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Move Up to IBM System x


Innovation comes standard

Built on mainframe-inspired technology

Extending their sustained systems leadership, IBM System x™ servers bring innovative technology based on decades of business insight and a broad portfolio of tested business solutions to the industry-standard market.

System x servers are based on the IBM X-Architecture™ blueprint. What does this mean? Mainframe-inspired technologies designed to deliver exceptional availability, simplified manageability, outstanding performance and revolutionary scalability. These advantages can help you build a cost-effective, flexible IT environment for your business.

Learn more about IBM System x benefits:



Exceptional availability Simplified manageability
Outstanding performance Revolutionary scalability



Migration pathways

Are you experiencing extensive growth of your Microsoft SQL database? Do you need a database infrastructure that can grow seamlessly? Are you planning to migrate to SQL Server 2005? If so, this is an ideal time to upgrade your server hardware with the IBM System x3950 scalable server.

The combination of the x3950 and SQL server 2005 offers a scalable, powerful and affordable solution if you need:
  • More processing 'head room' for your current SQL infrastructure
  • To migrate your HP Xeon MP or Itanium based server and Microsoft SQL to a more affordable platform
  • A scalable SQL server 2005 platform for any Dell and Microsoft SQL server configuration
Learn more




Competitive comparison
  IBM HP Dell
Intel Xeon processor-based server over 4-sockets yes
System x3950 scales to 32-sockets
no no
Portfolio of AMD™ processor-based rack offerings yes
System x3455, x3655, x3755, IBM e326, plus three blade servers
yes no
AMD processor-based 4-socket server able to support a 3-CPU configuration and up to 677MHz on all DIMMs yes
System x3755
no no
2U with hot-swap, redundant fans yes
System x3650
no no
IBM Predictive Failure Analysis (PFA) yes
Tool that can provide up to 48 hours notice that a component may fail. Select models feature PFA on memory, hard disk drives, CPUs, fans and blowers
Memory, hard disk drives, CPU Memory, hard disk drives
IBM light path diagnostics yes
Provides easy notification and identification of a failed component, via an externally visible panel - even if the power is off
no no
IBM PowerExecutive yes
Responds to real-time to changes in the environment, calibrating cooling and system processing to optimize power usage
Inconsistent tool with less robust functionality no
IBM Virtual Machine Manager yes
Manages physical and virtual machines through a single console. Offered to clients at no additional charge
Charges clients for this no
IBM Rear Door Heat eXchanger™ yes
Cools air that a rack puts out. Saves in energy costs by reducing air conditioning needs. Saves space by allowing you to fit more high-density servers into smaller spaces
yes no

Exceptional availability

Proven IBM mainframe innovations provide the availability and reliability you need to confidently deploy your business-critical applications. Some innovative technologies include:

  Light path diagnostics
  Predictive Failure Analysis®
  Baseboard management controller
  IBM Remote Supervisor Adapter II
  Hot-swap/hot-add components
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Simplified manageability

System x manageability tools — among the best in the industry — can help save you time and money. You can utilize these tools to help increase availability, track and deploy assets, optimize performance and enable remote management. Tools include, but are not limited to:

  IBM Director
  IBM PowerExecutive™
  IBM Virtual Machine Manager
  IBM Remote Deployment Manager
  IBM UpdateXpress
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Outstanding performance

System x servers are designed to deliver balanced performance in a real-world environment to help increase your productivity and meet your growing business demands.

  Benchmarks
  Performance white papers and red books
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Revolutionary scalability

System x servers offer you the flexibility to choose from one of the broadest portfolios of standards-based, 64-bit servers in the industry. This flexibility means that you can expand as needed - all the way to 32 sockets.

No other tier-1 vendor has an Intel® Xeon® processor-based server that can scale up to 32 processors. For example, with the System x3950, you can pay as you grow. Check out the details:

  System x towers
  System x racks
  High performance scalable
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Proven

The customer has spoken
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) heals infrastructure woes with System x to better provide for the welfare of animals. The ASPCA estimates that, with lower maintenance, licensing and server costs with IBM, it has reduced its total cost of ownership by 30 percent, and that's good news for their mission.

Pierce County increased capacity and lowered costs with IBM System x and IBM BladeCenter for this county geographic information system (GIS) department for the state of Washington.



 
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