IBM Unveils Second-Generation AMD Opteron-Based Server

Enterprise Networks & Servers, Oct 2004

IBM has introduced the IBM eServer 326, a second-generation two-way, rackdense server based on the AMD Opteron processor.

For the first time, the e326 incorporates IBM's Xtended Design Architecture, mainframe-inspired features, to provide added performance for compute-intensive applications such as financial modeling, digital rendering, life sciences analysis, design automation, database management and other high-performance business and research tasks.

The e326 features increased memory expansion, high speed I/O, and choice of hot swap SCSI or serial ATA hard drives through greater price/performance, reduced hands-on maintenance and increased density to reduce floor space.

IBM also announced an enhancement to its AMD Opteron processor-based clustered system, the IBM eServer 1350, scheduled for general availability in the fourth quarter. IBM was the first major vendor to offer pretested and pre-configured AMD Opteron-based clustered solutions. The e326 and e1350 build upon the two-way IBM eServer 325, introduced in August 2003, and the IBM IntelliStation A Pro workstation, introduced in March 2004, as the first systems of their class from a major OEM on the market to take advantage of x86 64-bit extensions.

"IBM was our first Tier 1 partner to bring AMD Opteron processor-based servers to market. The second-generation e326 is IBM's response to customer demand for the industry-leading processing power of the AMD Opteron processor," said Pat Patla, director of AMD Server/Workstation Marketing. "Combined with the e1350 cluster, the IBM e326 is designed for optimal performance."