23
Sat, Nov
1 New Articles
  1. You are here:  
  2. Home
  3. MORE
  4. Commentary
  5. Analysis of News Events
  6. IBM Brings POWER6 to the System i

IBM Brings POWER6 to the System i

Analysis of News Events
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

Over the last couple of weeks, the System i community has been abuzz over IBM's move to split responsibilities for their server of choice between two new business units. While I will have much to say about the implications of this move in future articles, I want to focus today's column on the hardware announcements that IBM officially released last Tuesday. As you will see, the announcements are packed with information that System i users should also be discussing.

In the Spotlight...POWER6

Among last week's announcements, the clear standout is the new System i Model 570 that can pack up to 16 POWER6 processors running at a screaming 4.7 GHz. That allows the new system to attain a CPW rating (the standard measurement of System i performance) that is 31 percent greater than the POWER5+ version of the Model 570 and 72 percent greater than the POWER5 version. In addition, pricing for the POWER6 model is very attractive. While many of the more powerful Model 570 configurations used to be in the P40 software tier, the POWER6 version resides entirely within the P30 tier. That change will significantly reduce the overall cost of deploying new software licenses on the system.

The new Model 570 also differs from its predecessors in the way that it is packaged. For the POWER6 system, IBM is doing away with Standard and Enterprise Editions. In their place is a single "i5/OS Edition" that includes an i5/OS license for a single processor and licenses to IBM Director and iSeries Access. If customers need to run interactive "green-screen" workloads, they can purchase Enterprise Enablement features on an optional basis. If they want to license other software that used to be part of the Enterprise Edition, they can find that software in two new "Value Packs" that are also optional. In other words, IBM is eliminating the Standard Edition and unbundling the Enterprise Edition, leaving new Model 570 buyers with a more flexible "a la carte" software menu from which to choose.

While the POWER6-based Model 570 is a definite option for some customers, there are several reasons why it is out of the cards for others. First, the new system requires the latest version of i5/OS V5R4. Second, the system cabinet does not support I/O adapters that require an I/O processor (IOP). As a result, IOP-based adapters must be replaced or moved to an external enclosure. Third, the system cabinet supports only new Serial Access SCSI (SAS) disk drives, which forces customers to put non-SAS drives in external enclosures as well. Because of these and other requirements, many existing customers may find it best to upgrade to the POWER5+ version of the system, as it does not impose these limitations. In anticipation of this fact, IBM is encouraging its resellers to come to it for special bid pricing on POWER5+ configurations. In short, ask your IBM representative or Business Partner to prepare a special bid on a POWER5+ configuration for comparison with the POWER6 model. You'll be glad that you did.

New Disk Storage Options

Last week, IBM also unveiled high-capacity, 15,000 RPM disk drives that support both i5/OS and AIX/Linux workloads. The #1269 disk drive supports i5/OS partitions with a capacity of 282 GB, while the #1270 supports AIX/Linux partitions and packs up to 300 GB. Before you rush off to place an order, you should know that both drives are limited to POWER5 and newer models, so they do not run on iSeries 8xx systems. In addition, the drives only run in the newer EXP24 cabinets, not in system cabinets. Moreover, since the new drives put a lot of data under a single disk arm, they will not perform as well as less capacious 15,000 RPM models. As such, customers should do thorough performance planning before deploying the new drives.

Big Blue also announced a new "RAID hot sparing" capability for use with iSeries 800, 825, 870, and 890 models as well as all POWER5 and above models when running i5/OS V5R4. The new feature allows customers to designate a disk drive as a "RAID spare" that automatically takes over for a disk drive that fails in a RAID5 or RAID6 drive set. This improves reliability because customers no longer have to wait until the failed drive is replaced before they can reestablish protection for the drive set.

Besides enhancing its customers' storage options, IBM is also tweaking the capabilities of several feature cards. If you run i5/OS V5R4 on any Model 5xx, your Wide Area Network I/O adapters will no longer need to connect to an I/O processor. This could save you money and card slots. In addition, IBM's disk controllers with 1.5 MB of write cache now support AIX and Linux partitions as well as i5/OS workloads. That could help customers wring more performance out of I/O-intensive workloads that run on these operating systems.

Going...Going...Gone!

If your company is considering the POWER6-based Model 570, be aware that IBM intends to withdraw selected upgrades to the new system in the coming year. On December 1 of this year, the computer giant will cease to offer upgrades from the Model 825 to the POWER6 Model 570. On April 1, 2008, the company will close the same upgrade path to owners of the Models 870 and 890. By the way, December 1 of this year also marks the date when IBM will cease selling the Model 595 with 1.9 GHz POWER5 processors. Customers who want to buy or upgrade to a Model 595 will need to purchase the POWER5+ version running at 2.3 GHz.

Between the new POWER6 systems that will ship in the coming months and the new directions that IBM is taking in how it manages the System i, the path before us is full of changes. As I said earlier, I'll have plenty to say about those changes in the near future, so stay tuned.

Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

LEE KROON
Lee Kroon is a Senior Industry Analyst for Andrews Consulting Group, a firm that helps mid-sized companies manage business transformation through technology.
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: