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Extreme Networks Positions Open Fabric For Converged Infrastructure Growth

Extreme Highlights

  • A small vendor with strong technology
  • Certifies its offerings and partners with Lenovo for servers and EMC for storage (both situations are the “stack” storage, servers, switches)
  • Targets midrange to large data centres (cloud-ready)
  • Seeks to take advantage of the rise of Converged Infrastructure
  • Will leverage Lenovo and its own channels to take advantage of the CI and IS market

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Server Market Declines 5% In Q1 2013

Server Highlights

  • In Q1 2013 server revenues dropped 5% to $13.6b, unit shipments fell 1% to 3.5m
  • The total installed base grew 7% to 46.7m
  • x86-based systems were $10.2b (-3%), with 3.5m shipments (-1%) and an installed base of 45.6m (+7%)
  • Virtualised servers accounted for 47% of revenue and 37% of units in the quarter
  • In the year to the end of March HP was market leader with a 22.9% share, followed by IBM (19.2%) and Dell (14.%)

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IBM STG Turns To Software And Solutions In Its June 10th 2013 Announcements

manadalay 02

Mandalay Bay Vegas

As always we’ve been well briefed on IBM STG’s latest slew of product announcements today. We’re interested in trying to simplify its messages down to give a clear view of what’s being introduced.

Today IBM’s STG division introduced some significant offerings across its Power, System x, PureSystems, System Networking and Technical Computing lines. Table 1 shows what was announced, what it is and notes of associations. We hope you’ll find it useful as you navigate the news on a very crowded day.

