IBM Flex Systems allow clients to build larger Clouds in smaller data centers

IBM has unveiled a number of major additions to its Flex System portfolio. The offerings combine the latest server technology with new virtualization, networking and management tools, allowing clients to consolidate their existing IT infrastructures and reduce operating costs. This will help clients use smaller data center environments to quickly deploy, manage and secure increasingly larger clouds. Today’s announcement comes at a critical time, as organizations look to consolidate their existing data centers and shift greater workloads to the cloud. In fact, one study has determined that by 2014, businesses will have migrated more than 62 percent of their existing database workloads to the cloud.

These additional Flex Systems products deliver the features that provide clients with the choices they need as they seek to reduce costs and invest in technologies that provide future scalability. The offerings consist of three systems built on both IBM POWER7+ and a “double dense” x222 system built on x86 technology. Additionally, IBM has upgraded the Flex System Manager so that clients can monitor and manage up to 5,000 infrastructure end points and do so from any location utilizing iOS, Android and Blackberry mobile devices.

Swedish manufacturer Tomologic, in collaboration with the global cutting machine manufacturers and researchers from the Swedish Institute of Computer Science, KTH and Uppsala University have moved to a cloud environment on the new x222 Flex System. Tomologic will use this environment to deliver their Software as a Service that optimizes cutting metal and material through the use of advanced and unique computational algorithms. The algorithms will help Tomologic’s clients to offer more units being cut out of the same sheet, reducing the amount of waste; and enabling more efficient use of the machine capacity. Because they are based in the cloud Tomologic is able to continually improve the efficiency of the algorithm and service without disrupting end-user production.

In addition to cloud deployments, many clients are choosing Flex System to enhance their infrastructures as they replace legacy environments.
For example, Libra Internet Bank, one of the leading banking services providers in Romania, is announcing that they will replace the legacy systems used currently in their production infrastructure. Libra Internet Bank anticipates that the new Flex System data center will increase the security, performance and efficiency of the banking services they offer clients.

Tomologic and Libra Internet Bank are just two examples of the thousands of clients in key markets who are increasingly turning to Flex System to replace their legacy blade infrastructures and deploy new cloud environments. Companies such as Ricca, Harris Farm Markets and Redcentric have all seen significant performance increases and cost savings since consolidating their data centers on Flex System.

The key elements of the announcement include:
· Flex System x222 – A new double density design built on x86 architecture that allows support for up to 2,800 Windows 7 user images in a single chassis;
· Flex System p460 – Delivers POWER7+ performance for clients with larger workloads;
· Flex System p270 – A POWER7+ option that is designed for medium-sized businesses and delivers performance for technical computing and data analytics;
· Flex System p260 – A new entry-level POWER7+ node ideal for IBM i workloads;
· Flex System Manager – Provides management of more systems from a single point of control and the ability to do so from any location with iOS, Android or Blackberry devices; provides a new utilization fuel gauge to help clients monitor the status and availability of their infrastructure manage; and has been expanded with the ability to manage the System x HANA-optimized x3950;
· New switches and fabrics that help enable Software Defined Networks (SDN) and improve connectivity and performance by increasing infrastructure bandwidth up to 40Gb.

NEW CHANNEL OFFERINGS
Since the introduction of Flex System, IBM has been committed to supporting its Business Partners. As a result, there are now more than 4,500 channel partners for PureFlex and Flex System. Today’s announcement provides additional choices for Partners, and reinforces the role of Flex System as the premier platform for providing solutions to clients in the x86 and POWER market segments.

Expanding on this commitment, IBM Business Partners worldwide can now select from Flex System bundles that are specially configured and priced for their local markets.

The IBM Flex System goes beyond competitor’s blade configurations and provides the building-block elements for IBM PureSystems. IBM Flex Systems are built-to-order offerings for clients who want to custom build and tune configurations to their specific requirements. This allows them to select the specific compute, systems networking and optional storage and management required to support their specific workloads.