Unisys Announces Enhancements to ClearPath Server Family
Unisys has announced enhancements to its ClearPath family of mainframe servers which are intended to help clients reduce costs while preserving and extending the value of their investments in business-critical applications.
The new offerings include server and enterprise software enhancements, including new models of the ClearPath Libra and Dorado lines and new releases of the MCP and OS 2200 operating environments; specialty engines that enhance ClearPath system price/performance by offloading support for specialized applications and supporting integration of intelligent devices, such as iPhones and iPods; and support for the latest EMC enterprise storage systems.
"ClearPath is a major investment focus for Unisys. We have been investing in it and continue to at a high level," Bill Maclean, vice president of ClearPath programs for Unisys, tells 5 Minute Briefing.
In October of last year, Unisys launched a new high-end Dorado platform, the Dorado 700 series, and two midrange platforms, one for Dorado which runs OS2200 and the other for Libra which runs MCP and both of those were based on NextGen architecture, states Maclean. Combined with this latest rollout, he notes, Unisys will have delivered brand new platforms across the entire spectrum of ClearPath.
Five New ClearPath Models
As part of this latest introduction, Unisys announced five new ClearPath models, ranging from high-end to entry- level. By leveraging new processor units and input/output (I/O) subsystems, the new models deliver higher performance than predecessor ClearPath models, yielding up to 300% improvements in I/O and networking capacity and 200 percent in price/performance.
Four of the new models - ClearPath Libra Models 780/790 and ClearPath Dorado Models 740/750 - use Unisys-designed CMOS processor technology, reinforcing Unisys' commitment to provide increasing power and scalability in classic mainframe platforms. Designed for very large transaction-processing environments and other mission-critical tasks requiring continuous availability with high security, the new ClearPath Libra Models 780 and 790 are the most powerful systems ever to run the Unisys MCP operating environment, according to Unisys. The mid-range ClearPath Dorado Models 740 and 750 are designed to accommodate transaction processing requiring variable performance workloads. The new entry-level to mid-range ClearPath Dorado Model 4050 using Intel Xeon x64 processors is the latest step in Unisys plan to deliver a next-generation architecture based on advanced Intel technology for all Unisys servers.
The new models provide flexible resource management, enabling clients to match their expenditures to their business requirements. Metering - a pay-for-use system software licensing capability - allows clients to handle dynamically changing workloads economically by maximizing system capacity during peaks and minimizing costs when system usage is low.
Additionally, Unisys introduced new releases of the OS 2200 and MCP operating environments. Both OS 2200 release 12.0 and MCP Release 12.1 include enhancements in operations automation; standards-based interoperability; application development; security; and application modernization through SOA implementation.
Specialty Engines Enhance Support for Mobile Users and System Interoperability
The new OS 2200 and MCP releases provide support for single-purpose Specialty Engines - integrated processors which offload functions from the central system, enhancing both performance and price/performance. These engines help enterprise clients modernize their application environments and enhance productivity by allowing workers to leverage standard applications and interfaces.
Through a new capability, the ClearPath ePortal Specialty Engine enables mobile workers using devices such as Apple iPhone and iPod touch units to communicate with ClearPath applications. Clients with these devices can use the look-and-feel they are familiar with to gain transparent access to critical business information.
The enhanced ClearPath ePortal provides multiple options for integrating these intelligent devices. The options include a plug-and-play capability that generates the iPhone/iPod touch application interface; capabilities to customize web-based ClearPath applications with an iPhone/iPod touch look-and-feel; and integration of native iPhone applications with ClearPath solutions. "These are examples of how we are trying to adapt to deal with changes in the customer's business environment, to adapt to a much more mobile workforce-and increasingly mobile in the future-and yet fully protect the investment clients have made in their ClearPath applications," notes Maclean.
Two new specialty engines for the ClearPath Dorado line provide enhanced interoperability with heterogeneous systems. The new OS 2200 QProcessor enables transparent communication and information exchange between systems through the widely used IBM Websphere MQ Server messaging facility. The OS 2200 JProcessor - complementing one already available for MCP-based systems - enables integration of new Java applications.
Support for EMC Symmetrix V-Max Storage
Unisys also announced integrated support for the EMC's Symmetrix V-Max system, to provide clients with expanded, cost-effective storage options for virtual data centers in transaction-intensive applications. "We have a very strong partnership with EMC," states Maclean. "With this launch we have announced the integration of the Symmetrix V-Max enterprise storage subsystem with ClearPath," he says. "We are able to offer our clients the most contemporary storage technologies from EMC in line with any open system or any other system on the market, because of the partnership."
This high-end EMC storage array provides incremental scalability as storage needs increase, with simplified, secure management and 24/7 availability across all storage tiers. In addition, clients can benefit from Unisys and EMC's extensive services and support in deploying the Symmetrix V-Max systems for enterprise computing.
For further information on Unisys ClearPath servers and solutions, go here.