NEW - iDataPlex DX360 M2 - 5500 Series Intel

IBM System x iDataPlex dx360 M2 server offers an innovative data center solution

Overview

The IBM® System x® platform takes a new approach to solving data center challenges through its latest innovation, iDataPlex -- a flexible and power-efficient design that enables massive scale-out deployments with affordable and customized value.

The new iDataPlex dx360 M2 server includes support for:

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  Dual Intel® Xeon® Processors, 5500 Series


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  Intel QuickPath1 architecture, providing two full-width interconnect links up to 6.4 GT/s in each direction


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  Up to 64 GB of registered ECC memory supporting Chipkill™


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  Dual Gigabit Ethernet


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  Predictive Failure Analysis® (PFA) alerts:


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  Memory


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  HDDs

IBM service options: Three-year Customer Replaceable Unit (CRU) and on-site2 limited warranty3

Planned availability date: April 17, 2009

INFORMATION: Microsoft SQL Server 2008 on the IBM System x3950 M2

The IBM System x3950 M2 server provides extraordinary levels of scalability and processing power needed to run the most demanding enterprise database workloads. The x3950 M2 system is based on the fourth generation of IBM X-Architecture and is built on eX4 technology. As a scale-up platform, it offers unprecedented flexibility for supporting multi-node configurations using up to 96 processor cores.

The System x3950 M2 is the ultimate in scale-up design. Scale-up refers to the idea of increasing processing capacity by adding additional processors (and memory and I/O bandwidth) to a single server, making it more powerful. This is precisely what the x3950 M2 is designed to do: to scale up by adding chassis to a hardware partition to form two-node, four-node, and eight-node configurations. SQL Server 2008 is also designed for scale-up.

Thus, when your database application needs to scale-up to handle increased demands, the x3950 M2 and SQL Server 2008 together can grow from a one-node server to an enterprise-class four-node server with up to 96 processor cores and 1 TB of physical memory, which the 64-bit SQL Server 2008 x64 can take full advantage of.

This IBM Redbooks publication presents technical considerations and configuration examples for scaling up Microsoft SQL Server 2008 to support very high workloads.

x3950 M2 & SQL Server REDBOOK

INFORMATION - Blade S RESOURCES

If you require any information or tools on how to sell the BLADE S chassis and Blade Servers just take a look at the following resources.

Learn about the BLADE S

Take a 3D Tour

Blade S Guide

Implementing IBM Bladecenter S Chassis

Business Partner Resource Page

LEARNING - Blades & Virtualization

Don't miss the boat!

If your not selling Blade Servers and Virtualization your competition is or will be, as it is the Solution to sell in this market. There are just too many positive reasons not to look at the IBM Blade Chassis (S - E - H) and IBM Blade Servers.

(Watch out for new Blade Product March 31st from IBM)

Results are in from a survay done over the last two quarters by an industry consortium focused on the BladeCenter.

TAKE A LOOK - Blade.org

More Comments - vmblog.com

Server Virtualization on BLADES

Blades and server virtualization have become very hot topics within IT organizations and the data center as strong foundational building blocks to address issues that have been challenging IT for years. A lot of users are out of, or running out of, space in their data centers. Many are maxed out on their power consumption. Both blades and virtualization address these challenges in different ways.

One of the top projects that a lot of users are dealing with is consolidation: For example, they have a large number of servers, many running only one application to create separation and isolation, so if they have a failure it doesn't affect other things. Each of those servers tends to have a very low-utilization rate, so they are running 5 or 10% CPU utilization. They have a lot of hardware, very poorly utilized, taking up a lot of space and using a lot of power.

IT organizations required to do more with less are saying why do I need this? Can't I consolidate into fewer servers, take up less space and use less power? When blades and virtualization are used together as part of a revamping implementation project, they deliver a lot of value, both for the effort required in the implementation and for the hardware and software dollars spent.

