Published in PC Hardware

IBM announces Power E1080 server

by on08 September 2021


Based on Power10 processor

IBM unveiled the Power E1080, the first in a family of servers based on the company’s recently announced Power10 processor.

The kit is designed for hybrid cloud environments, according to Biggish Blue and combines on-premises resources with cloud-based hardware and software infrastructure.

IBM is basing its business model on its Institute of Business Value 2021 study, where half of CEOs said that saw value in enhancing operational agility and flexibility. A hybrid cloud computing model can offer this flexibility — at least compared with a public-cloud-only approach.

IBM claims that the Power E1080 offers a superior hybrid model, with exclusive, by-the-minute metering of Red Hat software including OpenShift and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. When configured with a virtual server platform in a hybrid cloud format, the server, which is designed to be installed on premises, can scale up and down with unused CPU capacity as needed.

Stefanie Chiras, SVP of Red Hat’s platforms business, says there’s a real and present demand for these types of hybrid setups. LogicMonitor predicted that 22 percent of enterprise workloads will rely on hybrid cloud adoption by 2020. And according to Flexera, hybrid cloud strategy grew from 51 percent to 58 percent between 2018 and 2019, with 45 percent of enterprises prioritizing some sort of hybrid solution in 2019.

Chiras said in a statement: “To help clients adopt a frictionless hybrid cloud experience, we’re giving IBM Power users new ways to access Red Hat software to help them explore new avenues on their digital transformation like Red Hat OpenShift containers, Red Hat Ansible, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and more.”

Beyond this, the Power E1080 has “bring-your-own-model” capabilities for AI- and machine learning-focused workloads. Using the Open Neural Network Exchange, or ONNX, trained AI models using frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and more can be deployed on the Power E1080 from x86-based servers without code changes.

The Power E1080 also delivers performance improvements compared with its predecessor, the Power E980, with four times the number of matrix math accelerators and encryption engines per core. According to IBM, the E1080 is up to 50 percent more performant overall and achieves 10 times faster machine learning inference performance, as well as 2.5 times faster AES encryption versus the Power E980.

The Power E1080 is built around the Power10, a processor designed by IBM and manufactured by Samsung using 7-nanometer EUV process technology. It’s IBM’s first commercially available 7-nanometer processor, and the company says it can deliver up to 30 per cent more performance per core and over 50% better total capacity at the socket and system level.

On the security side, the Power10 supports transparent memory encryption protocols, which aim to simplify end-to-end security without impacting performance. Moreover, it powers IBM’s PowerVM hypervisor technology, a technology that IBM claims has fewer vulnerabilities and exploits than rival hypervisors.

Last modified on 08 September 2021
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