IBM previews new server architecture

By separating the memory and processor, systems will have access to a larger memory pool with better scalability which could help boost application performance, IBM said. IBM claimed that servers will have access to six times more memory than otherwise found in servers, which could help boost the performance of applications like databases.

Traditionally, more servers are added to handle growing workloads, which lead to a larger server farms and additional power usage, Hagan said. Companies have managed to consolidate x86 servers in virtualized environments, but the hardware utilization rates have suffered as processor and memory components are locked together. In servers, x86 chips from Intel and Advanced Micro Devices are usually connected to the memory.

The new servers will also give companies access to a larger number of virtual servers, which could reduce the cost burden on companies by running applications in a more energy-efficient way, IBM said.