For example: I take this large number of underutilized servers, I consolidate them using server virtualization – so now I can run four to 20 virtual servers on one physical server. I can implement those on blades, which gives me very high density for the physical servers that I do have, plus the sharing of all of the components that blade servers offer. I am now providing the same, or more horse power to run my business applications, in less space, with less power, less cooling, shared, modular components, providing high availability, and a flexible and agile infrastructure. Now if I need to move things around for availability, maintenance or load balancing, I have strong management tools offered both by blade server systems and virtualization software. And I have modular hardware components with a lot of hot swap, redundant, high availability capabilities built into them.

READ FULL ARTICLE

NEWS - Good time for Virtualization

I thought this was a great piece that was posted on ItBusiness several months ago and thought it needed a 2nd look.

Bad economy good for client virtualization?

For example, if you have 10 desktops on a single server, you don't need 40 gig of memory. Because end user machines are very spiky in terms of usage and, frankly, under-utilized 99 percent of the time, a smaller amount of resource is required on the server. In other words, the resources can be multiplexed. This is financially savvy for two reasons: (1) Due to the multiplexing effect, you don't need to buy as much total resource capacity as you would if you were provisioning individual end points, each with sufficient capacity to support a Vista environment; and (2) buying in bulk for servers is, up to a certain point, less expensive than buying the same amount of capacity for individual end devices-in essence, you're paying wholesale rather than retail (so to speak) for hardware capacity.

Tech Data and IBM can help you move forward and take advantage of this type of solution using the best in class Blade, storage and software products.

READ FULL STORY

WEBCAST - IBM and Hyper-V - FEB11th - 1-2PM

To compete in today’s economy you need to make IT decisions that will drive business success. With IBM, you have an alternative: a simpler, flexible infrastructure with a lower total cost of ownership. Our Virtual Conference Series, designed to put you in touch with industry experts, will help you discover how IBM can provide you the innovative technology and world-class expertise to set you on the right path for years to come.

Join us for the Virtual Conference Series, brought to you by IBM and Intel to access:

1. Expert advice on today's most important technical issues
2. Webcasts from industry luminaries
3. New chat, network, and blog capabilities
4. The premier Virtual Conference Series from the convenience of your desktop

February 11, 2009, 1-2pm EST

Hyper-V : Microsoft's virtualization technologies and IBM BladeCenter & System x

The benefits of deploying Microsoft Windows Server 2008 virtualization on a resilient Intel based server infrastructure.

Join us for a straight forward look at Microsoft Windows Server 2008 virtualization deployed.

The intent of this session is to look at the virtualization offering shipping with Microsoft Server 2008 and discuss what to consider when planning for a production Hyper-V deployment.

High Availability, Disaster Recovery, I/O, network, storage, memory, processor, workload selection, migration, and remote management are all considerations for any production deployment of a virtualized workload.

What Attendees Will Learn:

1. Attain an understanding of Microsoft's Windows Server 2008 virtualization offerings
2. Benefits of server and workload consolidation with Hyper-V
3. What Intel processors are best leveraged by Hyper-V
4. Hyper-V planning and deployment tips from IBM's Microsoft Lab team

REGISTER

INFORMATION - IBM NMSO & Tech Data

Need pre-sales support for your NMSO orders - let the IBM team @ Tech Data HELP!

Make IBM your choice for CAT1 (x3550) and CAT2 (3650) Servers

We can assist you with

Server and Blades

SAN 1 & SAN 2 Categories

Archival Storage Equipment

Need more information just email the IBM TEAM @ Tech Data - ibmsolutions@techdata.ca

KEY LINKS:

Computer Acquisition Guide (CAG)
IBM CAG Home Page
IBM e-Catalog

See all the IBM NMSO posts

LEARNING : IBM Laying the Ground Work for Success in 2009

IBM SYSTEM x & EXPRESS SELLER - Laying the Ground Work for Success in 2009

* Join the Call to Learn the Facts (2/10 @ 11am ET)

On Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 11am ET, IBM will share via conference call the earnings and profit potential available in the Mid Market with System x and Express Seller. The call will be hosted by Gary Isaacs, Director of Mid Market Channels Sales. The Vice President of Americas System x Sales, Wilfredo Sotolongo, will review Project x - IBM's strategic plan for capturing greater market share in the WinTel space. Finally, the creative and lucrative marketing and sales plays/offerings will be reviewed to ensure you have the tools to be successful in 1Q,'09.

