The Four Hundred - Comparison of Midrange System i and Power Systems i Edition Machines

Vendor

IBM

Make

i5 550

System i

Power Systems

Model

Standard Edition (7154)

Enterprise Edition (7155)

525

M50

Processor

Power5+

Power6

Active Cores

2

There was no user-priced

2

CPU Speed

1.9 GHz

System i 550-class machine.

1.9 GHz

3.5 GHz

4.2 GHz

Cache per Core

950 KB

960 KB

8 MB

OLTP TPM

70,645

I have always thought this

70,645

77,113

92,535

CPW Rating

7,100

was a big mistake.

7,100

7,750

9,300

Memory

8 GB

16 GB

8 GB

16 GB

8 GB

16 GB

Disk

8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5

Here is a pair of representative

8 x 70 GB

Tape

37.5 GB SLR 60

System i 525 machines for the

36 GB 4mm

OS

i5/OS V5R4

sake of comparison.

i5/OS V5R4

i 6.1

i 6.1, 5250 Enabled

DB

DB2/400

DB2 for i

Users

40

150

Obviously, these machines are

40

150

40

150

Hypervisor

Virtualization Engine

priced more attractively than

Virtualization Engine

Power VM Standard

System List Price

$122,545

$322,545

$327,341

any 550-class box.

$53,780

$85,359

$145,269

$258,472

$262,568

Cost Per TPM List

$1.73

$4.57

$4.63

$0.76

$1.21

$1.88

$2.79

$2.84

Cost Per User

$3,064

$8,064

$2,182

$1,345

$569

$3,632

$6,462

$1,750

CPW Price/Performance Improvement

83%

74%

-9%

39%

User Price/Performance Improvement

83%

74%

-19%

20%

Vendor

IBM

Make

i5 550

Power Systems

Model

Standard Edition (7154)

Enterprise Edition (7155)

There was no user-priced

M50

Processor

Power5+

System i 520-class machine

Power6

Active Cores

4

with four cores.

4

CPU Speed

1.9 GHz

3.5 GHz

4.2 GHz

Cache per Core

950 KB

If you remember, I proposed

8 MB

OLTP TPM

139,300

using quad-core modules

149,250

179,100

CPW Rating

14,000

to fix this, and QCMs across

15,000

18,000

Memory

16 GB

32 GB

the line, in fact, to make up

16 GB

32 GB

Disk

8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5

for performance differences

8 x 70 GB

Tape

37.5 GB SLR 60

between p and i boxes.

