Fusion-io, the leader in enterprise solid-state storage architecture and high-performance I/O solutions, today announced that its ioDrive, the world’s most advanced enterprise solid-state data storage technology, has become the first solid-state storage solution to achieve IBM ServerProven designation. The IBM ServerProven program is designed to provide customers with additional product choices by performing compatibility tests with a variety of non-IBM products.

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Our team wishes every visitor of x4live a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

We will continue to provide you with news, links and information of the IBM x86 platform. Come visit us now and again or publish news and information yourself on this x4live ,,.... ask us how you can do that.

Team x4live.

The new Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment (TPMforOSD) version 7.1 (stand-alone) has been released and can be ordered through IBM software channels.

This TPMforOSD will replace Remote Deployment Manager (RDM) version 4.4. The released version 7.1 is still stand-alone, but next version will be fully integrated with IBM Systems Director 6.1.  A document describing a migration scenarion from RDM 4.4 to TPMforOSD 7.1 will be made available.

Source: TPMforOSD Product page, Developerworks Forum TPMforOSD (Rembo Auto-Deploy)

More information will be added within a couple of days. Additional information sources can be found here:

Check out the new VMware web-based compatibility guide at http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/

Please note that this online tool replaces following guides:

• VMware ESX 3.0.x and above version system compatibility guide
• VMware ESX 3.0.x and above version SAN (storage) compatibility guide
• VMware ESX 3.0.x and above version I/O compatibility guide
• VMware View Client Compatibility Guide

VMware has discontinued updating the above legacy PDF-format guides !!

This will be the central page with links to various Systems Director sources like the FAQ, the plug-ins and download page.   We will update this page as new options / plug-ins become available.

Source: Active Energy Manager 4.1 product page, Service and Support Manager 6.1 product page, IBM Systems Director 6.1 general download page

Last update:  december 16th

IBM® Systems Director Active Energy Manager Version 4.1 measures, monitors and manages the energy components built into IBM Systems enabling a cross-platform management solution. Active Energy Manager extends the scope of energy management to include facility providers to enable a more complete view of energy consumption within the datacenter.

IBM® Service and Support Manager better known as the Electronic Service Agent™ is a call home plug-in to IBM Systems Director that monitors events and transmits system service information to IBM. The IBM Electronic Service Agent tool is integrated into the IBM Systems Director Service and Support Manager.

Both software packages are available HERE NOW!!

Source:  Active Energy Manager, Service and Support Manager, IBM Systems Director 6.1 download page

 A toolbar has been created specially for System x / BladeCenter related items available for firefox and/or Internet Explorer.

So what does this toolbar do for you:
1. The Best of IBM's web
2. Hand-picked Links -  WE ARE ON THAT LIST !!!!
3. Google-Powered Search Box
4. Alerts to Your Desktop

Source:  System x Toolbar

IBM Lotus Foundations is a family of small business servers that provide the essential software required to run any business with up to 500 users.

Enabling companies to focus on their business instead of IT, the Lotus Foundations Server provides the essential software required to run your business with reliability, security, and simplicity; an ideal server for businesses with limited budgets and IT resources.

IBM announced a bundle which consists of a IBM System x3200 M2 server combined with Lotus Foundations.

Emulex has created a website specially for the relationship between Emulex and IBM. You could be a winner of a fantastic prize when you fill in your your unique registration number.

Datasheets, whitepapers, cheat sheets and an interoperability matrix can be found on the partner site.

Source:  Emulex & IBM Partner Site

An interesting story about IBM server (System x 3950 M2) with 192 cores: 32 sockets with 6 cores with Intel XEON processors and Microsoft Windows 7. (please start watching this presentation / demo from the 30th minute into the presentation, server introduced at 34min).

Also, how did Microsoft change Windows to allow this.... Mark speaks about new kernel constructs in Windows 7 and the dismantling of the Dispatcher Spin Lock and redesign and implementation of its functionality into separate components. Resulting in Windows 7 being able to scale to 256 processors, along with Boot from VHD and other OS enhancements.

Source:  WinHEC, Intel Communities, Microsoft MSDN Mark Russinovich

IT analyst firm IDC recently published a white paper on the business value of Linux on non-x86 platforms. As part of IBM's Project Big Green Linux, read this paper to see the advantages of Linux consolidation on IBM systems. Based on a survey of many clients who consolidated to Linux on IBM Power Systems and System z, the study showed that: 

- Clients achieved an average payback period for the investment of 6.3 months.
- Consolidation and virtualization reduced annual IT infrastructure costs by $17,700 per 100 users per year.
- Company-wide average utilization rate increased from 36 to 79 percent, compared with the previous deployment.
- Cross-platform management improved application availability from 99.2 to 99.9 percent per year.
- Fewer server footprints made possible by the use of scalable servers resulted in overall power/cooling savings of 50 percent.

Source: IDC Whitepaper on ROI Linux

A draft of the redbook "Implementing Systems Director 6.1" that will be released in january 2009 has been made available.

This IBM Redbooks® publication describes how to implement systems management with IBM Systems Director 6.1, discussing IBM Systems Director architecture, its adherence to industry standards, and the planning required for a successful implementation.

This book helps you tailor and configure IBM Systems Director while showing how to maximize your investment in IBM technology. This book is a companion to the IBM Systems Director online publications and the product DVDs.

Source:  IBM Redbooks "Implementing Systems Director 6.1"

As businesses take on the challenge to deliver greater capability with smaller budgets, they have to become smarter in how they approach every aspect of their IT. Especially in dealing with the sometimes hidden cost of service of the IT. IBM BladeCenter Service Advisor is a proactive way to manage and reduce these costs.

IBM BladeCenter Service Advisor comes standard in all BladeCenter chassis that have the Advanced Management Module. Once activated, it’s like having a 24/7 IT staff onsite at your office or datacenter. If there is a service event on the BladeCenter chassis, Service Advisor has the power to inform you, as well as IBM Service & Support, or your designated service provider. This proactive approach to service can help you eliminate expense, so you can focus on what is important; running your business.

The unique 2+2 pricing program available on the LS42 and System x3755 lets you start in case of the LS42 with a 30mm, single-wide, 2-processor blade server. When workloads demand more performance, this blade server is ready to scale to four processors with the addition of a multi-processor expansion unit (MPE). Simply snap the MPE onto the original blade and it becomes a 4-processor, 60mm blade server with the additional performance you need.

This is click and scale from two to four processors, pay as you grow without upfront cost.

Ask your local IBM representative for details on this pricing program

Source: Announcement LS42 and x3755, Product details LS42, Product details x3755

VMware Management and Automation products offer enhanced virtual machine management capabilities, helping lower total cost of ownership. The Management and Automation products include Lifecycle Manager, Lab Manager, Stage Manager, and Site Recovery Manager.

Source:  Announcement Letter VMware Management and Automation

Now these products can also be purchased through regular IBM System x channels and are part of the SSCT:

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IBM has made available to us an IBM Systems Director 6.1 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document which answers questions like:

• How does IBM Systems Director 6.1 compare to HP Insight Manager? 
• What is the cost of IBM Systems Director 6.1?
• How does IBM Systems Director 6.1 interact with Tivoli?
• Does IBM Systems Director 6.1 work with PowerVM™?
  
• etc etc