Unisys Applies TCO Methodology, Shows the Unisys Intel-Based Mainframe Offers Lowest Total Cost of Ownership of Any Windows 2000 Server

Business Wire, March 15, 2000

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

BLUE BELL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2000

Unisys shows enterprises can save up to 65 percent in computing costs

by consolidating multiple server functions on the Unisys e-@ction

Enterprise Server ES7000

Unisys Corporation today announced that its Unisys e-@ction Enterprise Server ES7000 has set a record for lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) among Windows 2000 servers.

Using GartnerGroup's highly regarded tool-set for TCO measurement, Unisys demonstrated that using the ES7000 for server consolidation yields the most competitive overall cost of any server based on Microsoft Windows 2000 software.

The Unisys study showed that a 16-processor Unisys ES7000 will deliver a 65 percent reduction in TCO when compared to its equivalent in departmental one- and two-processor Intel-based Windows NT 4.0 servers.

Compared to four Intel-based Windows 2000 servers equipped with four processors, the Unisys ES7000 provides a 45-percent TCO reduction, and a 24-percent TCO reduction compared to two commodity Intel-based 8-processor servers.

"These results demonstrate the significant savings in Total Cost of Ownership that are possible when organizations deploy a server consolidation," said GartnerGroup. "Moving from a larger number of smaller servers to a smaller number of much larger servers can free up significant resource, and results in a lower TCO. The Unisys e-@ction Enterprise Server ES7000 shows just what can be achieved here."

The dramatic savings were measured by Unisys using the GartnerGroup TCO Analyst tool, which compares different IT environments based on key variables that include improvements to assets, such as servers, desktops, and networks; changes in platform usage and user type; and commonly accepted best practices for applying Intel and Microsoft technology.

By building a typical TCO profile based on company type, size, location, assets, technology, and operational complexity, the Gartner methodology helps organizations target specific areas where they can improve TCO while optimizing their enterprise performance and return-on-investment.

As analyzed by the GartnerGroup methodology, total cost of ownership accounts for the cost of the server as well as the cost of server configurations, back-ups, problem resolution, software deployment, downtime, systems administration and tuning.

"It is gratifying to see such a compelling validation of our server architecture and consolidation strategy," said Don Johnson, head of Enterprise Server Business, Unisys Systems and Technology. "We are also pleased to validate empirically the extent to which the Unisys ES7000 can achieve cost savings compared to conventional Windows 2000-based servers. We had already established the hands-down TCO advantages an ES7000, running Microsoft Windows 2000, delivers over UNIX/RISC systems. Now we have a compelling body of evidence showing that we can extend those advantages even further through consolidation of distributed servers. The economics of large-scale computing are changing radically and quickly, making the power needed for serious, global e-business accessible to a much broader community of users."

Designed for the power of future Intel IA-64 Itanium processors, the ES7000 is based on Unisys revolutionary Cellular MultiProcessing (CMP) architecture. The ES7000 accommodates up to 32 Intel Pentium III Xeon processors, which can be field upgraded to Intel IA-64 Itanium processors when that technology becomes available or combined with Itanium processors in the same server.

The ES7000 provides an array of computing capabilities required for enterprise-class e-business computing and well known to users of large-scale computers, but unprecedented in computing environments based on Microsoft and Intel technology.

The partitioning capability of the ES7000 enables administrators to create "servers within a server," executing multiple functions in heterogeneous operating environments within the same system. It features the flexibility to redefine and reallocate server resources -- memory, processors and input/output (I/O) channels -- to meet changing requirements on the fly, without interruptions to processing.

These advantages enable the ES7000 to match the performance of UNIX systems in enterprise-class e-business and other critical applications at a fraction of the price.

About GartnerGroup

GartnerGroup is the world's leading independent advisor to business professionals making IT decisions. With more than 1,000 analysts and consultants in 80 locations worldwide, GartnerGroup provides over 11,000 client organizations and 35,000 individual clients around the world with cutting-edge advice and targeted insights to support competitive decision making across the IT spectrum.

About Unisys

Unisys is an electronic business solutions company whose 36,000 employees help customers in 100 countries apply information technology to seize opportunities and overcome challenges of the Internet economy.

Unisys people integrate and deliver the solutions, services, platforms and network infrastructure required by business and government to transform their organizations for success in this new era.