IBM reduces server sprawl with new eX5 portfolio

These first-of-its-kind systems are the result of a three-year engineering effort in the direction of improving the economics of operating enterprise-sized, x86-based systems.

By creating a highly virtualised environment, the eX5 systems can give users a flexible, highly scalable system that can reduce the number of servers needed by half, cut storage costs by 97 per cent and licensing fees by 50 per cent.

The new servers will be available for commercial use sometime in March 2010.

Demanding workloads

The new solution from IBM will bring down costs of existing IT infrastructure and is ideal for demanding workloads. The new launch will also increase the market share of IBM that enjoyed more revenue share than any of the major x86 server vendors in each quarter of 2009, according to research firm IDC.