IBM announced the sixth generation of its enterprise X-Architecture for System x and PureSystems servers, designed to provide improvements in the performance and economics of x86-based systems for analytics and cloud.
The X6 architecture includes integrated eXFlash memory-channel storage that provides up to 12.8 terabytes of ultrafast flash storage close to the processor, IBM said. The new architecture also increases application performance by providing the lowest system write latency available, essential for analytics applications. X6 can provide significantly lower latency for database operations, which can lower licensing costs and reduce storage costs by reducing or eliminating the need for external SAN/NAS storage units.
"Our enterprise X-Architecture for x86-based servers and solutions delivers high performance and the highest customer satisfaction in the industry, making us number one in high-end x86 systems," said Adalio Sanchez, general manager for IBM x-86 and PureSystems Solutions.
The X6's architecture also is based on a modular, scalable design that supports multiple generations of CPUs, IBM said. Memory and storage features also are designed to boost virtual machine capacity, to enable SaaS delivery of applications.
Server models supported by this new architecture currently include the System x3850 X6 four-socket system, System x3950 X6 eight-socket system, and the IBM Flex System x880 scalable compute nodes. IBM also is introducing the System x3650 M4 BD storage server, a two-socket rack server supporting up to 14 drives delivering up to 56 terabytes of high-density storage.
IBM also announced it has begun to ship its new FlashSystem 840, which provides nearly double the bandwidth and double the performance -- 1.1M IOPS -- of its predecessor, the FlashSystem 820. This suits for analytical databases, virtualization infrastructures, and public and private clouds, the vendor said.
More information is available at www-03.ibm.com/systems.