IBM Corp has revealed details of its forthcoming eight way server – the 8500 – which is based around Intel Corp’s Profusion chipset. The server has been developed by IBM’s RS/6000 team in Austin, Texas and according to Tikiri Wanduragala, IBM Netfinity manager in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Unix-like features and IBM technologies used in the machine are what set it apart from other Profusion-based servers, such as the new machines due from Compaq Computer Corp and Dell Computer Corp this summer.
The machine will use four 66MHz PCI buses and Wanduragala claims that the 8500 will have hot plug and play PCI capability from the initial launch of the machines. Wanduragala said that IBM will use X Architecture features such as Light Path Diagnostics and memory chip error tracking features from the Microelectronics division in the new machine. Big Blue has demonstrated the server running NT and a 32-bit version of its SCO-derived Monterey Unix. The 8500 will be announced in the second quarter of this year and is expected to ship in the third.
