IBM adds Power to CloudBurst line-up

IBM has added configurations based on Power7 servers to its CloudBurst virtual private cloud options.

CloudBurst on Power has been designed to provide everything needed for a private cloud environment, IBM said, including Tivoli service management software, storage and network. The aim is to provide a rapidly deployed, virtual turnkey, cloud environment.

CloudBurst first appeared on IBM's x86 servers and is now at version 2.1, which the new Power systems have inherited. At the Power announcement, IBM also added to the x86, or Server x, line-up.

Packaging systems into preconfigured cells or pods has been increasing in popularity with other big vendors. HP, Oracle and Dell have allput their weight behind packages for customers as a winning strategy.

From the customer viewpoint, it theoretically makes building a data centre a click-fit assembly, as easy as using Lego bricks. That is the theory, but it certainly does take some of the planning and integration problems away.

IBM said it does as much of the integration work as possible before the system leaves the factory. For those customers who prefer to do the installation themselves, IBM has provided Service Delivery Manager to assist installations on existing Power and x86 systems.

The self-service nature of the software and services has been simplified to allow access through a couple of clicks. Any applications not in use are withdrawn from the system, being placed in a state IBM referred to as "deep freeze," and taking up minimal resource space.

CloudBurst v2.1 on Power has been architected for enterprise-level operations, overlapping the high end of the x86 models. The scalability has allowed IBM to certify it for use with SAP systems.

The first three CloudBurst configurations, announced this week for availability in December, are based on Power 750 servers. The low-end is a rack-mounted single server with 32 processor cores. Virtualised, it can run up to 160 server instances.

At the top-end, this becomes five racks with 11 Power 750 servers, which can run up to 2,960 virtual machines, IBM claimed.