IBM's Unix Server May Give Windows Vendors A Run For The MoneyIBM's Unix Server May Give Windows Vendors A Run For The Money

IBM will unveil Wednesday a Unix server that will directly compete with Windows server vendors for IT execs' money. The eServer p610 uses less power than typical Unix servers, adds some high-end functionality, and is priced at just $6,000.

The new server uses Project eLiza self-management software to let administrators do other work while the one- or two-processor p610 operates automatically. That type of functionality is usually reserved for high-end Unix servers, such as IBM's p690 Regatta.

To help handle the large amounts of data generated by CRM, enterprise resource planning, and sales-force automation applications, IBM also will include a RAID 5 storage array within the server frame. This high-end storage is usually only found outside the box as a separate cost. The p610 is expected to ship by the end of next week.

Illuminata analyst Jonathan Eunice believes IBM's new Unix server's price advantage will help it score points against Windows server vendors, including its own xSeries group. He says that not only is the $6,000 price tag a 25% drop from the what was previously the cheapest server in the p610 line, but many customers will buy hundreds or thousands of them, which has the potential to add up to a million dollars in savings. Users also could substantially lower labor costs because they don't have to split their architecture to include Windows, Eunice adds. "There's a people-skill advantage in keeping one platform," he says. "It's a major way to reduce risk of downtime and incompatibility and eliminate systems-management costs."