IBM's i5 Speeds Up

IBM has overhauled its System i5 server line for small and midsize businesses with faster processors and a new version of its integrated operating system.

The new servers will use the latest dual-core Power5+ processors from IBM, which run at speeds up to 2.2 GHz and provide up to a 33% increase in performance compared with previous Power5-based models, IBM says. The systems will have the latest version of the i5 operating system, version 5 release 4, which extends flexibility in running Linux, AIX 5L, and Windows applications on the same systems.

The servers will use an industry-standard iSCSI connection to let customers attach i5 systems to IBM's x86-based xSeries as well as its BladeCenter server products.

33% performance increase with latest Power5+ chips

The latest version of the i5 system has new auditing and intrusion-detection capabilities to help businesses protect against network attacks and virtual tape support to let users save directly to disk instead of a tape drive. Also new is a 32-bit Java Virtual Machine, which will allow customers to more easily port Windows applications than the previously existing 64-bit Java Virtual Machine, and options to deploy service-oriented architecture applications.

The new microprocessor technology and software will be available on all i5 models, including the 520, 550, 570, and 595, beginning Feb. 14. Integration of BladeCenter and System i5 products will be available in May.