Dell, IBM unveil dual-core Xeon servers

Computerworld - Dell Inc. and IBM today announced servers today that use Intel Corp.'s dual-core Xeon processor and are aimed at database users that need multiple-processor systems or are consolidating servers. The processor is the Intel 7000, formerly named Paxville MP, a dual-core chip intended to run in servers with four or more processors.
The 7000 offers technology that may be important to users of multiprocessor systems: Intel's Virtualization Technology, or VT, which allows virtualization on the chip level, a feature available on chips that run Unix and mainframe systems.
Intel is working with virtualization software makers to certify their systems for the technology. "What we are delivering is hardware support for VT technology, so we are working with the industry to turn this capability on," said Kirk Skaugen, general manager of the server platforms group at Intel.
Dell said its new PowerEdge 6800 and 6850 servers have been optimized to work with Microsoft SQL Server Database. The Dell servers start at $6,400 and can be ordered today, with shipping in two weeks.
IBM's new server models are its xSeries 460, which starts at $20,999 and can scale up to 32 processors, and the xSeries 366, which starts at $9,999. Both are based on IBM's x3 architecture.
Charles King, an analyst at Pund-IT in Hayward, Calif., said "the real question is what software is out there to support dual-core." He said some software vendors are adapting to the new hardware technology quicker than others. While dual-core chips will support x86, King said the main issue is whether the software "will take full advantage of dual-core capabilities."
Hewlett-Packard Co. next week plans to announce its own Intel 7000-based servers, the ProLiant DL580 G3 and the ML570 G3, according to Eric Krueger, an HP spokesman.

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