Invest the time to join us for this call in "Laying the Ground Work for Success in 2009"

Date & Time: Tuesday, 2/10/09 @ 11am ET
Dial In Number: 888-510-1786
Passcode: 4847286
Log On: Go to the URL – http://www.webdialogs.com/
Click “Join a Meeting” button on the top right corner of the page
Enter Conference ID 3494067
Enter your name and email address
Click the “Log In” button

LEARNING - IBM Top Gun Virtual Learning

Do you need high quality, role based, live interactive sales education? Is travel an issue? Then TOP GUN Virtual Learning (TGVL) may be just what you need! The TOP GUN team has completely re-architected the well-known, face-to-face TOP GUN classes to adapt to the virtual environment!! Come see how this innovative team can teach you the latest concerning brands, products, strategies, competition and value through the new Fundamentals, Foundation and Value based classes. All classes will be offered via a high quality, virtual classroom delivery by the end of 1Q09. Additionally, they will be available via edited replay only 2 weeks after the live class date in the same high-energy, tested environment. The first classes begin as early as the week of January 12, 2009 so look out for a class that is perfect to support your sales role at IBM or your IBM business partner firm. TOP GUN classes are designed for people new to their sales roles and those who want to hone those selling skills to drive additional revenue quickly at the beginning of the year!

Top Gun Virtual Learning classes are delivered via the internet and all you need to do is enroll in the class(s) and then have access to a high speed internet connection. Each class will range from one to five days with a day being roughly 4 hours of learning. As you know in the face-to-face classes we will provide you with interactive training from expert class managers and instructors as you collaborate with other students from around the world!!!

For more information on TOP GUN Virtual Learning simply click the STG and SWG links below.

TOP GUN Virtual Learning

Save with virtualization with IBM

Save with virtualization with IBM

Reduce IT costs, increase asset utilization and improve systems management with IBM Virtualization solutions.

Go Green with IBM

Go green with IBM System x solutions

Reduce costs while helping to build green IT infrastructures.

System X and BladeCenter Solutions to reduce IT complexity and costs

Dare to compare

System x and BladeCenter solutions to reduce IT complexity and costs

IBM BladeCenter solutions
IBM BladeCenter, blade servers and switch modules can be seamlessly moved between chassis, giving you incredibly flexible, to efficiently mix-and-match deployment choices and maximize the return on your IT investment. IBM's BladeCenter family has five chassis that help users of any size, type and performance level pick just the right fit.

IBM BladeCenterThe IBM BladeCenter uses up to 50% less floor space and up to 35% less energy than competitor rack servers without sacrificing performance.2

Dare to compare IBM BladeCenter

IBM System x solutions
The x3850 M2 and x3950 M2 deliver ground breaking performance as the first Intel Xeon® processor-based-8-socket systems to break the one million transaction-per-minute performance threshold.3 Their pay-as-you-grow scalability helps consolidate more servers, cut costs and simplify maintenance. You really can do more with less.
IBM System x3850 M2The System x3850 M2 delivers 27 % better performance per watt than HP PoLiant DL580 G5.4

IBM System x3950 M2The System x3950 M2 scales to 16 sockets on an Intel® Xeon®-based platform — for a total of 64 cores. Dell, HP and Sun cannot.

Dare to compare our System x3850 M2 and x3950 M2

Mid-range disk solutions for business critical applications

IBM System Storage DS4000 family offers you a robust portfolio of storage devices, from entry level to high-performance-all flexible, modular and affordable.

