IBM introduced a flexible computing platform that it claims will provide three times as many cores as current one-unit rack servers. The NeXtScale System is an addition to IBM's x86 portfolio, designed to run applications with the power of a supercomputer in any data center, via an open architecture that will support options for compute, storage, and graphics processing acceleration.
The new system incorporates up to 84 x86-based systems and 2,016 processing cores in a standard EIA 19-inch rack, allowing integration into most data centers, IBM says. The solution employs I/O cards and top-of-rack networking switches, along with a software stack that includes BM General Parallel File System, GPFS Storage Server, xCAT, and Platform Computing. The software is designed to provide scheduling, management and optimization tools.
NeXtScale is packaged as a single architecture designed to integrate with existing data centers, current practices and x86 tools. "NeXtScale is designed to deliver raw throughput and performance, and is positioned well to handle HPC, cloud, grid, and managed hosted workloads," said Kevin Rozynek, NASA Client Executive at IBM Business Partner Direct Systems Support. "In addition, this new system provides clients a great deal of flexibility in configuration and components, making it one platform that can do it all."
In addition, IBM introduced the x3650 M4 HD, an enhancement of its 3650-class system featuring 12-gigabyte RAID and a 60-percent higher spindle count for higher density storage and higher IO performance, making it ideal for applications such as big data and business-critical workloads.
IBM NeXtScale and System x3650 M4 HD are two new entries headlining what IBM calls “a broad refresh” of the entire System x core server portfolio of two-socket systems including System x racks and towers, Flex System, iDataPlex, and BladeCenter offerings. All of these offerings will feature the new Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v2 product family.
For more information, go to the IBM site.