ICL Plc, reinforcing its new server consolidation strategy, has introduced a one-to-ten processor PentiumPro server bought in and re-badged from Unisys Corp, for running UnixWare or Windows NT. The XtraServer P1000I is the latest addition to ICL’s Trimetra range of servers, which include the latest OpenVME mainframe products, now also using Intel Corp chips, at least as co- processors. ICL’s aim is to offer a single line of 64-bit Merced- based system technology which will host all of its operating systems. It claims customers can save as much as 35% of their IT spending by moving applications currently running on multiple distributed systems into a single server. ICL says the XtraServer will be available in 16 and 32 processor configurations by the end of next year, not something we’ve heard from Unisys. And ICL is promising NT Cluster Server (WolfPack) configurations early next year, but not mentioning the Tandem ServerNet interconnect used by Unisys. With UnixWare 2.1.2 or NT 4.0 operating systems, the XtraServer will set to ship in November from 50,000 pounds. It won’t be sold in the US.