Table 1 – IBM STG Product Announcements – June 10th 2013

Offering Which Area? Type Notes
Network Advisor Fibre Channel SAN Software With Fabric Vision feature – simplified FC SAN management and analytics
SAN96B-5 switch Fibre Channel SAN Hardware 96-port 16Gb – good for FlashSystem storage
SAN48B-5 switch System z FICON control port Fibre Channel SAN Hardware FC SAN improved management
AIX Solution Edition for Analytical Decision Management Power Software Industry solution
Application Specific Acceleration Engine for PowerLinux, 710, 730 Power Software New I/O for workload acceleration for electronic trading in Finance
Campaign for Healthcare Power Systems Edition Power Software Industry solution
Campaign for Retail Power Systems Edition Power Software Industry solution
Cúram Solution for Care Management Power Systems Edition Power Software Industry solution – added to Government version
Easy Tier Server (Storage) for local SSD database caching Power Software Adds flash capabilities
Health Analytics Quick Start Power Systems Edition Power Software Industry solution
Patient Care and Insights Infrastructure Solution Power Systems Edition Power Software Industry solution
Power 710 Flexible Warranty Power Service Warranty added to entry-level Power server
SmartCloud Entry 3.1 for Power Power Software Entry level private Cloud – already on x86
Solution Edition for Cloud Power Software Fits Power for Cloud usage
Application Ready Solution for Accelrys Technical Computing, PureSystem, System x, System Storage, Platform Computing Hardware, Software Accelrys Enterprise Platform (AEP) NGS Collection integrated with Flex System x240 or System x, Platform Computing. Simplifies and accelerates mapping variant calling and annotation for Acclerys Enterprise platform GPFS and V7000 Unified, mitigate data access and storage bottlenecks
Application Ready Solution for ANSYS Technical Computing, PureSystem, System x, System Storage, Platform Computing Hardware, Software ANSYS Fluent (Computation Fluid Dynamic, ANSYS Mechanical (structural analysis) with Remote 3D Visualization Server on high performance System x or Flex System cluster or HPC Cloud)
Application Ready Solution for CLC bio Technical Computing, PureSystem, System x, System Storage, Platform Computing Hardware, Software CLC bio Genomic Server and CLC Genomics Workbench integration on Flex System x24, Platform Computing, GPFS, V7000 Unified. Address file system performance with GPFS, V7000 Unified, Flex System x86, Platform Computing
Application Ready Solution for Schlumberger for INTERSECT and ECLIPSE Technical Computing, PureSystem, System x, System Storage, Platform Computing Hardware, Software With Flex System x240, Platform Computing, DS350 disks for accelerated reservoir simulations and easy access to data and remote management
Application Ready Solution for Gaussian Technical Computing, PureSystem, Platform Computing Hardware, Software Gaussian software on high performance cluster or HPC Cloud environment – PureSystem concerns Flex System Power nodes
Blue Gene/Q Express Technical Computing, Power Hardware, Software
Power Systems for Technical Computing Technical Computing, Power, PureSystem, Platform Computing Hardware, Software Power 730, PowerLinux 7R2, Flex Systems, p460.cluster p260 (Power nodes) together via Platform Computing for scale-out high performance technical computing
Connections Hypervisor Edition 4.0 System Pattern PureSystem Software Fast hypervisor deployment
Flex System Solution for Microsoft Hyper-V PureSystem Software Virtualization and Cloud reference architecture solutions, Microsoft certified for SMBs
Flex System Solution for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse Accelerator PureSystem Software Reference architecture for SAP Business Warehouse Accelerator, Flex System
Mobile Application Platform Pattern for PureApplication System PureSystem Software Faster deployment of Worklight server on PureApplication Systems (POWER or x86)
PureFlex Solution for Cloud Backup and Recovery PureSystem Software Reference architecture solution leveraging TSM for Cloud services
PureFlex Solution for SAP Business Suite PureSystem Software SAP Business Suite reference architecture – Cloud and bare-metal deployments
SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure Solutions for Citrix XenDesktop PureSystem Software Reference Architectures for Storage Solutions on PureFlex and Flex System
SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure Solutions for VMware View PureSystem Software Reference Architectures for Storage Solutions on PureFlex and Flex System
PureFlex Solution for IBM i PureSystem, Power Software IBM PureFlex solution for consolidating i and x86 workloads
Systems Solution for SAP Business Suite and HANA PureSystem, System x Software Reference Architecture on PureFlex/Flex System and x3950
Flex System Fabric EN4093R 10G Switch System Networking Hardware IBM OpenFlow-enabled switches – planned for August availability
Networking OS 7.7 System Networking Software SDN – expanded OpenFlow integration
Rack Switch G8316, G8052 System Networking Hardware IBM OpenFlow-enabled switches
Software Defined Network for Virtual Environments System Networking Software SDN – overlay network for existing equipment for Cloud, consolidation and virtualisation
Smart Analytics 5600 R3 System x Software Data Management and Business Analytics
SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure Reference Architecture for Citrix – VDI-in-a-Box System x Software Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
SmartCloud Desktop Infrastructure Reference Architecture for Microsoft Windows Server 2012 System x Software Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
System x Flash Cache Storage Accelerator for SAP Solutions System x Software Data Management and Business Analytics
System x Integrated Offering for Cloud System x Software Cloud – single SKU
System x Reference Architecture for Hadoop: MapR System x Software Data Management and Business Analytics
System x Reference Architecture for Microsoft Hyper-V System x Software Cloud – single SKU
System x Reference Architecture for Microsoft SQL Server System x Software Data Management and Business Analytics
x86 Reference Architecture for SAS Visual Analytics System x Software Data Management and Business Analytics
Intelligent Cluster 13A System x, Technical Computing, Platform Computing, Storage Hardware, Software Factory integrated, pre-tested cluster based on System x or Flex x86 nodes with optional FlashSystem, Storwize V3700, System x GPFS Storage Server, App Ready Solutions, etc.
System x GPFS Storage Server System x, Technical Computing, GPFS (Power), System x Hardware, Software HPC storage solution based on GPFS, System x 3650 nodes and EXP3700 disk drawer and NL-SAS disks. Factory integrated, tested and supported as IBM IntelligentCluster
System x Reference Architecture for Hadoop: InfoSphere BigInsights System x, Technical Computing, Platform Computing, InfoSphere BigInsights Software System x optimised Hadoop big data environment accelerated by Platform Symphony scheduler and GPFS
Smarter Storage for Technical Computing Storage, Technical Computing, GPFS, System x (GSS) Storage portfolio optimised for Technical Computing including System x GPFS Storage Server, GPFS, SONAS, FlashSystem, DCS3700, Storwize V3700, DS3500, Linear Tape File System – Enter. Edition, TS3500
Watson Engagement Advisor Power Service Already announced end May 2013

There are 49 new offerings by our calculations listed here – System z is missing today, although we covered its new introductions recently, as are storage systems, which is announcing its new stuff at Edge2013. The announcements cover Power, System x and PureSystem (which combines both platforms), Systems Networking and Fibre Channel SAN products and Technical Computing.

The vast majority (38) are of software or reference architectures, demonstrating the extent to which IBM is pursuing a workload-optimising approach. The hardware announcements include FC SAN and rack switches as well the Intelligent Cluster 13A and GPFS Storage Server from Technical Computing/System x. The sole services offering is the addition of a flexible warranty to the entry-level Power 710, but then again IBM introduced its Watson Engagement Advisor at the end of last month and included here for completeness.

Let us know if you’d like help in understanding what was announced and why and we’ll do our best to position them for you.

