance from their software applications," said Susan Whitney, general manager for eServer xSeries at IBM's Systems and Technology Group.

The vendor claimed that the technology will give it an edge over competitors including Dell and HP. It also expects that X3 will help it to improve market share in the server business.

An IBM spokesperson told vnunet.com that the company has no immediate plans to make the technology available to third-party server manufacturers.

The X3 technology will be applied first in IBM's new eServer xSeries 366, a four-way server using Intel's upcoming Xeon processors codenamed Cranford. The appliance will be targeted at firms running databases or enterprise applications such as SAP.

Because Intel's Cranford chips will not be available for another 90 days, IBM's server will not be shipping until the official Intel launch.

By that time, IBM also expects that Microsoft will have started shipping its Windows Server 2003 for 64-bit Extended Systems.

Currently only Red Hat and SuSE Linux support the hybrid 32/64-bit technology in the Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron processors.

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