IBM System Storage DS4000 familyThe System Storage DS4800 offers the highest performance of DS4000 series for business-critical applications and efficient data replication and 2x the performance of EMC CX3-80.
Dare to compare the DS4000 family

Solution - HS21 / HS21XM - INTEL - Solution Offering

SIMPLIFYING YOUR I.T. JUST GOT SIMPLER.

Use the Sell More Blue Grid on AMD Opteron LS21/LS41

Servers and Options and save more

than 50% off of the list price

Scalability. Reliability. Efficiency. Virtualization.

Hit the link and get an editable PDF file where you can add your price, your information and send the file out to your clients.

Solution - HS21 / HS21XM - INTEL - Solution Offering

SIMPLIFYING YOUR I.T. JUST GOT SIMPLER.

Use the Sell More Blue Grid on INTEL HS21/HS21 xm

Servers and Options and save more

than 50% off of the list price

Scalability. Reliability. Efficiency. Virtualization.

Hit the link and get an editable PDF file where you can add your price, your information and send the file out to your clients.

SOLUTIONS - Let IBM BLADES solve your Growing Pains

Meeting today’s budget while planning for tomorrow’s growth can be difficult. With the new IBM BladeCenter® LS42 blade server and IBM’s 2+2 pricing program, IBM offers an affordable, scalable 2-processor LS42 blade server that you can easily upgrade to four processors as your business grows without paying a premium—simple blade expansion with investment protection no competitor can match.

Performance you can count on

The new BladeCenter LS42 blade server features the latest quad-core AMD Opteron processors for industry-leading performance. Supporting high memory capacity 16 DIMM slots and memory speeds up to 800MHz, the LS42 blade server can help drive your most demanding memory-intensive workloads such as virtualization, databases and high performance computing (HPC) applications.

Energy efficiency to help your bottom line

The LS42 blade server offers an energy-efficient design along with low-voltage processors, integrated memory controller and available solid-state drives to help keep power consumption down and reduce cooling demands in your data center.

Click and scale, pay as you grow

The unique 2+2 pricing program available on the LS42 lets you start with a 30mm, single-wide, 2-processor blade server. When workloads demand more performance, this blade server is ready to scale to four processors with the addition of a multi-processor expansion unit (MPE). Simply snap the MPE onto the original blade and it becomes a 4-processor, 60mm blade server with the additional performance you need. Best of all, this expansion capability won’t break the bank.

FIND OUT MORE

IBM - TOP 15 Downloaded Storage RedBooks

1.	Introduction to Storage Area Networks, SG24-5470-03 Published 10 Jul 2006, last updated 6 Sep 2006, Rating: (based on 7 reviews)
2.	DS4000 Best Practices and Performance Tuning Guide, SG24-6363-02 Published 21 Mar 2007, last updated 18 Jan 2008, Rating: (based on 7 reviews)
3.	IBM System Storage DS4000 and Storage Manager V10.10, SG24-7010-05 Published 18 Apr 2008, last updated 29 Apr 2008, Rating: (based on 4 reviews)
4.	VSAM Demystified , SG24-6105-01 Published 12 Sep 2003, Rating: (based on 17 reviews)
5.	IBM System Storage Tape Library Guide for Open Systems, SG24-5946-06 Published 26 Sep 2008, last updated 4 Nov 2008, Rating: (based on 2 reviews)
6.	AIX Logical Volume Manager from A to Z: Troubleshooting and Commands, SG24-5433-00 Published 13 Mar 2000, last updated 23 Mar 2000, Rating: (based on 5 reviews)
7.	Implementing the IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller V4.3, SG24-6423-06 Published 24 Oct 2008, Rating: (based on 2 reviews)
8.	AIX Logical Volume Manager from A to Z: Introduction and Concepts, SG24-5432-00 Published 20 Jan 2000, Rating: (based on 4 reviews)
9.	IBM System Storage DS8000 Architecture and Implementation, SG24-6786-04 Published 2 Oct 2008
10.	IBM System Storage Solutions Handbook, SG24-5250-06 Published 12 Oct 2006, last updated 29 May 2007, Rating: (based on 5 reviews)