36 GB 4mm

OS

i5/OS V5R4

i 6.1

i 6.1, 5250 Enabled

DB

DB2/400

DB2 for i

Users

80

300

80

300

Hypervisor

Virtualization Engine

Power VM Standard

System List Price

$211,541

$511,541

$521,133

$250,020

$476,426

$484,618

Cost Per TPM List

$1.52

$3.67

$3.74

$1.68

$2.66

$2.71

Cost Per User

$2,644

$6,394

$1,737

$3,125

$5,955

$1,615

CPW Price/Performance Improvement

-10%

28%

User Price/Performance Improvement

-18%

7%

The System i5 550 Standard and Enterprise Edition Servers Versus Power Systems 550 Boxes
Vendor	IBM	IBM	IBM		IBM	IBM	IBM	IBM	IBM
Make	i5 550	i5 550	i5 550		System i	System i	Power Systems	Power Systems	Power Systems
Model	Standard Edition (7154)	Enterprise Edition (7155)	Enterprise Edition (7155)		525	525	M50	M50	M50
Processor	Power5+	Power5+	Power5+		Power5+	Power5+	Power6	Power6	Power6
Active Cores	2	2	2	There was no user-priced	2	2	2	2	2
CPU Speed	1.9 GHz	1.9 GHz	1.9 GHz	System i 550-class machine.	1.9 GHz	1.9 GHz	3.5 GHz	4.2 GHz	4.2 GHz
Cache per Core	950 KB	950 KB	950 KB		960 KB	960 KB	8 MB	8 MB	8 MB
OLTP TPM	70,645	70,645	70,645	I have always thought this	70,645	70,645	77,113	92,535	92,535
CPW Rating	7,100	7,100	7,100	was a big mistake.	7,100	7,100	7,750	9,300	9,300
Memory	8 GB	8 GB	16 GB		8 GB	16 GB	8 GB	8 GB	16 GB
Disk	8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5	8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5	8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5	Here is a pair of representative	8 x 70 GB	8 x 70 GB	8 x 70 GB	8 x 70 GB	8 x 70 GB
Tape	37.5 GB SLR 60	37.5 GB SLR 60	37.5 GB SLR 60	System i 525 machines for the	36 GB 4mm	36 GB 4mm	36 GB 4mm	36 GB 4mm	36 GB 4mm
OS	i5/OS V5R4	i5/OS V5R4	i5/OS V5R4	sake of comparison.	i5/OS V5R4	i5/OS V5R4	i 6.1	i 6.1, 5250 Enabled	i 6.1, 5250 Enabled
DB	DB2/400	DB2/400	DB2/400		DB2/400	DB2/400	DB2 for i	DB2 for i	DB2 for i
Users	40	40	150	Obviously, these machines are	40	150	40	40	150
Hypervisor	Virtualization Engine	Virtualization Engine	Virtualization Engine	priced more attractively than	Virtualization Engine	Virtualization Engine	Power VM Standard	Power VM Standard	Power VM Standard
System List Price	$122,545	$322,545	$327,341	any 550-class box.	$53,780	$85,359	$145,269	$258,472	$262,568
Cost Per TPM List	$1.73	$4.57	$4.63		$0.76	$1.21	$1.88	$2.79	$2.84
Cost Per User	$3,064	$8,064	$2,182		$1,345	$569	$3,632	$6,462	$1,750
CPW Price/Performance Improvement					83%	74%	-9%	39%	39%
User Price/Performance Improvement					83%	74%	-19%	20%	20%


Vendor	IBM	IBM	IBM				IBM	IBM	IBM
Make	i5 550	i5 550	i5 550				Power Systems	Power Systems	Power Systems
Model	Standard Edition (7154)	Enterprise Edition (7155)	Enterprise Edition (7155)		There was no user-priced		M50	M50	M50
Processor	Power5+	Power5+	Power5+		System i 520-class machine		Power6	Power6	Power6
Active Cores	4	4	4		with four cores.		4	4	4
CPU Speed	1.9 GHz	1.9 GHz	1.9 GHz				3.5 GHz	4.2 GHz	4.2 GHz
Cache per Core	950 KB	950 KB	950 KB		If you remember, I proposed		8 MB	8 MB	8 MB
OLTP TPM	139,300	139,300	139,300		using quad-core modules		149,250	179,100	179,100
CPW Rating	14,000	14,000	14,000		to fix this, and QCMs across		15,000	18,000	18,000
Memory	16 GB	16 GB	32 GB		the line, in fact, to make up		16 GB	16 GB	32 GB
Disk	8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5	8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5	8 * 35.2 GB, RAID 5		for performance differences		8 x 70 GB	8 x 70 GB	8 x 70 GB
Tape	37.5 GB SLR 60	37.5 GB SLR 60	37.5 GB SLR 60		between p and i boxes.		36 GB 4mm	36 GB 4mm	36 GB 4mm
OS	i5/OS V5R4	i5/OS V5R4	i5/OS V5R4				i 6.1	i 6.1, 5250 Enabled	i 6.1, 5250 Enabled
DB	DB2/400	DB2/400	DB2/400				DB2 for i	DB2 for i	DB2 for i
Users	80	80	300				80	80	300
Hypervisor	Virtualization Engine	Virtualization Engine	Virtualization Engine				Power VM Standard	Power VM Standard	Power VM Standard
System List Price	$211,541	$511,541	$521,133				$250,020	$476,426	$484,618
Cost Per TPM List	$1.52	$3.67	$3.74				$1.68	$2.66	$2.71
Cost Per User	$2,644	$6,394	$1,737				$3,125	$5,955	$1,615
CPW Price/Performance Improvement							-10%	28%	28%
User Price/Performance Improvement							-18%	7%	7%