IBM introduces update to power management offering for data centres
IBM released hardware and software that helps data centres to automate the management of power consumption, allowing for improved power utilization and reductions in energy costs. Part of this offering is the introduction of a new line of IBM System x servers based on IBM’s Xtended Design Architecture (XDA).
IBM PowerExecutive 2.0 provides customers with information to effectively manage power consumption in the data centre. PowerExecutive, an extension to IBM Director systems management software, allows users to “meter” actual power usage and trend data for a single physical system or group of systems. PowerExecutive helps identify how much actual power is being used and the temperature of the system. The software is available across IBM’s new System x servers, as well as the BladeCenter line of systems.
The new systems, including the x3650, x3550 and x3500, feature dual core processor technology and up to three times the memory expansion of the previous generation of systems.
IBM expects these systems to be available in early June 2006. Additional x86 systems for a variety of business computing needs will be introduced as part of the IBM System x portfolio and IBM Express portfolio in the coming months.
IBM Power Executive was introduced for IBM BladeCenter in November 2004 and is available across the IBM System x line of servers introduced, free of charge and available by download for customers.
IBM updates storage virtualization software
IBM announced enhancements to its storage virtualization engine software, allowing users to extend its reach to greater distances, greater speeds and a greater number of platforms.
IBM System Storage SAN Volume Controller 4.1 (SVC) includes a number of enhancements including one designed to help organizations virtualize their infrastructures more efficiently and at lower costs over longer distances. Designed with recent regional disasters in mind, IT operations can place data centres that share resources at greater distances than in the past. A global mirroring function is designed to help customers virtualize data at locations of greater than 100 miles faster than previous versions.
In addition, SVC 4.1 now supports four gigabits per second (Gbps) environments and has extended its capabilities to virtualize data on nearly 80 different disk systems.
IBM SVC 4.1 will be available on June 23, 2006 with combined hardware and software list pricing starting at US$42,500.
Unibind ships photobook creator
Unibind released PhotoBook Creator, a photo binding system for consumers. PhotoBook Creator allows consumers to create hard-cover 8.5” x 11” personalized photo albums.
Photobook Creator makes photo albums for weddings, birthdays, graduations, vacations, baby showers, gifts and as party mementos. PhotoBook Creator features a steel spine that creates a perfectly bound hardcover of up to 220 pages in a variety of colors and finishes.
Unibind PhotoBook Creator is available immediately at US$99. It includes the PhotoBook Creator binding machine, one hardcover PhotoBook and software to layout pages. Additional covers are available for purchase.
