Message #178 From:
NewsBot Date: December 14, 2006 08:00:00 AM
INTC News IBM and Intel Initiative Accelerates Virtualization on Multi-Processor Servers
ARMONK, N.Y. & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IBM and Intel Corporation have joined in an initiative aimed at
improving how IT managers select, deploy and measure virtualized server
solutions for enterprise data centers. Virtualization technology, such
as VMware Infrastructure, on Intel-based servers is becoming widely used
in production environments and is increasing capturing mid-tier
application workloads.
“As mid-sized and large enterprise IT
organizations strive to cash in on the cost savings of data center
consolidation through server virtualization, hosting applications on
larger, more expandable multi-processor servers delivers the best return
on investment,” said Jim Northington, vice
president, System x, IBM. “Nevertheless, many
organizations need the tools to help them select the server platform
that works best in their unique environments.”
One of the first tools to emerge from this joint initiative is a new
virtualization benchmarking methodology called vConsolidate that runs
multiple instances of consolidated database, mail, Web and JAVA(1)
workloads in multiple virtual CPU partitions on Intel-based System x
servers to simulate real-world server performance in a typical
environment. IBM and Intel are contributing the vConsolidate methodology
to an industry standards body for consideration.
“Intel took a major step toward accelerating
virtualization with the introduction of our first processors with
integrated Intel® Virtualization Technology
more than a year ago, and we have built a broad software ecosystem to
support it,” said Boyd Davis, general manager
of Intel Server Platform Group Marketing. “By
creating the vConsolidate methodology with IBM, we are helping to make
it easier for IT managers to adopt the technology and compare processor
platforms and system configurations.”
Using vConsolidate to benchmark the IBM System x3950 server with four
dual-core Intel® Xeon®
7100 processors shows the x3950 delivers up to 46 percent more
performance throughput than a competing system when running a mix of
larger two- and four virtualized processor partitions(2).
Based on this and other customer test results, IBM and Intel created a
VMware Infrastructure Sizing Guide aimed at helping customers select and
appropriately configure the various virtualized server options available
to them. This tool draws from IBM’s vast
virtualization experience, dating back to its pioneering work on
mainframe virtualization 40 years ago, and the lessons learned from
helping customers consolidate their server environments. The result is a
tool that provides recommendations for target utilization rates, the
total number of virtual machines that will be needed to run the
application, and the number of physical servers required to support the
computing workload and goals. The tool identifies an economy of scale
associated with larger server configurations based on:
Ability to support more applications when usage peaks
Conservation of reserve memory across all virtual machines on a server
More processor targets for scheduling job execution
Both the sizing guide effort and the vConsolidate testing results
identified memory as a key limiting factor in determining how many
virtual machines can be loaded onto an Intel-based server. IBM and Intel
researchers have studied the impact of increased addressable memory on
virtualization performance. By collecting data from more than 10,000
servers through IBM’s Consolidation Discovery
and Analysis Tool, the researchers determined that while virtualization
increases total processor utilization, additional reserve memory is
required to allow for application usage spikes.
This insight prompted further joint development using the IBM System
x3950 as a large memory system reference configuration to increase the
total addressable memory pool from 64GB to 128GB. Intel and IBM expect
this expanded memory addressability to be supported in the leading
virtualization platforms beginning next year.
“The success we’ve
seen with our System x servers and the Intel Xeon 7100 processor series
architecture gives us the confidence to invest in a fourth generation of
our Enterprise X-Architecture supporting quad-core Intel Xeon processors
for multi-processor servers in the middle of 2007,”
said Northington.
To assist customers with making virtualization adoption decisions, IBM
expects to open the Virtualization Resource Center (VRC) in early 2007.
Customers will be able to apply principles gleaned from vConsolidate and
sizing guide activities to their particular environments and software
workloads. The VRC will help IBM resellers translate the general
benefits of using large Intel Xeon processor-based servers to specific “proof
of concept” application tests conducted over
30- to 60-day studies.
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies,
products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and
live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
Intel and Xeon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel
Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.
IBM, System x and BladeCenter are trademarks of the International
Business Machines Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries. For a complete list of IBM Trademarks, see www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.
(1) Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
(2) Performance comparisons made using the vConsolidate virtualization
workload on IBM x3950 Dual-Core Intel Xeon 7140N vs. HP DL-585 Dual-Core
AMD Opteron 885 systems. General Description: IBM(1) x3950 4P platform
using Dual-Core Intel® Xeon®
processor 7140N (3.33 GHz, 16 MB L3 cache). HP(1) ProLiant(1) DL585 4P
AMD Opteron(1) processor 885 (2.60 GHz, 2 x 1 MB L2 cache). Performance
tests and ratings are measured using specific computer systems and/or
components and reflect the approximate performance of Intel products as
measured by those tests. Any difference in system hardware or software
design or configuration may affect actual performance. Buyers should
consult other sources of information to evaluate the performance of
systems or components they are considering purchasing. For more
information on performance tests and on the performance of Intel
products, visit http://www.intel.com/performance/resources/limits.htm
or call (U.S.) 1-800-628-8686 or 1-916-356-3104.
All statements regarding IBM's future direction and intent are subject
to change or withdrawal without notice, and represent goals and
objectives only.
