ARMONK, N. Y., October 5, 2004 — IBM today announced the industry’s first high-performance Express UNIX servers and a new security solution for mid-sized business clients. These Express servers, based on the IBM POWER5 microprocessor, introduce mainframe-inspired technology and performance to customers at prices and configurations that fit the budgets of even the smallest mid-size firms.
With prices of $3,993 and $7,050 respectively, the IBM eServer p5-520 and p5-550 Express models are among the most cost-effective in the industry.
These latest additions to the IBM Express portfolio of servers deliver leadership performance compared to Opteron based Sun v40z, Itanium based HPrx4640 and PA-RISC based HPrp3440.(1) A 2-way IBM eServer p5 520 (1.65 GHz) achieved the best 2-way two-tier SAP SD Standard Application Benchmark result as of October 5, 2004.(2) Customers who want higher performance can opt for a p5-550 system running at 1.5 GHz, or purchase a p5-550 system with a 1.65 GHz processor. The p5-550 is the fastest four-way file server in the industry.(3)
Mid-sized customers can further benefit from 36-month leasing options from IBM Global Finance that start as low as $99 per month on selected servers.
Also, with new financing enhancements for Express offerings can allow contract approval delivery in as little as one hour.
IBM eServer Express POWER-based systems, which include a recently announced line of iSeries Express servers, leverage the industry standard Power Architectureâ„¢, designed to provide potent performance and scalability on an entry and midrange UNIX platform, further demonstrating IBM commitment to provide midsized customers the price and performance advantages they need to reduce costs and increase competitiveness while growing their businesses.
The new servers and an IBM eServer POWER-based solution offering IBM’s rapidly expanding portfolio of nearly 70 On Demand Express servers, storage, software solutions, representing the industry’s most comprehensive set of solutions intended to meet the specific needs of mid-sized clients.
IBM Express solution offerings are powered by IBM systems with IBM TotalStorage, running IBM middleware and ISV applications, backed by the largest network of IBM Business Partners, IBM Global Financing and Global Services.
“We are providing midmarket customers something they have never had before, power and flexibility at their fingertips that allow them to grow their businesses without significantly taxing their small IT staffs and budgets,” said Karl Freund, vice president of Product Marketing, IBM Systems and Technology Group. “It’s another major step forward in our commitment to provide midsized customers solutions they need, when they need them, and at prices they can afford.â€
IBM eServer p5 Express models come with advanced security and integration capabilities, as well as optional virtualization capability that gives growing mid-sized firms with small IT staffs and budgets the ability to consolidate multiple servers, applications, and operating systems, including Linux and AIX 5L, on a single server, for easier, more cost-effective management of their IT infrastructures. Also, because of IBM’s use of open-standards based adapters, clients can easily integrate network peripherals, including storage systems and network servers.
In addition, the IBM On Demand Express portfolio of now also include a line of new IBM eServer xSeries Express industry-standards based systems.
Powered by Intel’s new EM64T processors, and coupled with IBM’s Xtended Design Architecture, mid-sized and smaller customers now have the flexibility and expandability they have always needed. Customers can run their 32-bit applications faster than ever before, and upgrade to 64-bit computing when ready without changing hardware. These IBM eServer xSeries Express models bring to mid-sized and smaller customers in the Intel space years of system design experience through the Xtended Design Architecture.
New Express models include the IBM eServer BladeCenter Express servers and x206, x226, x236, x255, x306, x336, x346 and x365 models. Express models and configurations vary by geography.
IBM Security Express Portfolio Solution for eServer IBM also announced the IBM Security Express Portfolio Solution for eServer, an offering that helps address security and intrusion protection for midsized customers who have a need for end-to-end data protection and collaboration, but lack the skills to create their own solutions. This solution includes Virtual Private Network (VPN), mail gateway, virus scanning, spam filtering, intrusion detection, as well as internal and external firewalls. In addition, it comes with pre-defined Linux partitions and can be implemented by IBM IBM Business Partners, or IBM Global Services, in one-and-half to two-and-a-half days.
IBM’s On Demand Express Portfolio
The IBM On Demand Express Portfolio offers hardware, middleware, services and financing — all tailored to the needs of mid-size businesses – that can be acquired, installed and managed quickly, are cost-effective, and deliver a rapid return on investment (ROI). The nearly 70 offerings in the IBM On Demand Express portfolio enable customers to improve the responsiveness and flexibility of their IT infrastructure, so they can concentrate on their core businesses. And because cash flow is one of the most pressing issues for mid-sized businesses, the IBM On Demand Express Portfolio is more affordable with a series of attractive financing options. To learn more about IBM’s Express Portfolio visit: www.ibm.com/businesscenter.
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