Hopkinton, Massachusetts-based EMC Corp has announced new storage configurations for IBM 3090-180Es and 280Es, which offer twice the central and expanded storage capacities of IBM upgrades. On a 180E, EMC’s configurations provide up to 128Mb and 512Mb of central and expanded storage respectively, compared with 64Mb and 256Mb from IBM. On a 280E, EMC offerings can accommodate up to 256Mb for central storage, and 1,024Mb expanded; IBM offers 128Mb and 512Mb respectively. EMC solves what it describes as IBM’s capacity limitations by installing double density boards into the central processing unit. According to Thomas Heiser, EMC Enterprise Systems Group product manager, the same memory boards used as a standard configuration in a 200E can be used as an over-capacity configuration in a 180E. This maximises the physical space limitations of each 3090 CPU. The company also claims that by buying add-on memory from EMC, users will be able to save millions of dollars in CPU upgrade costs. Heiser believes the configurations will prove particularly valuable to 180E and 280E users installing new applications. He points to a 180E user, using 56Mb of the existing 64Mb limit, who would need to pay IBM over $1m to upgrade to a 200E, before installing a 16Mb application. By contrast, users of EMC central storage would pay $190,000 for a 32Mb upgrade, and $300,000 for 64Mb. EMC Corp says that all its memory configurations are 100% compatible with E and Base Model 3090s, undergo extensive tests, and are supported by its RSF, Remote Support Facility.
