[3907] in linux-announce channel archive
Linux-Announce Digest #199
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Digestifier)
Wed Oct 9 11:13:16 2002
From: Digestifier <Linux-Announce-Request@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu>
To: Linux-Announce@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu
Reply-To: Linux-Announce@senator-bedfellow.mit.edu
Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2002 11:13:09 EDT
Linux-Announce Digest #199, Volume #4 Wed, 9 Oct 2002 11:13:09 EDT
Contents:
New IBM Linux Mixed Cluster Offerings ("Stacy Simpson")
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Date: Tue, 8 Oct 2002 12:54:22 CST
Subject: New IBM Linux Mixed Cluster Offerings
From: "Stacy Simpson" <stacysim@us.ibm.com>
Stacy Simpson
Media Relations
IBM Corporation
Route 100, Somers, NY 10589
Ph: 914-766-4123 (t/l: 826-4123)
E: stacysim@us.ibm.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW IBM eSERVER SOFTWARE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES UNIX SERVER UTILIZATION
System Utilization Rates at an Average 15 Percent Represent Huge
Opportunity for Cost Savings
ARMONK, NEW YORK, October 8, 2002 -- -- IBM today unveiled new eServer
software enabling customers to harness the "un-tapped" power within their
UNIX systems. The software, AIX 5L Version 5.2, dramatically improves
system utilization and helps lower costs with mainframe-style workload
balancing and the ability to add resources on the fly. Using the software,
users can manage their servers with twice the precision versus competing
systems from Sun.
Today, industry averages for UNIX server utilization are in the 10 to 15
percent range, representing a tremendous opportunity for cost savings. In
creating its latest software offering, IBM leveraged its expertise
developing automated workload management capabilities for its mainframe
systems, where peak utilization can average from 85 to 100 percent.
Available on new and existing IBM eServer pSeries systems, AIX 5L v5.2
allows users to divide their server into smaller "virtual" servers running
either UNIX or Linux. Like in the mainframe world, users can exploit the
full power of their system by shifting workloads and changing resources
transparently. If one partition experiences a problem and needs to be
restarted it does not affect any of the other virtual servers on the
system.
IBM breaks new barriers in UNIX server manageability by allowing
administrators to create virtual servers on "dynamic partitions" that are
as small as a single processor and 250 MB of memory. The smaller the
partition, the more efficient the resource allocation, and potentially, the
lower the Total Cost of Ownership. By contrast, the smallest partition
allowed on comparable Sun systems is two processors and 2,048 MB of
memory.[1]
"Too often, customers feel performance and scalability constraints while
resources lie dormant within their current systems," said Adalio Sanchez,
general manager, IBM eServer pSeries. "AIX 5L Version 5.2 provides users
with a highly manageable, future-proof environment while enabling them to
harvest the full potential of existing IT investments."
New to AIX 5L Version 5.2, IBM's implementation of dynamic Logical
Partitioning (LPAR) allows system resources including processors, memory
and, other components to be assigned to independent partitions, without
rebooting the system. The ability to allocate resources without
interruption eases system management and contributes to lower Total Cost of
Ownership because the resources are better utilized.
Another important feature of AIX 5L version 5.2 is Capacity Upgrade on
Demand (CUoD). Working synergistically, CUoD and dynamic LPAR help system
administrators adapt to changing workloads and rapid growth without an
interruption in service. Using CUoD and dynamic LPAR together, if an IBM
eServer pSeries system has a failing processor, a new processor can be
automatically brought online at no additional charge to the customer and
with no interruption in service or performance degradation.
Users may also seamlessly add new processors in pairs to meet increased
workloads without interrupting operations. This is especially important to
retail chains and other companies with peak seasons. The other advantage
of CUoD is increased granularity. Before customer had to add eight
processors at a time now they can buy just the processing power they need
now and have excess capacity available for future growth.
Logical Partitioning also allows administrators to divide their pSeries
systems into many smaller virtual servers running either AIX 5L v5.2, v5.1
or Linux. Because many systems may be consolidated on to one IBM eServer,
customers are able to save on floor space and system administration
expenses.
The ability to run both AIX 5L v5.2 and Linux concurrently offers several
advantages over a two system approach. Administrators running test and
production applications may wish to run both within one server rather than
operating two separate machines with possible performance variances.
Having a common server can be very useful during operating system and
application migrations leaving one less variable. Training expense savings
may also be realized as administrators need only learn one hardware
platform. IBM is the only major vendor in the industry to offer servers
capable of running both Linux and UNIX simultaneously on a single server.