INFORMATION - Consolidation

MARKET – OPPORTUNITY – Problem needing a solution

The market for consolidate storage is fairly well understood. There are generally two different types of access to storage; block and file. The block level access is performed by devices like the DS3000/DS4000/DS5000. The storage looks and feels like direct attached storage, and the performance characteristic requirements are usually more demanding. File level access requires a server (or appliance) between the storage and the servers accessing the storage via NFS or CIFS. This type of storage is usually less demanding as far as performance is required, but usually has the requirement of sharing access to files for multiple servers. This is the environment that spawned the NAS industry. Originally the NAS storage server was a standard server with lots of direct attached storage. This model is alive and well in many customer environments.

Problems arise with the standard server approach when other applications start to run on the servers that are providing NAS storage to other systems. Many times server maintenance, application problems, or hardware problems can cause wide outages (to many other servers besides the file server). As the industry matured, the file server role became separated, and the idea of storage consolidate became split between block-level and network-attached storage.

Some of the NAS vendors, noticing that benefits of storage consolidation was being diluted, decided to offer block-level access to their NAS storage. Although this seems like a good thing, the differences in storage access methodology leads to several inefficiencies, and performance suffers. Remember, when consolidating storage, performance is very important because more and more servers (and hence more and more applications) are relying on fewer storage subsystems. This means that slower performance can impact many application (not just one server), and have a greater impact on the business as a whole.

Another approach is to consolidate the storage onto a storage subsystem, and have a “NAS GATEWAY” offer NAS access to the consolidated storage. This is similar to having another server on the SAN, but the application is to provide file level access to other servers. So then the question is asked; what is the best way to implement a NAS Gateway? This question has a variety of answers, all depending on the balance of cost, effort, and support. I will go through a few options, and try to point out the differences. First, I would like to present a diagram that represents the configuration we’re discussing. There is a corporate Fibre Channel SAN with servers attached to storage and a tape library. Also attached to this SAN is the NAS Gateway, which offers up NAS storage to other servers over the corporate network. All options below could generally fall under this same configuration.

Information provided by:

James Latham
DS3000/DS4000/DS5000 Product Specialist

Storage Solutions Engenio Storage Group

LSI Logic Corporation

LEARNING - Protecting Microsoft Exchange Servers with IBM System Storage DS3000 series

DS3000 performance is well-suited for demanding Microsoft Exchange transaction-oriented workloads. Extend the proven functionality and value of protecting your Exchange data and meeting day-to-day backup and recovery challenges with DPM 2007.

· Extend the proven functionality and value of DPM 2007 by integrating IBM’s array-based Copy Services to further reduce Exchange backup & recovery times

· Address day-to-day backup and recovery challenges by implementing the cost-effective IBM System Storage™ DS3000 series with DPM 2007

· Near-continuous data protection eliminates backup window restrictions while providing simple administration through wizards and task-driven menus

In today’s competitive global business environment, email has emerged as one of the most critical business applications required for success. Email is used both internally and externally to conduct business, frequently in a 24x7 environ­ment. When email is not available, business can virtually come to a halt.

Keeping email available around the clock is now a critical priority for many busi­nesses. Downtime cannot be tolerated for more than a few minutes, if at all. It is no longer sufficient just to shorten backup windows for email—recovery win­dows must be reduced as well.

But keeping email highly available is only one consideration. At some time or another, a recovery scenario may be required, ranging from low-impact — i.e. a user deleted an email or file that is needed, to catastrophic — i.e. a bare-metal recovery is needed. Thus another, equally important goal is the ability to recover data not only accurately, but in a manner that minimizes downtime. Recovery time can be one of the largest contributors to the duration of the overall out­age. Thus, the ability to recover/restore data is quickly becoming a requirement, instead of just a ‘nice to have’.

CONTACT YOUR IBM TEAM FOR THE FULL PDF FILE @

ibmsolutions@techdata.ca