IBM’s latest iSeries announcement has less to do with the introduction of the new hardware than with OS/400 V5R1. Rather than introducing new models, IBM is introducing new feature codes in its existing model lines.

New iSeries Servers
With this announcement, Rochester is replacing the higher-end servers in the 270 and 820 model lines announced last year and adding a new feature code to the 840 line (Figure 1). No changes were made to the 830 line. The new servers take advantage of the second-generation copper and Silicon-on-Insulator technology, S-Star, which pumps up the processing power by more than 20 percent over the I-Star processor delivered last summer. The new 24-way 840 boasts CPW of up to 20,200, available for both batch and interactive processing. The model 270 and 820 lines keep the introductory feature codes delivered last summer (which are Rochester’s biggest sellers).

The new feature codes of the model 270 and 8xx support Logical Partitioning (LPAR) with fractional, or shared, processors, which allows multiple partitions on a uniprocessor server. IBM doesn’t support LPAR at all on older model 270s, indicating that this limitation was put in place for marketing reasons rather than technical ones.

The model 840 Capacity Upgrade on Demand (CUoD) feature codes announced post-V4R5 with the iSeries rebranding are replaced with all new feature codes (Figure 2), as are the Dedicated Servers for Domino (DSDs)(Figure 3). The CuoD 2352 feature code uses a new 12-way 840 not available as a standard processor. As with the new hardware they’re based on, the new DSDs and CUoDs support fractional LPAR.

All of the new feature codes require V5R1. Last year’s models will run either V4R5 or V5R1. Although IBM will continue to market the previously available 8xx/270 servers, as well as the model 7xx servers (at least through the end of the year), Rochester will price the new servers more competitively.

Curiously absent from the announcement is virtually any increase to the iSeries’ interactive capacity. Although the upper-end batch capacity of the system has increased in the 270, 820, and 840 models, none of these models gets an increase in interactive capacity, except for at the very top end with the pricey new model 840. Although consistent with last year’s hardware announcement, one would have expected IBM to at least maintain the ratio of interactive to batch performance on all models, rather than decreasing it. Some system users would argue that IBM’s failure to provide interactive capacity is further proof of Rochester’s “Interactive Tax,” which pushes traditional interactive customers into higher, more expensive system models and software tiers.

Hardware Peripherals
V5R1 introduces the direct-attached xSeries server, which connects to the iSeries via the Integrated xSeries Adapter (IXA) for iSeries. The IXA attaches up to a 4-way xSeries server to iSeries 8xx and 270 boxes using a high-speed link (HSL), retaining the features of the IXS but supporting more users, larger workloads, and different operating environments. If possible, xSeries should be installed on its own HSL loop. If not, it should be installed on the I/O towers’ HSL loops. (IXA support is limited to specific xSeries servers; there’s no support for direct-attached Windows servers from vendors such as Compaq, Dell, or brand X.)

V5R1 increases the number of possible Integrated xSeries Servers (IXSs) for iSeries from 16 to 32 on the model 840, and to 28 on the model 830. Rochester introduced its latest IXS, an 850 MHz card, in February.

Both the IXA and the IXS get Storage Area Network (SAN) enhancements with V5R1, including hot addition of disks, increased disk capacity from 1 TB to 2 TB, independent auxiliary storage pools, DVD ROM support, and new 5078 and 0578 Expansion Towers. The announcement also extends High-Speed Link (HSL) OptiConnect to clustering and to the newly announced bus-attached xSeries server.

V5R1 also supports new fibre channel controllers for disk and tape attachment, allowing the iSeries to participate in Storage Area Networks (SANs).

Al Barsa is president of Barsa Consulting Group. He can be reached at barsa@barsaconsulting.com.