IBM has announced that two IBM System x servers featuring Intel 6-core processor technology recently topped four benchmarks, including:
- The first single x86 server to burst through the 1 million transactions per minute barrier on a TPC-C benchmark. This was achieved with an 8-socket System x server running 64-bit IBM DB2 9.5 on Red Hat Linux 5.2.
- The highest 4-socket x86 server TPC-C benchmark, delivering more transactions per minute than any other 4-processor server.
- Highest 4-processor performance and overall best price/performance on the TPC-E benchmark, outpacing the Dell 4-way server in both performance and price/performance.
- The world record for 8-processor results on two-tier SAP SD Standard Application Benchmark.
IBM claims it dominates the high-end scalable x86 market, defined at 8-socket systems and above, with more than 60 percent share in 2007 -- three times more than its closest competitor, according to IDC.
"The latest world-record database and enterprise resource planning benchmark results posted by IBM are testaments to the performance of the Intel Xeon Processor 7400 series with IBM's eX4 chipset," said Kirk Skaugen, vice president and general manager Intel's Server Platforms Group. "These represent more compelling examples of how Intel technology paired with the innovative fourth generation of IBM's X-Architecture is providing IT managers' greater performance, scalability and investment protection for their enterprises."
Both the System x 3950 M2 and x3850 M2 support IBM's virtualization technologies including WebSphere Virtual Enterprise. As part of a SmartSOA approach, WebSphere Virtual virtualizes application servers through policy-based workload, application health,and application edition management.