X64 and Blade Servers Lead the Server Recovery
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

A recovery of sorts is underway in the server market, according to the latest statistics from Gartner that dices and slices the server metrics for the final quarter of 2009. While by no means a full-blown recovery--something no one expects--in server spending, the market seemed to be a little bit stronger than expected, signifying that companies are willing to dedicate some funds to new iron to support new and existing workloads. READ MORE >

Custom Baby Data Centers Coming from Big Blue
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

If you are like many midrange shops, your data center--or what might be more accurately described as a data closet if you are lucky--is a bit informal. The AS/400 and its progeny were invented to be office systems, excepting the very largest machines. They are rugged enough to be tucked almost anywhere and use regular wall power, which means they are often running in the most bizarre places. But this is the 21st century, and you probably ought to have your IT equipment in a safer and more secure location. READ MORE >

System Automation, VTL, and Security Linked in Help/Systems, Crossroads Deal
by Dan Burger

Help/Systems, one of the dominant providers of system administration and security tools for the IBM i platform, has expanded its technological reach by forming a partnership with Crossroads Systems, a company known for its data security products. Specifically, this means the Help/Systems automated operations software--primarily Robot/SAVE, but also Robot/SCHEDULE and Robot/REPORTS--will be will be matched with Crossroads' SPHiNX virtual tape appliance. READ MORE >

Mad Dog 21/21: It's i or Die for Power in the Midrange
by Hesh Wiener

Intel has a very strong server chip lineup. Its current Xeon line, dubbed Nehalem, will soon give way to two newer product lines, Westmere-EP and Nehalem-EX. Where performance counts more than anything, Power still trumps X64. But where economy is foremost, X64 usually wins. With its new chips, Intel is ready to take on Power in the midrange. IBM's server business cannot live on mainframe-class machines alone. Consequently, IBM may be about to lose its grip on servers to systems built to shared standards, much the way it lost its power in PCs. READ MORE >