Intel's Core architecture gets a solid start with about 150 companies offering more than 200 Xeon 5100 (formerly code-named Woodcrest) platforms today. Pretty much every know server manufacturer has sent out press releases ranging for example from Gateway that promises to offer Woodcrest system in the future to Supermicro that has launched 30 different Xeon 5100 system.
Among the more interesting server announcements are servers from Rackable, which offers a very compact system and SGI, which hopes to improve its business with a share of the x86 server business.
Rackable offers two Xeon 5100 processors in its C1000 1U rack-mount server. The company claims that the 1U device does not draw more than 185 watts at the system level, which is a substantial improvement over the firms existing and comparable systems. Rackable says that it is offering a "broad range of servers and storage products" that are delivered fully racked and cabled in cabinet sizes holding up to 88 systems with up to 352 processing cores. Expect vendors to more and more highlight the power efficiency of their systems - Supermicro for example claims that its Woodcrest systems provide "5% or greater efficiency than competitor's systems," which the firm claims results in energy savings of "up to $200 per server over three years."
SGI, which currently operates under bankruptcy protection, also announced Woodcrest servers in an effort to grab a greater share of the quickly growing x86 server pie. The new Altix XE servers run Linux and are based on two Xeon 5160 processors and are offered by the company also as factory-configured processors clusters. SGI offers Altix XE cluster solutions from about $3100.
Dell isn't missing in the lineup and has announced one of more comprehensive Woodcrest portfolios. The firm introduced the Poweredge servers 1950, 2900, 2950 as well as the 1955 blade server. Joining the parade are the workstations Precision 690 and 490, which the firm says can be ordered today and are expected to ship on 17 July. Dell's Xeon 5100-based servers are priced from about $1850; workstations are available from about $1530.
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