IBM (News - Alert) announced that its iDataPlex system, a new category of server for Internet-scale computing, has been deployed by Microsoft Corporation, the first company to deploy the system.

 

IBM also announced the expansion of its new iDataPlex line of servers, DX360 HPC server, with high performance options that will facilitate systems to pack 145 teraflops (145 trillion operations per second) of compute power in 315-square-foot area that is equivalent to size of Portable Modular Data Center.

 

This new launch of high performance computing (HPC) option for iDataPlex can bring supercomputing power to Cloud environments.

 

Microsoft's (News - Alert) Windows Server Group which incorporates the High Performance Computing product unit now leverages IBM’s iDataPlex systems for their internal standardization of clustered computing operating system, Windows HPC Server 2008.

 

IBM’s iDataPlex system helps clients to ease massive spread out data centers - that are pushing the limits of power and space available to them. It also helps clients to develop a new enterprise data center that will feature enhanced IT efficiency and can also provide rapid deployment of new IT services in order to support their future business growth.

 

The iDataPlex server system is designed to considerably increase compute density of the client’s company and simultaneously decrease their energy consumption and associated data center costs.

 

IBM’s iDataPlex server system incorporates all industry-standard components and open source software such as Linux to cut costs.

 

"Power efficiency and high density are among the top issues of concern for customers who rely on large scale HPC resources to support their research and innovation," said Kyril Faenov, general manager, Microsoft High Performance Computing, in the statement.

 

"Microsoft is excited to work with IBM on ensuring that Windows HPC Server 2008, with its advanced power management capabilities, is a perfect complement to the iDataPlex system for a broad range of HPC applications."

 

The new iDataPlex DX360 HPC server from IBM utilizes the latest 3GHz, quad-core Xeon processors from Intel (News - Alert) and new software from Silicon Valley start-up ScaleMP. This helps the server to boost bandwidth and memory performance according to today’s demands of HPC applications.

 

IBM has also expanded interconnect options for iDataPlex by incorporating the system with InfiniBand switches from Voltaire and QLogic, InfiniBand adapters from Mellanox, Fiber Channel adapters from Emulex (News - Alert), and 10G Ethernet switches from Blade Network Technologies, SMC, Cisco (News - Alert) and Force 10, the company notes.