IBM presents an alternative to x86 servers - systems based on OpenPOWER technologies.

IBM has introduced a new line of computing systems that can handle huge amounts of data faster than servers based on Intel Xeon v3 processors. New systems exceed the “cost / performance” indicators of general-purpose servers by 20%, (1) (2), thus offering a more profitable alternative to customers.

The explosive growth of big data — more than 2.5 quintillas of data generated by devices every day — sets organizations in the task of building powerful technological infrastructures to extract valuable information from these arrays. Commonly used general purpose servers today are based on a closed processor technology, and are often used at the limit of their capacity due to the workload associated with processing big data, as well as cloud and mobile computing. IBM, in turn, introduces a new approach to data processing systems that unites the efforts of the OpenPOWER Foundation consortium. Launched at the end of 2013, the consortium is developing rapidly, and today includes 59 companies working to expand the capabilities of the IBM POWER processor to promote innovation in the industry.
')
“The open model of doing business and our approach within OpenPOWER will replace technology suppliers that offer proprietary private solutions created within the walls of a single company,” said Doug Balog, CEO of Power Systems, IBM Systems & Technology Group. “The new technology will provide customers with a greater choice and help them get valuable information as quickly as possible for the subsequent solution of business problems.”

The new IBM Power S824L servers are based on the IBM POWER8 processor, the world's first chip optimized for the most demanding loads in the field of big data processing. (3) IBM and other members of the OpenPOWER consortium, including the NVIDIA GPU accelerator, are securely integrated into new systems to provide unrivaled computing power so that banks can better assess risks, energy companies more accurately determine oil fields, and scientists promptly select the right methods for treating patients.

Based on OpenPOWER technologies, (4) Power S824L systems provide customers with the ability to run tasks with intensive data exchange on the POWER8 processor, while reducing the load on other computational tasks related to processing big data using NVIDIA GPU accelerators parallel mode and designed specifically to speed up the work of demanding applications.
As part of the further adaptation of GPU accelerators for Power Systems, IBM plans to optimize its entire portfolio of enterprise applications for working with big data, including IBM DB2 databases with BLU Acceleration support. Moreover, IBM is also working on optimizing the GPU-accelerated Power architecture for applications used in bioinformatics, financial and defense sectors, molecular dynamics, weather modeling - including SOAP3, NAMD, GROMACS, FFTW and Quantum Espresso libraries.

Next-generation IBM Power Systems will support NVIDIA NVLink technology, which provides high-speed data exchange between the central and graphics processors using the PCI Express interface. This will allow Nvidia GPU accelerators to access the memory of IBM POWER processors, as well as increase the performance of numerous enterprise applications. Such systems will be available for order in early 2016.

IBM POWER8 Extended Portfolio

In addition to Power S824L systems with GPU accelerators, the IBM Power Systems portfolio based on POWER8 processors also includes:

• IBM Data Engine for NoSQL . By combining innovative technology with members of the OpenPOWER Redis Labs, Canonical, Altera, and IBM consortium, this solution significantly reduces the cost base for NoSQL datastores. The solution includes Redis Labs software, Canonical's Ubuntu Linux operating system, Altera's programmable logic integrated circuit and Power System S822L unique CAPI system with IBM FlashSystem 840. Thanks to the consolidation of computing resources, you can use only one POWER8 server instead of 24 Intel-based systems for full-size NoSQL storage. (5) The multiple cost reduction is realized precisely because of the small footprint and the corresponding reduction in energy costs. Customers can implement new features and grow NoSQL storage using 40 TB of flash memory within a single server.
• IBM Data Engine for Analytics - Power Systems Edition . Combining POWER8-based systems with flash-based elastic storage technology and Platform Computing software, this new analytical solution can use a third of the storage infrastructure required by x86-based solutions. (6)
• Power Enterprise Systems. Built on the industry's fastest processor, (7) new Power Enterprise Systems expands the POWER8-based scale-out server lineup introduced in April and is optimized for demanding enterprise applications and computing environments. The new Power E870 and Power E880 systems are the most powerful 8-socket servers in the industry, providing support for up to 1000 virtual memory systems per computing system. (8) With the possibility of using up to 32, 40 or 48 processor cores, as well as up to 4 TB of memory per compute module, these systems are designed to increase modular efficiency and scale up to 192 cores with the support of 1500 computational power flows and 16 TB of memory. Power Enterprise Systems can run on AIX, IBM i and Linux, offering customers reliable support for the most demanding applications.
• Power Enterprise Pools. Offering a powerful foundation for private, public, and hybrid cloud systems, Enterprise Pools provides unrivaled flexibility and constantly responds to infrastructure changes. Power Enterprise Pools provide customers with the ability to allocate resources across a “pool” of systems in order to meet load requirements, ensure system availability, improve operational efficiency, and protect investments when switching to POWER8.