Dell Launches VRTX – Integrated Systems For Branch And Small Offices

Dell VRTX Highlights

  • An integrated system designed for branch offices and SMBs
  • Clever storage components gives a maximum capacity of 48TB – treated by the system as if local storage
  • 8 PCIe slots can be mapped to any of the 4 server blades
  • Includes an in-chassis IT management system for local or remote management
  • ‘Cloud in a box’ with 100 virtual machines
  • Suited for small campus schools an universities, doctors offices and surgeries, military and federal, retail branch offices, legal teams
  • Has taken a long time to come to market and has been tested by 100 customers in many diverse usage cases

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IBM System z Q1 2013 – Fast Consolidation For Algar Telecom

IBM System z Highlights

  • 7% revenue and 27% MIPS growth over Q1 2012
  • Continues to diversify with ‘hybrid computing’ units
  • Linux now accounts for 23% of installed MIPS
  • New software offerings concentrate on making it easier and cheaper to work on new workloads and expand the functionality for non-technical specialists
  • Algar Telecom in Brazil demonstrates that System z ‘speaks Portuguese’
  • System z is the ultimate integrated system

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IBM Security – A Stitch In Time Saves Nine

IBM Security Highlights

  • An integrated definition, framework and set of capabilities
  • 15k professionals working on security
  • 3.7k Managed Security Service customers
  • x-Force researches security incidents and attacks, Qradar provides intelligence and analytics
  • Believes security prevention is about understanding the way ‘bad boy’ agents work, rather than providing just SIEM
  • Security gets more complicated with Big Data, virtualisation, Cloud Computing and BYOD
  • Has integrated security in IBM MobileFirst and Cast Iron

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AMD SeaMicro’s Head-Start In Microserver Markets

SeaMicro Highlights

  • The most established microserver vendor acquired by AMD in 2012
  • Includes low-powered small core and large core processors in its SM15000 chassis
  • Removes unnecessary components from the motherboard
  • Shuts down unneeded client-side processes
  • Sets up a Super Computer fabric
  • Disaggregates storage and networking as external – rather than purely internal – functions
  • Runs multiple operating systems
  • Faces strong competition from HP, Dell and others as they begin to focus on the market that SeaMicro pioneered

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IBM FlashSystem – Argues For Flash-Only Storage Systems

IBM FlashSystem Highlights

  • Invests $1 billion in R&D
  • Launches 12 Centers of Competence across the globe
  • Launches the IBM FlashSystem 820 based on TMS’s flagship product and adding IBM software and management features
  • Launches a version integrating its IBM SAN Volume Controller software for storage hypervising
  • Argues that high-priced all-flash storage can help reduce overall system costs by cutting server and software spend
  • This all-flash storage approach is just part of a wide storage strategy

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HP EMEA Strategy Balances The Challenges Of New And Old

HP EMEA Highlights

  • Overall revenues dropped 7% to €8 Billion
  • Led the server, second in enterprise network and third in storage system markets in 2012
  • At a product and country level the decline in old revenue is deeper than the growth in new for now
  • Has 4 specific ‘spend to save’ schemes in server, storage and network areas
  • Looks for new customers with its ARM-based project Moonshot servers
  • Takes a technology innovation – rather than business workload approach

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Intel Developer Forum Beijing – China, Microservers And Data Centre Changes

IDF Beijing Highlights

  • Intel is run away leader of the microprocessor market
  • Adds storage, graphics and network elements to compute
  • Steals a march by introducing the Atom 1200 series in cartridges for microservers
  • Will continue to shrink Xeon E5 and E7 chips to 22nm in 2013
  • Will introduce the ‘Haswell’ Xeon E3 in July
  • Illustrates moves away from the traditional OEM model and Big Data automation in Chinese user activities

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HP Moonshot ‘Software Defined Servers’ With Atom Chips In Cartridges

Moonshot Highlights

  • HP’s first production software defined server, a new class of servers
  • Launches the HP Moonshot Server, with a server cartridge based on the Intel Atom S1200 processor and Moonshot 1500 chassis
  • The initial offering is optimised for dedicated hosting
  • Supports up to 45 server cartridges in a chassis, up to 10 chassis in a rack and up to 450 servers per rack.
  • Enables a number of server and storage configurations in a shared fabric, management and power and cooling architecture
  • Future server cartridges will be launched a few times per year, including both single and quad server cartridges
  • New cartridges will include x86 and ARM, APUs, FPGAs, and more, and will address an expanding collection of workloads.
  • With quad server cartridges, HP Moonshot Servers will support up to 1800 servers per rack.
  • An important launch, but just the beginning, growing from a small revenue opportunity initially, growing to a significant share of the overall server market

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SolidFire – Quality Of Service For Multi-Tenanted Storage

