IBM (NYSE: IBM) introduced today an entirely new category of server uniquely designed to address the technology needs of companies that use Web 2.0-style computing to operate massive data centers with tens of thousands of servers.

Companies that operate massive scale-out data centers spend 10 to 30 times more on energy costs per square foot than a typical office building.(1) The energy powers both hundreds of thousands of servers and the air conditioning needed to cool them. The exponential growth of such data centers will continue as streaming video, online gaming and social networks spike Internet traffic, requiring companies to build ever vaster pools of computers that devour energy resources to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

iDataPlex = (i – Internet) + (Data = Data Center) + (Plex = Large Scale)

Updated April 23rd: This conference has been rescheduled to a later date in the autumn. Read the whole story HERE.

Systems based on IBM POWER™ microprocessors provide industry leading technology proven in systems that range from gaming machines to supercomputers. These systems offer the enhanced reliability, scalability and robustness of the IBM POWER platform. The IBM POWER™ Systems Technical Conference is a new event and combines the well known System p, AIX & Linux Technical University and System i Technical Forum into one global event.

This conference is intended for customers, IBM employees, IBM Business Partners, Independent Software Vendors and System Integrators.

Source:  IBM

Got info about the IBM Mac Pilot Program which is being published on Roughly Drafted Magazine. Keep sending me those links. 

by Daniel Eran Dilger on Roughly Drafted Magazine
As further evidence of the growing interest in Macs among enterprise customers, IBM’s Research Information Services launched an internal pilot program designed to study the possibility of moving significant numbers of employees to the Mac platform. The study has already found an enthusiastic response from participants and is helping to drive Mac support for IBM’s business applications.

IBM’s Mac Pilot Program.
A summary of the pilot program, detailed in a IBM document obtained by RoughlyDrafted, revealed that IBM is actively working to move away from its dependence upon Microsoft Windows and toward a heterogeneous cross-platform future.

Source:  IBM Research and Roughly Drafted  

I attended a session on the IBM PDU's (made by Eaton / Powerware) at the Technical University in Sevilla and heard that a new PDU Selection sheet or PDU Decision Tree has been released.  This guide is essential in selecting the right PDU for your configuration.

They also updated the special Powerware IBM EMEA website. The recently announced Ultra Density PDU is already there as is the PDU+ and the UPS3000.

Source: Powerware EMEA, Powerware EMEA PDU Decision Sheet

Got an email about bundling Red Hat with Domino

Improve reliability, security, and performance while lowering costs with IBM Lotus Domino 8 and open collaboration client powered by Red Hat® Enterprise Linux®.

Looking for a new way to cut IT costs and increase capability at the same time?
Click to download a live evaluation of Lotus on Linux.

Learn about virtualization on Mainframe, Power and Modular Systems as well as software and storage technologies that are used to implement virtualization.  This paper is suitable for people who want to expand their knowledge of virtualization and what IBM can offer with its systems and software.

Source:  IBM RedBooks

In february we published that the dutch i5live.nl community was launched. And now we can publish that the i5live.com website is LIVE.

i5Live is a new community that aims to increase and promote the use of the IBM midrange server platform through knowledge transfer and information delivery via both online and 'offline' activities. By sharing the knowledge of the i5Live members and partners, and by using the most recent and innovative System i and i5/OS technologies, i5Live makes sure that the IBM Midrange server platform and its supporting applications can be optimally used in organizations. By its activities, end users and independent hardware and software vendors are getting more connected.

Customers who are installing BladeCenter S do not need two-socket blades but do require two local hard drivers and more memory slots.  The estimated selling price is $ 999 (or euro 858 !!) and is listed in SSCT 1.18. 

Last week we even saw that VMware has changed its license policy that permits using UP systems with VMware ESX (see HERE).

 

VMware is issuing a policy statement (effective April 1, 2008) about deploying VI licenses on single-processor servers.

Policy content and why is VMware doing this:  It clarifies that customers may split and use 2-CPU VI licenses across two 1-CPU Servers. Previously, they had not explicitly stated one way or another that customers can do this. 

This policy enables VMware to be a really attractive solution into remote/branch office and SMB accounts. 
Read the Q & A below for additional information

Source: Policy Statement, Licensing overview and help

IBM (NYSE: IBM) and GIB-Services today announced a new energy efficient "green" data center at a former military bunker outside of Zurich. The new data center is a highly secure data storage facility where GIB will support its clients in Switzerland, and will offer a first-of-its-kind energy model where a direct heat exchange will take place between the data center and a public swimming pool in the town.

April 2nd, IBM announced that it is unifying its System i and System p servers — a path the vendor has been on for years, but one it had yet to say was certain until today's announcement.

The customers most affected by the creation of the new Power Systems hardware line are System i users, many of whom run core business applications — often custom-built — on the venerable midrange platform.

The past weeks the same question keeps popping up. Where can we find the IBM Director MIB files ?

We'll there are several MIB files (version specific), so choose the one you need.  In version 5.2x these files are already installed on the harddisk.

 

Now that Microsoft has officially launched Windows Server 2008 we all want to know what servers are supported. At this moment not all servers have gone through compliant testing. Those who are, are listed on ServerPROVEN and/or on the Windows Server Catalog listing.
Any additional information can be found in the xAnalisys Forum.

UPDATE 03/29: A short introduction to Windows Server 2008 and Hyper-V is made by IBM UK.  Solution Architect Andreas Groth tells us why IBM Systems are most suited for this environment. 

Source: ServerPROVEN & WindowsServerCatalog & IBM UK

To choose the right HBA they have published a cross reference sheet.
This sheet also include information about other server manufacturers and will be updated regularly.

Source:  Emulex Support

Protected mode (PM) is a feature of the IBM® BladeCenter® Advanced Management Module (option 25R5778 or FRU 25R5777) to isolate management of the Cisco Intelligent Gigabit Ethernet Switch Module (IGESM option 32R1982, FRU 13N2285) from the AMM in the IBM BladeCenter. This feature is targeted at environments that have distinctly separate management teams for servers and networking, or where it is not desirable to permit the AMM to set or otherwise control certain attributes of the IGESM.

NOTE: If you do not have a specific requirement for management separation between the AMM and the IGESM, it is not necessary to implement this feature.

Source: IBM Support TechDOCS