Chapter 2: A Look at the pSeries Line

So far, we have taken a look at today's e-business opportunity and examined the broad e-business on demand, eServer, and TotalStorage strategies central to the IBM vision for the future of computing. From here, we will focus on the IBM eServer pSeries line and how it can be used to build an on demand operating environment moving forward.

Regarding Environments

The pSeries line is designed to address the computing needs of both high performance computing (HPC) users and those who run more general commercial application programs. HPC applications can be found in business, government, and academic environments in areas such as statistical analysis, geological analysis, molecular chemistry simulations, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. Many HPC applications are best implemented on shared servers or clusters of servers, with each user accessing the cluster via a networked personal computer.

Another type of environment addressed by pSeries servers is that of traditional commercial application programs found in business, government, and academic organizations. Again, in these environments, a single pSeries server or cluster of servers is typically shared by multiple users—each working at a personal computer connected to the server on a local area network (LAN). Application programs in commercial environments cover a wide range, from general accounting and order entry to the most advanced database management systems for supply chain management, data mining, and business-to-business transactions over the Internet. Sometimes in the commercial environment, there are also technical business users who, as in HPC environments, use pSeries systems for very demanding workloads such as business statistical analysis, financial analysis, economic simulations, and securities trading. These users will usually be attached to a LAN, allowing them to share programs, data, and peripheral equipment with other users and to access the Internet.