SolidFire Highlights

  • This is a different approach – storage redesigned to deliver predictable performance and guaranteed QoS within a multi-tenant infrastructure
  • A storage start-up with $37 million investment and 95 employees
  • Sells 2 SSD-based arrays used in scale-up architectures with massive capacity and IOP potential (SF3010 and SF6010)
  • Enables CSPs to deploy different performance/QoS bands to overcome the ‘noisy neighbors’ problem of multi-tenanted solutions
  • Should benefit IaaS as well as Hadoop, SAP, noSQL and Oracle applications hosted as SaaS by Cloud providers

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Bridgeworks, Protocol Switching For Advanced Virtualisation

Bridgeworks Highlights

  • Introduces the first 40Gb iSCSI-to-FC protocol bridge
  • Specialises in connecting new servers to old peripherals and visa versa
  • A UK company based in Christchurch
  • OEMs include Quantum, Spectralogic and Dell
  • Distributors include Zycko
  • Helps with investment protection in rapidly virtualising data centres

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SAP Business Suite On HANA – The Shift To Real-Time ERP

Business Suite On HANA Highlights

  • SAP Business Suite on HANA launched
  • Has 24 ‘business value scenarios’ across 23 industry sectors
  • 18 Proof of Concept customers (Vodafone, Ferrero, John Deere, Würth, HSE24 and others)
  • HANA itself – launched in 2011 – has more than 1,000 customers to date
  • In-memory databases will take time to prove they can protect key corporate data
  • SAP is growing its Cloud business by acquiring SuccessFactors and Ariba
  • Real-time ERP offers advantages of agility and automation of processes, but will take some time to gain acceptance
  • Accenture and IBM are strong partners in the UK

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ARM In Servers – Hyperscale Or Hyperbole?

ARM In Server Highlights

  • A developing ecosystem for micro and hyperscale servers using SoCs and Open motherboards
  • Semiconductor manufacturers beginning to produce products
  • Server brands positioning their first commercial offerings
  • Research projects demonstrate potential
  • Shipments of 783 million mobile device and 148 digital cameras running ARM chips in 2012
  • 64-bit chips are a potential disruption
  • Self-built hyperscale systems are difficult to count
  • Our outlook is positive, but we expect a slower take-off than ARM of course

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Server Markets Jump Up 7.5% In Q4 2012

Server 2012 Highlights

  • The market dropped by 3% in 2012 to $58.8 billion
  • In Q4 the market grew by 7.5%, driven by a huge growth in IBM System z revenues
  • HP led the market in 2012 with a 23.0% share
  • IBM is closing fast
  • Dell grew its market share significantly
  • x86 servers now account for 73.6% of overall revenues
  • We forecast a decline of 1% in 2013 followed by 4 years of growth
  • Servers form the heart of integrated systems
  • We expect a rise in ARM-based microservers for hyperscale workloads
  • Specific workloads and software platforms such as SAP HANA, Hadoop, VDI and server virtualisation will become more important in 2013

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Hadoop And Big Data Enterprise Challenges

Hadoop Highlights

  • Apache HTTP server is used on 65% of all active websites
  • Hadoop is a software library allowing for the distributed processing of large data sets across clusters of computers
  • Public Cloud suppliers have the widest expertise and largest production systems today
  • Cloudera, IBM, Red Hat and Microsoft are among a number of suppliers addressing the commercial market
  • We predict a rise in the number of large users using Hadoop for OLAP and other workloads
  • Big Data isn’t about scary numbers

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Dell Stakes Its Claim In Converged Infrastructure And Integrated System Markets

DellTechCamp Highlights

  • Demonstrates the strength of its software assets in EMEA
  • Announces Active System 800 and associated ASM 7.0 and 7.1 from newly-acquired Gale Technologies
  • Announces 3 new ‘scalable’ SAP HANA appliances
  • Demonstrates the KACE K3000 for MDM use
  • Is focusing on integration and automation to save its customers time and money in deploying systems
  • Will compete well in Converged Infrastructure and Integrated Systems markets

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IBM’s Texas Memory Systems Acquisition – Integration And Virtualisation

IBM TMS Highlights

  • Following acquisition TMS recorded a record amount of business in Q4 2012
  • Added 30 new accounts
  • Offers PCIe and rack-mounted products
  • Succeeds in shipping to customers implementing IBM SVC
  • Also fits IBM’s ITCFC and workload optimised system strategies
  • Is expanding from the USA adding staff in EMEA and ‘growth’ markets
  • Answers the question for IBM about what to do with SSD and Flash

ibm tms

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Oracle Introduces IaaS – Leasing And A Piece Of CoD

Oracle IaaS Highlights

  • Retains ownership of systems installed on the customers premises
  • Allows 25% of cores to be switched – and paid for – on and off
  • Benefits include having the system integrated with other kit behind the customer’s firewall
  • This is an Op Ex model, with monthly charges over a 3-year period
  • This is more like traditional leasing than IaaS
  • It will help increase the proportion of its revenues from software and services

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