IBM scales Power7 servers to 256 cores

New systems complete IBM's Power7 Unix server line-up

IBM has extended its Unix-based server line-up with new Power7 systems, including one boasting 256 cores, plus the latest version of its AIX operating system designed to fully exploit the capabilities of the Power7 architecture.

However, the firm is putting as much emphasis on energy saving as processing power, claiming greater performance for the same energy consumption as rival systems.

Available immediately, IBM's new Power7 systems include the high-end Power 795 along with the entry-level Power 710, 720, 730 and 740 Express systems, plus a dedicated Smart Analytics system based on the Power 740.

Designed to allow customers to aggressively consolidate workloads, the Power 795 supports up to 256 Power7 cores and up to 8TB of memory. It is capable of running over 1,000 virtual servers, according to IBM.

But IBM also claims that the high-end Power 795 system is more than five times more energy efficient than comparable systems from Oracle and HP, thanks to its EnergyScale technology that monitors and controls power consumption, and can enforce a power budget on the system.

Steve Atkins, Power Systems product manager for the UK and Ireland at IBM, claimed that the 795 will allow IBM's existing client base to reduce their datacentre space requirements, while the firm is also aiming at rival Unix vendors such as HP.

"You could take an entire HP SuperDome and move the workloads into a single book on the 795," he said. 'Book' refers to one of the modules inside the server that holds up to four processor chips.

Also announced for the 795 was Power Flex, which enables two or more Power 795 servers to shift live workloads from one system to another to balance workloads and allow for maintenance without any disruption to applications.