As a result, customers will be able to buy just the amount and type of
computing power needed for the job. Depending on existing infrastructure,
training, and applications, administrators may choose to run their system
with AIX 5L, Linux, or some combination of the two.
New in AIX 5L Version 5.2
? Dynamic Logical Partitioning - LPAR divides pSeries systems into
smaller "virtual servers" running AIX 5L Version 5.2 or Linux. Dynamic
LPAR significantly enhances the flexibility and availability of IBM eServer
pSeries systems by enabling administrators to add and remove processors,
memory and I/O slots from active partitions without rebooting.
? Capacity Upgrade on Demand - Allows customers to install systems with
more processors than are initially required, keeping those resources in
reserve until business needs require their activation.
? Updated AIX Toolbox for Linux Applications - Complete toolbox updated
with versions of many useful open source applications. The AIX Toolbox for
Linux Applications is available at no charge and allows customers to run
many Linux applications on AIX 5L v5.2.
? Resource Management - New in AIX Workload Manager (WLM) are
improvements to the Web-based System Manager interface and to features
providing administrators with greater control over system resources
assigned to applications.
? Networking and Security- Additions to extend network connectivity,
availability and manageability combined with enhancements for intrusion
detection and authentication.
? Storage and Performance Management - Logical Volume Manager (LVM) and
JFS2 file system enhancements plus a suite of new tools designed to
provide improvements in overall system performance.
? Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS) - Improvements to
increase system uptime, configure the system for self-management and
self-recovery, sophisticated damage isolation, more information added to
display panels where available.
..
New Linux and AIX Cluster Offerings
IBM also announced today that it will deliver the first software package
for managing mixed clusters of UNIX and Linux servers. Clustered Systems
Management (CSM) Version 1.3 provides a single point-of-control for
installing, configuring, maintaining and updating IBM eServer xSeries
servers running Linux and IBM eServer pSeries servers, or their logical
partitions, running AIX. Now enterprises with both UNIX and Linux
applications can consolidate them on a single CSM-managed cluster and
realize significant cost savings through simplified administration of a
broader range of servers, operating systems and the applications they
support.
With today's announcement, IBM pre-packaged cluster offerings are enhanced
to support more systems. The IBM eServer Cluster 1600 is expanded to
support as many as 128 specified IBM eServer pSeries servers running its
own AIX 5L operating system. The IBM eServer Cluster 1350 is expanded to
support up to 512 managed IBM eServer xSeries systems running the Linux
operating system. Both cluster offerings are pre-tested, pre-configured
and delivered ready-to-run in a customer's environment. Higher scalability
limits for both the Cluster 1600 and the Cluster 1350 are available by
special bid.
Planned availability for CSM on the IBM eServer Cluster 1600 is October 25,
2002. Support for up to 128 servers or 128 operating system images on IBM
eServer Cluster 1600 is December 13, 2002. Planned availability for
scalability to 256 systems on IBM eServer Cluster 1350 is October 25, 2002.
Support for mixed AIX 5L v5.2 and Linux clusters is planned for December
13, 2002.
IBM plans to provide support for IBM eServer BladeCenter servers as cluster
nodes for denser packaging and higher degrees of scaling in the first
quarter of 2003.
The ability to configure and interoperate systems running Linux and UNIX
offers numerous advantages to customers in the areas of flexibility,
scalability, administration and skills protection. IBM plans to extend
these advantages even further by introducing new pSeries servers in the
fourth quarter of 2002 and the first quarter of 2003 designed to run Linux.
The introduction of these servers will make IBM the only major UNIX vendor
to offer a complete product line capable of running Linux natively.
# # #
The IBM eServer brand consists of the established IBM e-business logo with
the following descriptive term "server'' following it. IBM, the e-business
logo, AIX, AIX 5L, and pSeries are trademarks of IBM Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries.
UNIX is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries
licensed exclusively through The Open Group.
Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds.
All other company, product and service names are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective companies.
(C) 2002 International Business Machines Corporation, all rights reserved.
[1]Based on Sun and IBM eServer pSeries documentation available at
http://www.sun.com and http://www.ibm.com respectively, as of October 3,
2002.
[2]Source: Scorpion - Simplifying the Corporate IT Infrastructure, IBM,
available at
http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/zseries/library/whitepapers/pdf/gf225168.pdf
, as of October 3, 2002.
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