New IBM Power Systems will be available for order in a variety of configurations, starting October 31, 2014.

Funding proposal

IBM Global Financing provides customers with options available to order the latest IBM solutions. Among the proposals are financing at the 0% rate for the Power S824L servers, flexible financing schemes and special programs for migrating to the new Power family servers.

IBM Global Financing is the largest financial department in the IT sector that helps customers transform business. Flexible payment options help accelerate the adoption of transformative IT technologies, including both IBM products and solutions and services from other developers. IBM Global Financing specialists provide financing services to customers from 60 countries for 33 years.

For more information on IBM Power Systems , click here .
For more information about the OpenPOWER Foundation, please click here .

(1) Performance indicators are based on a preliminary assessment of the published results of SPECcpu2006 (SPECfp_rate2006) of September 26, 2014.
(2) IBM based costing: IBM Power Systems S824L (2x12 cores / 96 subprocesses / 3.02 GHz) with a configuration of 192 GB of memory (8 GB per core) and running on Ubuntu Advantage Linux. Calculation of x86 based on: HP DL380p with Intel E5-2699 v3 (2x18 cores / 36 subprocesses / 2.3 GHz) with a configuration of 288 GB of memory (8 GB per core) running Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
(3) By “big data”, IBM understands both the processing of large volumes of structured data (relational databases) and unstructured (NoSQL, Map Reduce) data from which users extract analytical information. The POWER8 processor is a first-of-its-kind processor with differentiated specifications, designed to work with both structured and unstructured data. The list of these characteristics includes: CAPI (Collective Accelerator Interface) architecture with features such as a). CAPI Flash Access Efficiency, b). storage reduction with CAPI Attached Compression Accelerator, and c). Accelerating information processing and reducing delays using CAPI Attached Mellanox RDMA Fabric. DBMA (dynamically balanced memory architecture), including a). Internal Processor Data Flow, b). increase memory bandwidth c). Improved cache capabilities.
(4) OpenPOWER Technologies is an open set of hardware and software based on the IBM POWER architecture, offered by the OpenPOWER Foundation consortium.
(5) 24: 1 consolidation ratio (12: 1 density increase) based on a single IBM S824 server (24 cores, POWER8 3.5 GHz processor), 256 GB RAM, AIX 7.1, 40 TB of flash memory instead of 24 HP DL380p servers (24 cores, E5-2697 v2 2.7 GHz), 256 GB RAM, SuSE Linux 11SP3. The performance limit is 1M IOPs in both cases, the processing capacity is the same in both cases.
(6) Three times less infrastructure storage needs for Power compared to a solution based on Intel Hadoop. Based on IBM internal testing, actual results may vary. Servers based on IBM POWER8 with the GPFS file system used 116 disks (3.5 ”HDS). Intel based HDFS servers required 280 drives (3.5 ”HDS). Cost reduction is achieved by eliminating the need for data duplication during Extraction, Transformation and Loads (ETL) processes.
(7) Based on benchmarks and internal testing.
(8) Based on benchmarks and internal testing.